 Programmes totalling £19 million to improve support for care leavers announced ahead of National Care Leavers Week
Access to better housing, healthcare and employment opportunities are at the core of a new multi-million pound settlement to improve the life chances of vulnerable young people leaving care. Marking National Care Leavers Week, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has today (Wednesday 23 October) announced the new cross-government support available to young people leaving the care system, alongside £19 million of investment into programmes that directly benefit care leavers. The new funding includes £10 million to create stable homes for care leavers as they become adults; £6 million to support young people leaving care to live independently and £3 million to help care leavers go into further education. Alongside this, the Education Secretary has committed to delivering 1,000 internships for care leavers over the next two years to help secure long term, quality jobs for care leavers. This will include expanding the existing Civil Service Internship Scheme which has offered permanent jobs to 220 care leavers across Whitehall and working with other public sector bodies including the NHS, Ministry of Defence civilian roles, police and the fire service to support care leavers into new employment opportunities. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "Young people leaving care face enormous barriers in their lives as they move towards independence, from not having a trusted person in their life to rely on, to not having a safe home to return to at the end of the day. Housing, healthcare and education are three of the biggest obstacles they have to overcome. We all have a responsibility to do better for them – so I’m bringing together colleagues from across government to join me in transforming the support we offer care leavers in all of these key areas to make the biggest difference in their lives. This starts immediately, because we must raise the bar for these young people, to give them greater stability and a strong sense of purpose in adulthood." The new offer for care leavers builds on existing work by the Department for Education to tackle the root causes for children being taken into care, through projects designed to strengthen families and support stable home lives for vulnerable children so that they can stay with their birth families when it is safe to do so and in that child’s best interest. It adds to extra funding announced last week to help adoptive families build strong relationships and overcome past trauma, and practical support announced earlier this month for foster families in the form of short breaks, mentoring and social activities. Chaired by Mr Williamson and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Oliver Dowden, the new Care Leaver Covenant Board will comprise of Secretaries of State from across relevant government departments and will meet three times a year to address the key barriers facing young care leavers as they adjust to independent life as adults: finding a suitable, safe place to live, supporting them to remain in education, employment or training, and helping them access appropriate healthcare. It will also look at how to support councils to employ adolescent mental health workers in every leaving care team in the country. In addition to the new internships and ministerial group, the full package of new announcements includes:
This transformation in support for care leavers will help improve their outcomes, addressing the number of those aged 19 to 21 who are deemed ‘not in education, employment or training’ (NEET). Almost 40% of care leavers are NEET compared to 13% for this age group overall. The new internships, each being a one-year paid offer, are designed to lead to full-time job offers, and follows an expansion of the civil service internship scheme for care leavers from 2021, which is currently offering 220 internships across 25 departments in the next year. Expanding the scheme is part of the government’s drive to provide care leavers with opportunities to learn new skills in a range of employment areas, whether the police, or other public bodies. The ministerial group will agree key goals across relevant policy areas which will be scrutinised by members, which will include the Secretaries of State from the Minister of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department of Health and Social Care and Home Office. Minister for the Cabinet Office, Oliver Dowden, said: "My role in the Cabinet Office is to pull together all the different parts of government, so that they work together on the issues that really matter. Through better coordination we can massively improve the support that’s available to young people leaving the care system and make sure they can become independent adults with a bright future ahead of them." Ian Dickson, Chair of the Conference for Care Experienced People which met with Mr Williamson on Monday to mark National Care Leavers Week, said: "The Education Secretary listened very attentively and reflected that our commitment to ‘care experienced’ people should be a lifelong one – similar to the commitment we make towards members of the Armed Forces. We thought he really got it: care experience is a continuous lifetime experience bringing different needs at different stages that may not accord with the statutory definition of care and leaving care. Care does not end at 18, 21 or 25" Source: www.gov.uk  Location: Barnardo's Scotland Fostering Edinburgh Contract type: Permanent Hours:37 Salary: £23,545 - 31,833 Closing Date: 13 November 2019 Interview Date: TBC Barnardo's Scotland Fostering Edinburgh Team are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Children's Worker to join our Fostering Team. Relevant experience in direct work with children and young people is desirable. The post holder is required to have valid a driving license as travel forms an essential part of the role (where appropriate reasonable adjustments will be considered for candidates covered by the Equality Act who are unable to obtain a driving license). A recognized childcare qualification is essential.
