TACT is the UK’s largest specialist charity provider of fostering and adoption services.  Our core work involves providing high quality and well supported fostering or adoptive families for children and young people in the care of local authorities.  Working in partnership with local authorities from our offices across England, Wales and Scotland, we are dedicated to providing creative, effective and outcome-focused services. We also campaign on behalf of children and young people in care, carers and adoptive families and are a leading voice in the sector.

Our vision is to provide better lives for our children and young people.

We are currently looking for a dynamic proactive PA to support our CEO and the Directorate. We need someone capable of working in a professional manner maintaining diplomacy and confidentiality in a busy, fast moving Charity.

You should have significant PA or EA experience, intermediate to advanced level in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel and SharePoint and a working experience, and interest in of facilities management.

For this role it is essential to have a high level of competency in managing priorities and to respond in a flexible way to changing demands. You should be able to work with minimal supervision and to tight deadlines.

The main skills for this role are:

• A commitment to and knowledge and understanding of Equal Opportunities and anti discriminatory practice.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people at all levels.
• Organisational skills.
• Ability to multitask in a wide range of duties.
• Ability to take responsibility together with line manager for own professional development – supervision, appraisal and training.
• High level of competency in negotiating and influencing skills.
• Able to work to tight deadlines.
• Typing speed of at least 50wpm.

TACT offer an excellent benefits package including 31 days paid holiday, flexible working arrangements, group income protection scheme, death in service and stakeholder pension scheme (salary sacrifice). Please see the job information pack for further information.

Closing: Monday, 7th October 2019
Interviews: Monday, 14th October 2019

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. ​
​
Source:
https://www.tactcare.org.uk

A​t Barnardo's we believe in children. Our purpose is to transform the lives of the UK's most vulnerable children and our vision is to realise Thomas Barnardo's dream of a world where no child is turned away from the help that they need.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced children's services leader to help shape and support the Barnardo's Central regional strategy to grow our Children and Young People's Services over the coming years. You will be working in one of our principle localities, Birmingham, where we are a key stakeholder and have a strong history.  We have a considerable amount of development work in the pipeline and are looking for an individual who is willing to get fully involved in supporting staff to deliver these growth opportunities alongside playing an intrinsic part within the regional senior management team to deliver a very ambitious development programme. 

We are looking for someone with great interpersonal skills combined with excellent leadership and management capacity, with a passion to improve the lives of our most vulnerable children and young people – is this you?

At Barnardo's, our purpose is to transform the lives of the UK's most vulnerable children and our vision is to realise Thomas Barnardo's dream of a world where no child is turned away from the help that they need.  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.

Our basis and values
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.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and we expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.  Our safer recruitment processes mean that the safety and welfare of the child is paramount at every stage of the process and therefore, we adopt rigorous scrutiny in our pre-employment checking. This post is subject to a range of pre-employment checks including an Enhanced DBS for the successful candidate.

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.

For further information and to apply, please click on the apply button to be redirected to our website.

If you would like to discuss this position informally, please contact the Central Region Director, Hugh Sherriffe on Tel 01293610660 or 07887634962

Closing date: 11th October 2019    
Interview date: 8th November 2019
  
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

Lead and Deliver Transformational Change at the heart of the Barnardo's Mission.

We are seeking a strategic leader who can deliver profound and sustainable change for the Children In and Leaving Care that we and our partners work with. At the heart of our mission supporting vulnerable children and young people, we have invested in a “Core Priority Programme (CPP)” to transform the lives of those in and leaving the Care system - to enable them to be more likely to get meaningful education, employment and training because of that support. This Assistant Director Impact role has built some important foundations over the last two years - the start of long-term partnerships with key local authorities, and a ground-breaking Triangles scheme to empower Care Leavers in shaping Barnardo's and the work we do.

We are seeking a leader who can take this work to the next level in terms of impact, and who can galvanise the whole of our Charity, the young people we work with and our many external partners, to deepen and broaden the impact we can make on as many of those as possible in the care system across the U.K.   The CPP should include participation of children & young people to ensure the voice of the child is integral to the model; direct access/interaction with young people will therefore be a key role in the job.

The successful applicant will expected to work 4 days per month at Lynton House (Euston, London) and/or Barnardo House (Barkingside, Essex). Some travel to the strategic partnership areas (currently Brent and Plymouth) will also be required

This is an unusual and demanding post - you will need to have real strategic authority with senior stakeholders, key government departments and partners and credible operational impact, including directly with young people.

