Member News: Team Fostering - Stepping out of your comfort zone - John Lewis' Christmas Ad17/11/2022
Since the new John Lewis Retail advert came out last week, it has been a hot topic of conversation throughout the world of fostering. It’s always a positive thing when foster care is in the news for the right reasons, and John Lewis’ thoughtful, compassionate way of spotlighting both foster carers and young people in the care system has certainly got people talking. Some of our foster carers shared stories of going the extra mile to make Looked After Children feel comfortable with them; from learning to roller-skate, with all the bumps and falls associated with it, to carers like Neil who watched countless youtube videos to learn how to French Braid hair – it was very clear that our Team Fostering carers were fully prepared to leave their comfort zone behind to support the children that come to stay with them. Carer Di told us how she overcame one of her biggest fears to support L’s love of horses: “L came to me in late 2018 as an emergency. In those early days, she spoke of her love of horse riding, although I now know she’d never been. For Christmas that year I bought her a voucher for six horse-riding hacks. She loved her gift and when the time came to go, she asked if I would go with her, and I readily agreed. However, I have a phobia of horses and the prospect of getting close enough to even touch one of these beautiful creatures terrified me. But, we managed to go on several hacks together and I later thanked her for helping me to conquer my fear.” On the other hand, sometimes the smallest things you can do are the most meaningful, as carer Kate explained: “It was a very different way of fostering for us when we looked after three sisters whose mother was terminally ill. We effectively merged the families to ensure the mother and her girls made the most of every moment, from regular “carpet picnics” in the hospice with board games, to evenings there having fun and making memories. My own son was part of this and often could be found laid at the foot of the hospice bed chatting about his day. When their mum was well enough to leave the hospital, I would pick her up and she would be at my house when the girls got in from school for tea and a movie. We adapted and made a potentially tragic time a little easier, with many positive memories.” Team Fostering are grateful to all of our foster carers who go out of their way to support and accept children at some of the most vulnerable times of their young lives. If you think you too could go the extra mile to make a young person feel safe and supported, give us a call on 0800 292 2003 or leave your details here to find out more about becoming a foster carer with Team Fostering. Source: www.teamfostering.co.uk Member Job Opportunity: Team Fostering - Independent Reviewing Officer (Yorkshire and East Midlands)4/11/2022
Team Fostering is an ethical not-for-profit fostering agency. We have a strong reputation and proven track record for providing high quality, value-for-money fostering placements for looked after children. We pride ourselves on our values and we expect our staff to commit to and demonstrate these values in their everyday work. We are looking for Independent Reviewing Officers based in Yorkshire & East Midlands region. Our Independent Reviewing Officers contribute to the provision of a high quality fostering service for children by ensuring that every Team Fostering foster carer’s suitability to foster and terms of approval are reviewed at least once annually as required by the Fostering Regulations. Independent Reviewing Officers chair foster carer reviews and produce high quality reports for Team Fostering on a self-employed basis. As part of the preparation for a review they also conduct audits of the agency files to ensure a high standard of recording is maintained. Individuals will have the necessary social work and management skills and experience to undertake this task, to contribute to the maintenance of quality standards within the organisation. Team Fostering will provide regular supervision. Key Tasks:
This is a sessional role. Salary for the post is £33.86 per hour (each review and audit of carer’s file = 6 ½ hours) If you wish to discuss this role further please contact Sandra Kennedy on 07717 762125 Please note Team Fostering does not accept CV’s. Applicants are requested to complete an application form and equal opportunities form available above. To apply, please use the documentation here, sending a completed application form and equal opportunities form to hr@teamfostering.co.uk "When you think of a superhero most people would think of people that are superhuman, wear lycra or have superpowers. But these are all make believe and exist only on the cinema screens and in the pages of books. Real life superheroes are often cunningly disguised as regular people and they live amongst us. The superheroes I’m talking about are our foster carers. If you are a foster carer and reading this you may think ‘I’m not a superhero, I’m just doing my job’ and if you are on the outside looking in, you may think ‘foster carers aren’t superheroes, they just look after kids don’t they?’. WRONG! Foster carers have enhanced strength to pick a young person up when they are at their lowest. They show their strength on a daily basis through resilience and because they keep going, never giving up. So often young people find it difficult to put their feelings into words and this is where the foster carers’ mind-reading ability comes to the fore. They can tune into what is going on for their young person, picking up on the non-verbal cues they display. Foster carers have the ability to create a protective forcefield around their young person to enable them to feel safe and secure. 