The post is full-time and flexible arrangements can be considered in line with the service priorities. The post is based in Edinburgh. About Barnardo's At Barnardo's we believe in children – no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. Please read about our basis and values following the link below. You will be asked questions relating to them as part of the recruitment process for this role. Barnardo's is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce for staff and volunteers. We actively encourage applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and male candidates as they are under-represented within Barnardo's. Our basis and values Full details and application documents here  Chelmsford Salary £42,000 - £50,000 depending on experience 37.5 hours per week Permanent St Christopher’s is seeking an experienced and dynamic professional to support and develop our fostering services across the Eastern Region including Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Peterborough, Essex, Bedfordshire and the London borders.
If you have a successful track record of recruiting foster carers and providing the training and support necessary to build a thriving fostering business, we want to hear from you. About Us St Christopher's is an established children’s charity that has provided care for vulnerable children and young people for almost 150 years. We provide fostering, children's homes and a range of innovative housing and support services across London, Bedfordshire, West Midlands and the Isle of Man. We really care about children and young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do. We ask young people what they think and involve them in decision making, from helping to shape new services to interviewing new members of staff. Our social pedagogic approach is our core philosophy of care. Put simply this is a holistic approach for building positive relationships with young people to bring out their inner “diamond”. This is a unique opportunity for you to build a fostering team that can deliver high standards of service and achieve excellent outcomes for children. You will be backed by St Christopher’s centrally co-ordinated and targeted recruitment campaigns and supported by marketing colleagues. Key aspects of the Role:
Applicants should have:
In return we offer:
Recruitment Process At St Christopher’s we are committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people in our care. During the recruitment process you will be expected to complete an online application form to ensure we capture essential information to meet legislation, best practice and vetting requirements. Applicants will ideally already be on the DBS Update Service; if this is not the case St Christopher's will carry out a DBS (police) check prior to starting. Your online application must include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification. For the full Person Specification click here For more information or assistance during the application process, please contact recruitment@stchris.org.uk Closing Date: 18th November 2019 Interviews: 25th November 2019 We currently have offices in London, Chelmsford and West Midlands – Interviews will be held at our Chelmsford Office St Christopher’s is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community as well as applications from candidates with care experience or experience of being a care leaver. Full details and application details here  Location: Barnardo's Scotland Fostering Edinburgh Contract type: Permanent Hours: 37 Salary : £28,631 - £37,414 Closing Date: 13 November 2019 Barnardo's Scotland Fostering Edinburgh is looking for a committed social care professional with a sound knowledge of fostering legislation and practice issues to join our Fostering Team. You will be involved in the recruitment, training and supervision of Foster Carers within the Edinburgh service.
As a qualified and registered social worker, you will have experience of family placement work and preferably experience of foster care practice, including the assessment of potential foster carers. A good knowledge of fostering regulations, child care law and safeguarding issues is essential. You will have excellent communication skills and a commitment to high quality practice. The role of the supervising social worker is an exciting and a stimulating one that involves providing intensive support to foster carers and their families to enable them to provide the very best quality of care to the vulnerable children they look after. You will be a team player, a good communicator and a skilled and self-motivated professional, with the ability to work flexibly. As well as managing your caseload, you will be part of a duty rota to support the running of the service, both within and outside of normal office hours. There is also an expectation that you will be involved in delivering training to prospective and existing foster carers. You will have a strong commitment to promoting and safeguarding the wellbeing of children, but you will also have an appreciation of the demands that come with working for a high quality voluntary fostering service in an increasingly competitive environment. Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore are open to offering flexible working arrangements. When completing your application please refer to your skills knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification, Job Description and Additional Information document. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described About Barnardo's At Barnardo's we believe in children – no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. Please read about our basis and values following the link below. You will be asked questions relating to them as part of the recruitment process for this role. Barnardo's is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce for staff and volunteers. We actively encourage applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and male candidates as they are under-represented within Barnardo's. Our basis and values Full details and application documents here  Permanent - Office Based - Leeds Part Time - 21 Hours Per Week £14,580 Per Annum (£24,300 Pro Rata) Closing Date: 25/11/2019 Interview Date: 04/12/2019 TACT, the UK’s largest fostering and adoption charity. Formed in 1993, we now have over 500 dedicated carers, who look after over 600 children and young people across the country. Our reputation and growth rests upon our strength in providing successful placements. As a charity, we do not have shareholders who receive profits and we invest all of our surplus income into service, staff, carers, and children's development.
This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic, enthusiastic, highly-motivated individual with experience in administration within the social care field to join the recently merged Yorkshire and North East Area Team as the Fostering Placement Officer. The Fostering Placement Officer is responsible for receiving foster care placement requests for children and matching them to our foster carers on behalf of the Area Manager and in close cooperation with the Duty Social Worker. The Fostering Placement Officer role requires exceptional communication skills and discretion, sensitivity and the capability to deal with conflicting priorities at times. The successful candidate will bring experience in a social care and health setting working with children/young people and current knowledge of safeguarding procedures to the Fostering Placement Officer role. General office experience and knowledge of Microsoft packages is also essential, along with excellent communication skills and the ability to build a rapport and a positive working relationships with external partnership agencies. The Fostering Placement Officer’s core duties includes:
TACT offer an excellent benefits package including:
Please see the job description and applicant information booklet for full details. A standard DBS check will be required and carried out by TACT on your behalf. Closing: Midnight on Monday 25th November 2019 Interviews: Wednesday 4th December 2019 - TACT Yorkshire (LS14 6FD) TACT reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so we advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment. Full details and application documents here  Location: Norwich Hours: Permanent, Full Time (35 hours p/w) Salary: £47,505 - £52,782 pa depending on qualifications and skills (salary range extends to £58,061 based on performance) We are seeking a qualified (ACCA or equivalent), highly motivated and effective accountant to become our Head of Finance. This is the most senior professional finance role within our complex £10M turnover organisation. The Head of Finance will lead our small but highly effective finance team and be responsible for all aspects of financial management from budget compilation to completion and submission of audited year end accounts.
With strong post qualification experience, you will be accustomed to budget preparation and control and will be confident when presenting complex reports and updates to varying audiences. An excellent problem-solver, you will have great attention to detail, ensuring accuracy at all times and monitoring all accounting functions to ensure they are effectively operated. We are looking for a Head of Finance who can deliver in a fast paced, changing environment, ideally has experience of managing and developing finance teams effectively, and is also keen to learn, grow and drive forward continual improvements in our service. Due to the nature of the role, it is essential that you have a driving licence and access to a vehicle. This is an excellent opportunity to join an expanding and vibrant voluntary organisation with services located in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire and make a positive impact on young lives as a member of our senior management team. Break delivers a wide range of outstanding services providing exceptional outcomes for vulnerable children, young people and their families, and is looking to develop and diversify those services to increase our support and geographical spread while always striving for constant improvement. Break is changing young lives across East Anglia by supporting children, young people and families in four key areas as we continue to grow and diversify to meet changing needs:
For more information on this job opportunity, please initially email or call Mike Hudson, Resources and Commercial Services Director via the contact details found on our website Closing date: Sunday 1st December 2019 Interview date: Wednesday 18th December 2019 Source: https://break-charity.current-vacancies.com  The adverse experiences that led to children entering the care system remain with them through school, says Fiona Aitken
In Scotland today we have a much greater understanding of the needs of care-experienced individuals. Along with our growing understanding of the impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), research from the University of Stirling’s Permanently Progressing study informs us that over 80 per cent of children entering the care system in Scotland have experienced significant abuse and/or neglect (Cusworth et al, 2019). To fully understand the impact of early childhood trauma is to recognise the lifelong impact on a child, and the areas of vulnerability and disadvantage it creates. Regardless of the child’s permanent placement – whether this involves returning home, being permanently placed in foster care, with kinship carers or an adoptive family – the adverse experiences that led to them entering the care system remain with them. These experiences lead to needs displayed in a variety of ways requiring support. Supporting children in care Social, emotional and behavioural difficulties most often show evidence of children’s needs – particularly inside the classroom, where particular skills are expected and peer comparisons obvious. These difficulties can come from a variety of different reasons; impact of early trauma, attachment difficulties, sensory processing challenges or behaviour