360 degree vision is a skill that foster carers often develop fairly quickly. They can see what is going on at all times, keeping a close eye on their young people. Like a reed in a strong wind, carers have elasticity built in. They bend but do not break. They are flexible in their parenting approach to suit the needs of their young person. Foster carers wear bulletproof armour so the words (and sometimes unfortunately actions) of a young person will dent their exterior and bounce off. That’s not to say that the dents don’t hurt, of course they can, but foster carers have this extraordinary ability to absorb the impact and not let it penetrate to their core. Foster Carers have a clever ability to be able to make their ‘foster carer’ status become invisible and just simply become mum and dad to their young people. The amazing ability of having the power to heal can often be found in the foster carers’ arsenal. Not just putting a sticking plaster on a cut and dealing with physical injury but helping a child to heal from the past is a remarkable thing. Helping a child’s mind to heal and enable them to realise it was not their fault, they are worth it, and they deserve to be loved." Allison Placements Officer, North East If you can see yourself being a superhero for a young person, give us a call on 0800 292 2003 or leave your details here for a call back from our friendly recruitment team. Source: www.teamfostering.co.uk Salary Banding: £21,631.09 - £26,255.19 per annum (£37,712.47 to £43,758.65 per annum FTE) Location: Blended office and home working Hours: Part time: 22.5 hours per week, Wednesday to Friday Closing Date: Thursday 6th October 2022 PLEASE NOTE: We offer blended/office working arrangements to allow for a good work/life balance for all staff. This will be a minimum of one day per week working within your agreed office base, although staff are actively encouraged to attend the workplace more frequently.
Please note we do not operate a performance related reward system of automatic incremental payments. This position can be based in our East Midlands or Sheffield office with the area you predominantly cover being the East Midlands (as far north as Sheffield and as far south as Loughborough). The role will involve the occasional visit in the Yorkshire region and you must be willing to travel to our Sheffield office and surrounding areas within our Yorkshire and East Midlands regional footprint. Team Fostering is an ethical, not-for-profit fostering agency with a strong reputation and track record for providing high-quality, value for money fostering placements for looked-after children. We pride ourselves on our values and we expect our staff to commit to and demonstrate these values in their everyday work. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and qualified social worker to join our successful and growing fostering team. Working with Team Fostering's Recruitment Team, the post holder will support the agency in recruiting skilled and suitable foster carers by dealing with initial enquiries, undertaking initial assessments and delivering training to prospective foster carers. You will have the knowledge and skills to undertake the full range of fostering social worker tasks, including recruiting, assessing, training and supervising foster carers. Not only will you have excellent communication and interpersonal skills you will also be hardworking, positive, and motivated to improve outcomes for looked after children. The post holder will need to be available to undertake Initial Visits and contact prospective foster carers in the evening and to occasionally provide training for prospective foster carers at a weekend. There may also need to be some flexibility to allow handover between workers and to cover business needs. For an informal chat about the post please contact Louise Thwaites, Recruitment Manager on 0191 257 6806. To apply, please complete an Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form and return to hr@teamfostering.co.uk no later than 9am on Thursday 6th October 2022. Team Fostering strives to be diverse and inclusive - a place where we can ALL be ourselves. We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented within the agency. Please note Team Fostering does not accept CV’s. Full details and application documents here There are many reasons why children and young people might need a temporary home and someone to give them support, love, encouragement and warmth – and Team Fostering work throughout south Yorkshire with those youngsters, and prospective foster parents, to find a place that gives them that stability. You might be feeling that ‘empty nest’ syndrome if your children have recently left home, or you may not have had children but feel you can offer stability and support. Team Fostering is an independent not-for-profit agency which is keen to hear from people who are thinking about becoming foster parents. My experience in foster care Gameel Hilton, now a 19-year-old in full-time employment who lives independently, found himself in foster care as ‘a very angry 13-year-old’. His own family were struggling to cope with him as an angry child, and while he entered the care system reluctantly, he says the experience has been nothing but positive for him long term. He stayed with that one foster family till the age of 18. Gameel said: “I had one foster carer, luckily. It wasn’t expected to be long term but I grew to be part of the family. We just clicked, and it made life a lot easier all round. The family dynamic was much better, we were all getting along.” He says fostering ultimately gave him more out of life and gave him stability. His advice to any other children in his position is to be open to it, and to take every opportunity, including fostering. Speaking to potential foster carers considering the role, Gameel says three qualities are key to making a life-changing difference. “Being caring is the big one, and being reliable. Then, they need to have the confidence to give the young person freedom, but with boundaries.” What does it take to become a foster parent? What it takes is willingness, lots of love and patience to offer stability and support to a young person – Team Fostering will find out what kind of person you are and what you can offer – they’ll work with you and the young people who need placing in a foster home to find the right fit