typical of children who are living with the impact of alcohol taken during pregnancy – those living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). For children who are care-experienced or adopted, it is extremely common to be managing one or more of these issues. Responding to the acknowledged need of children in our classrooms, the Scottish government created a specific funding opportunity in 2018 to improve the educational attainment of Care Experienced Children and Young People. This funding has led to an increase in specific project delivery for this marginalised group of children, whose additional support needs can, at times, go unrecognised or unsupported. Across Scotland, we are increasingly aware of a variety of creative and impactful practice that is making a real difference. The implementation of "virtual headteachers", schools becoming more attachment-aware, trauma-informed and the increasing facilitation of outdoor learning opportunities are contributing to the creation of learning environments that are more attuned to the learning needs of our children. Adoption UK Scotland’s upcoming conference, Thinking Differently About Education, offers an opportunity for the showcasing of successful approaches, and for attendees to learn more about the benefit to children and schools of applying this different thinking. Chaired by Nicky Murray, former headteacher of Burnside Primary School, which is renowned for its attachment-aware principles, the day will also feature a headline talk from author Louise Bombèr, expert on educational approaches for children affected by trauma. Attendees at the conference in Falkirk on Friday 6 December will also benefit from hearing directly from the minister of children and young people, Maree Todd, about the Scottish government’s hopes and intentions around the Care Experienced Children and Young People’s funding stream use. We are also joined by the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Advisory Service, which will be launching an innovative education resource at the event. The conference is for anyone working with, parenting or caring for a child who is care-experienced, and keen to learn new ideas for supporting their education. Tickets can be found here. Fiona Aitken is director of AdoptionUK Scotland Source: https://www.tes.com  Practical and emotional support from communities of foster carers to boost their resilience
Foster families will benefit from projects offering short breaks, mentoring, emergency sleepovers and social activities with other families to help create stability as they adjust to their new lives together. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has today (Thursday 3 October) launched fostering projects in 10 new locations, helping hundreds more foster families with practical and emotional support and advice, helping them tackle the day-to-day challenges of taking in a vulnerable young person from care and create a stable environment for them to live in. The ‘Mockingbird Family Model’, delivered by The Fostering Network, brings foster families together in groups, centred around one experienced foster carer who lives nearby to act as a mentor. This builds a network on which they can rely in difficult moments, in the same way that families who are together from birth often rely on the support of extended family, friends or neighbours, and helping them cope with challenging behaviour or problems caused by trauma before they escalate. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "Foster parents give stability to children who have often experienced nothing but trauma and chaos at home, giving them opportunities that most of us take for granted. The unique circumstances they face in becoming a new family means they need daily support from people who understand the challenges, offering them much-needed advice and respite when they feel isolated or alone. Expanding the Mockingbird Family Model into new areas builds on a programme we know has real value to foster families, helping them to form vital communities so that parents can rely on one another through tough times and vulnerable children get the safe, supportive home life they deserve." The expansion to 10 new areas, part of the Department for Education’s Supporting Families; Investing in Practice programme, acts to keep families together safely and provides a community environment that understands and shares their experiences. It comes as findings from the Mockingbird programme show that foster families assisted through the programme built stronger relationships and became more resilient. Alongside this additional help for foster families, the Department for Education has also today launched new projects in 18 council areas to support vulnerable children coping with chaotic home lives as a result of their parents’ problems with mental health, domestic violence or addiction. Announced in April and backed by £84 million secured in last year’s Autumn Budget, these projects reaffirm the core principle of the Children Act 1989 that where possible, children are best brought up with their parents. Kevin Williams, Chief Executive at The Fostering Network, said: "We’re delighted that the government is showing confidence in the Mockingbird programme and the difference it is making in the lives of fostered children and young people, as well as the foster families caring for them. This extra funding will allow us to bring the benefits of Mockingbird’s