for you and for them. You don’t have to be married or in a relationship, you don’t have to have to have had children yourself. Foster carers come from a variety of backgrounds, experience and circumstances. You will need to be over 21, have a spare bedroom, drive (or be learning) with access to a car, and be available to care around the clock. If you are currently working, then Team Fostering will advise you whether this would work alongside fostering or not – generally if you work part-time, from home, or for yourself and can commit to be there for the young person around working that will help. Other kids and pets in the home doesn’t rule you out either. What support will I get? Foster care is paid employment. Pay depends on the age of child but two thirds of Team Fostering’s youngsters are over 11 and you would receive about £480 per week to care for a teenager. And there’s lots of support both online and in person throughout – nobody will just leave you to it, and there’s always someone on the end of the phone for advice. Before anything is agreed there are chances to ask, and answer, lots of questions and there will also be home visits from the recruitment team. The process takes about six months from your initial inquiry, but less if you’re transferring from another agency. How long will the youngsters be with me? It can vary from one night to long-term but this would be discussed with you at length beforehand. Why choose Team Fostering? Team Fostering is a ‘Small but Mighty’ agency which has been helping young people and foster carers for 21 years. The tight-knit team means you get to know them, and they get to know you. They offer extensive support, training and development, a comprehensive activities programme, and holidays with other foster families, so you never feel alone. Where can I find out more? You can join Team Fostering at one of their upcoming online information events. The next one is on Tuesday 27 September. Alternatively, click here to read more on our website or just pick up the phone and call 0800 292 2003 for an informal chat. Source: www.thestar.co.uk Member Job Opportunity: Team Fostering - Independent Reviewing Officer (Yorkshire and East Midlands)2/9/2022
Team Fostering is an ethical not-for-profit fostering agency. We have a strong reputation and proven track record for providing high quality, value-for-money fostering placements for looked after children. We pride ourselves on our values and we expect our staff to commit to and demonstrate these values in their everyday work. We are looking for Independent Reviewing Officers based in Yorkshire & East Midlands region. Our Independent Reviewing Officers contribute to the provision of a high quality fostering service for children by ensuring that every Team Fostering foster carer’s suitability to foster and terms of approval are reviewed at least once annually as required by the Fostering Regulations. Independent Reviewing Officers chair foster carer reviews and produce high quality reports for Team Fostering on a self-employed basis. As part of the preparation for a review they also conduct audits of the agency files to ensure a high standard of recording is maintained. Individuals will have the necessary social work and management skills and experience to undertake this task, to contribute to the maintenance of quality standards within the organisation. Team Fostering will provide regular supervision. Key Tasks:
This is a sessional role. Salary for the post is £33.86 per hour (each review and audit of carer’s file = 6 ½ hours) If you wish to discuss this role further please contact Sandra Kennedy on 07717 762125 Please note Team Fostering does not accept CV’s. Applicants are requested to complete an application form and equal opportunities form. To apply, please use the documentation on the link below, sending a completed application form and equal opportunities form to hr@teamfostering.co.uk Full details and application documents here Team Fostering is an ethical not-for-profit fostering agency. We have a strong reputation and proven track record for providing high quality, value-for-money fostering placements for looked after children. We pride ourselves on our values and we expect our staff to commit to and demonstrate these values in their everyday work. We are looking for Independent Reviewing Officers based in the North East. Our Independent Reviewing Officers contribute to the provision of a high quality fostering service for children by ensuring that every Team Fostering foster carer’s suitability to foster and terms of approval are reviewed at least once annually as required by the Fostering Regulations. Independent Reviewing Officers chair foster carer reviews and produce high quality reports for Team Fostering on a self-employed basis. As part of the preparation for a review they also conduct audits of the agency files to ensure a high standard of recording is maintained. Individuals will have the necessary social work and management skills and experience to undertake this task, to contribute to the maintenance of quality standards within the organisation. Team Fostering will provide regular supervision. Key Tasks:
This is a sessional role. Salary for the post is £33.86 per hour (each review and audit of carer’s file = 6 ½ hours) If you wish to discuss this role further please contact Rachael Johnson on 07717 762126 Please note Team Fostering does not accept CV’s. Applicants are requested to complete an application form and equal opportunities form. All posts require an Enhanced DBS Disclosure To apply, please use the documentation on the link below, sending a completed application form and equal opportunities form to hr@teamfostering.co.uk Full details and application documents here Location: Hybrid Working Salary Banding: £37,718.47 - £43,758.65 per annum FTE Full time: 37.5 hours per week (full time, permanent) Closing Date: 2 September 2022 Hybrid Working - We offer blended/office working arrangements to allow for a good work life balance for all staff with a minimum of one day per week working within your agreed office base.
Please note we do not operate a performance related reward system of automatic incremental payments. Team Fostering is an ethical not for profit fostering agency with a strong reputation and track record for providing high quality, value for money fostering placements for looked after children. We pride ourselves on our values and behaviours and we expect our staff to commit to and demonstrate these in their everyday work. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and qualified social worker to join our successful fostering team. You will have the knowledge and skills to undertake the full range of Supervising Social Worker tasks, including supervising foster carers, working with other professionals, report writing and attendance at meetings. Not only will you have excellent communication and interpersonal skills you will also be hardworking, positive, and motivated to improve outcomes for looked after children. This post will be based in our East Midlands office however you will be required to work flexibly across the East Midlands region. The role will involve out of hours duty work. The successful candidate will have experience of Family Placement work either in the Local Authority or an IFA setting. The closing date for applications for this role is 9am on Friday 2nd September 2022 and interviews are scheduled for the 16th of September 2022. To apply, please complete an Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form and return to hr@teamfostering.co.uk no later than 9am on 2nd September 2022. Team Fostering strives to be diverse and inclusive - a place where we can ALL be ourselves. We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented within the agency. Please note Team Fostering does not accept CV’s. Full details and application documents here Member Job Opportunity: Team Fostering - Supervising Social Worker (East Midlands) - Maternity Cover30/8/2022
Salary Banding - £37,718.47 - £43,758.65 per annum Contract: 11 months contract to cover maternity Hours: 37.5 hours per week We offer blended/office working arrangements to allow for a good work life balance for all staff.
This will be a minimum of one day per week working within your agreed office base, although staff are actively encouraged to attend the workplace more frequently. Please note we do not operate a performance related reward system or automatic incremental payments Team Fostering is an ethical not for profit fostering agency with a strong reputation and track record for providing high quality, value for money fostering placements for looked after children. We pride ourselves on our values and behaviours and we expect our staff to commit to and demonstrate these in their everyday work. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and qualified social worker to join our successful fostering team to cover a maternity period for 11 months. You will have the knowledge and skills to undertake the full range of Supervising Social Worker tasks, including supervising foster carers, working with other professionals, report writing and attendance at meetings. Not only will you have excellent communication and interpersonal skills you will also be hardworking, positive, and motivated to improve outcomes for looked after children. This post will be based in our East Midlands office however you will be required to work flexibly across the Yorkshire & East Midlands region. The role will involve out of hours duty work. The successful candidate will have experience of Family Placement work either in the Local Authority or an IFA setting. Informal enquiries regarding the post can be made to Jubilee Chikosi (Team Manager) on 07983 225302. Please note Team Fostering does not accept CV’s. Full details and application documents here Contract Status: Permanent (Full Time) - 37.5 hours per week Salary banding: £78,000 - £100,000 per annum Location: North Shields or Sheffield with ability to travel between regions Are you a strategic thinker who engages and inspires people? Are you motivated by purpose and not profit? Could you be the right person to lead our small but mighty team and help us transform children’s lives?
Team Fostering is looking for a CEO with Executive level experience in a social care environment, or who is driven by social purpose, to lead our not-for-profit fostering agency. If you are a passionate and driven individual with a track record of success, who wants to make a difference, you could be our next CEO. Get in touch to hear more about:
We are looking for:
For more information about the role or requirements, please contact Jane Butler (CEO) on 07769 908129 or Julie Bailey (Board Member) on 07855 865517. The closing date for applications for this role is 9am on Tuesday 30th August 2022 and interviews are scheduled for the 14th and 15th of September 2022. To apply, please complete an Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form (available below) and return to hr@teamfostering.co.uk no later than 9am on 30th August 2022. Team Fostering strives to be diverse and inclusive - a place where we can ALL be ourselves. We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented within the agency. Please note Team Fostering does not accept CVs. Candidates are asked to indicate their preference for office base in their application submission. Full details and application documents here |
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