extended family model to many more foster families across England and to get further insight into the impact of the programme." The expansion of Mockingbird Family Model builds on investment worth nearly £500,000 in seven regions to explore new approaches to fostering, helping local authorities understand and meet the needs of children in their area. The funding will help with recruitment and support in the seven fostering partnerships, making sure they are enough foster families, in the right place and at the right time, to offer children the best possible home to meet their needs. Michael Sanders, Executive Director of What Works for Children’s Social Care, said: "I’m really excited to be part of this project, which will see a large expansion of the Mockingbird model to 10 new areas, while continuing to build on an already promising evidence base that will help local authorities and young people into the future." Mockingbird will be expanded into Sheffield, East Cheshire, Wakefield, Warrington, South Tyneside, Barnsley, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Stoke-on-Trent. Source: www.gov.uk  We’re pleased to be celebrating Sons & Daughters month again this October, a time when we truly acknowledge and thank the amazing contribution to fostering that the birth children of our foster carers make every day. The children of our foster carers play a key role in the fostering household, and without their acceptance, energy and compassion, our carers would not be able to make a difference to other children’s lives. Every year, The Fostering Network, one of the UK’s leading fostering charities, instigates this celebration – with a different theme each year. This year’s theme is based around what fostering teaches you. The ‘birth’ children of carers are encouraged to consider what they have learned from being a part of the fostering home. The Fostering Network have launched a competition here. We have an internal competition, open to the children of all our carers. me! We have had some wonderful entries so far. The art above, created by Isabelle, aged 11, is absolutely fantastic. She has chosen to include everything she has learnt within the letters of our name. Thank you Isabelle!
Jessica, aged 7, has drawn a brilliant picture of her home (below), surrounded by all the things that she has learnt within her fostering home. Well done Jessica! So, a big thank you to all these children who play a vital role in helping other children, who listen to them, play with them – and generally welcome them into their family. You are amazing, and very much an integral part of the fostering team within your home! Source: www.fostercarecooperative.co.uk  Our staff are an integral part of our success and due to internal promotion, we are seeking to recruit a Principal Social Worker to join our West Midlands Team.
Location Bromsgrove, Worcestershire (B60) Package We are a progressive organisation who promote a friendly and supportive working environment, where you will be rewarded for your hard work and results. As well as a competitive annual salary (up to £43,495 dependent on experience) plus a very generous car allowance (£4,800 per annum) and out of hours allowance (£1,200 per annum). We also offer a comprehensive benefits package including 30 days Annual leave plus bank holidays, 35 hour week, up to 5% contributory pension, occupational sick pay, private health care, dental care, employee assistance programme, enhanced maternity pay, life assurance, long service awards, childcare vouchers and free office parking. The Role Based at our West Midlands office in Bromsgrove you will recruit, assess and support our Foster Carers as well as make placements in response to referrals from Local Authorities. Our low caseload management system ensures that we achieve good outcomes for our children and maintain a high-quality service. This role involves supporting the Registered Manager by supervising and supporting less experienced staff on professional matters and undertaking tasks delegated by the Registered Manager. Please see the full job description listed below for further details. Ideal candidates This is an exciting opportunity for a HCPC registered Social Worker with at least 2 years’ experience in a social work environment that includes some fostering social work experience. Someone who can work flexibly as part of a busy team and wants the opportunity to provide a quality service to our children, young people and Foster Carers. Supervisory experience would be advantageous. The Children’s Family Trust is an equal opportunities employer and committed to promoting the welfare and safeguarding of children, ensuring that they are kept safe. As you will be in an environment which involves child protection and working with Looked After Children, you will need to be covered by DBS clearance, which the Trust will undertake. This position is also subject to receipt of satisfactory references. How to apply To apply please email your CV to jobs@thecft.org.uk. If selected for interview candidates will be required to complete an Application Form and Equality & Diversity Monitoring Form available from our website. We are a great company to work for and this is a rare opportunity to make a ‘real’ difference in children’s lives. To read more about our unique history, please click here. Closing Date: 30th October 2019 Full details and application documents here |
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