At Barnardo's we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and we expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.  Our safer recruitment processes mean that the safety and welfare of the child is paramount at every stage of the process and therefore, we adopt rigorous scrutiny in our pre-employment checking. This post is subject to a range of pre-employment checks including a Criminal Records Enhanced Disclosure for the successful candidate.

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 can be found on the Barnardo's website

Barnardo's foster carers are sharing their inspiring stories during the charity's Fostering Week

Since Barnardo’s first fostering campaign ten years ago, the charity has found loving foster families to care for vulnerable children more than 8,200 times.

Tony Foulkes and his wife Cathie, have welcomed five children into their homes over the last nine years. For Cathie and Tony fostering proved to be life changing both for the children they have fostered and for themselves. They currently care for two children.

Tony said: “We love it. Tony said: “They are a lovely and they keep us on our toes. We have so much fun with them. I would definitely recommend fostering to others. There is support there for you and you know you are doing something good.”

Cathie, who works part-time for a local hospice, said: “All children are challenging but as long as you set up routines and stick to them the children respond. We constantly reassure them that they can talk to us about anything, we are there for them. When they leave us but still take the time to visit or phone us to tell us they love us, that’s the reward – and they keep us young!”

Since Barnardo’s first fostering campaign ten years ago, the charity has found loving foster families to care for vulnerable children more than 8,200 times. Over the decade, the number of children in care in England has risen by 27 per cent.

Without more foster carers Barnardo’s could struggle to find the right carers to look after children.

This is why the charity is appealing to people to find out about how they can become foster carers and help change a child’s live.

Foster carers need to live in the right location and be available when a vulnerable child needs a loving family and have the right training and skills.

This could be particularly difficult for those children who are disabled, have siblings, are older, or from a religious or minority ethnic background. It is important for their needs to be met and for any child to be given the opportunity to continue their religious or cultural beliefs with foster carers who are able to support this.

Barnardo’s Chief Executive Javed Khan said: “Every child deserves a safe and happy childhood. We urgently need more foster carers to ensure that children in care have just this.

“We know that being a foster carer can be challenging, but we also know how incredibly rewarding it is and have seen first-hand the positive difference it can make to a child’s life.

“Barnardo’s is with carers every step of the way providing training and support throughout the whole fostering journey, from the first enquiry, through the approval process, to when carers meet their first foster child and beyond.”

To find out more about becoming a foster carer or the support Barnardo’s can offer visit: https://www.barnardos.org.uk/what-we-do/fostering-and-adoption or call 0800 0277 280.

Source:
https://www.barnardos.org.uk

Team Fostering is an agency that prides itself on promoting diversity and operating with zero-tolerance towards discrimination.

We sometimes hear from LGBTQ+ individuals and couples who mistakenly believe that their sexuality will prevent them from becoming foster carers. At Team Fostering we have many LGBTQ+ fostering families, some who foster as single carers and some who foster as couples. 

This September we're promoting Team Fostering as 'An agency to call Home' and are celebrating the diversity of our foster carers, staff and children. We have recently renewed our agency membership to New Family Social, the UK’s leading charity for promoting LGBTQ+ fostering and adoption. As an agency member our foster carers are entitled to free individual memberships to the service which offers a national support network for carers and adopters. Many of our foster carers find this extremely helpful with access to a platform to share experiences, speak with other LGBTQ+ foster carers and access a range of resources for fostering.

There are certain criteria all of our foster carers, regardless of sexuality or gender, need to meet. For example, foster carers need to be over 21, be able to drive and have a spare bedroom that could be used for a child or young person. For further information and to check if you meet this basic criteria, you can do so by clicking here.

Team Fostering is an independent, not-for-profit fostering agency that operates across Yorkshire, the East Midlands and the North East. We are proud to support LGBTQ+ fostering and welcome enquiries from a diverse range of families.

To learn more about fostering with Team Fostering or discuss any eligibility concerns you have, call us on 0800 292 2003, email info@teamfostering.co.uk or use our online enquiry form to request a callback.

Source:
https://www.teamfostering.co.uk

More and more people in their 20s and early 30s are becoming foster carers. Here, younger Guardian readers explain why
​
Growing up in a fostering family, Natalie Wainwright always planned to become a foster parent. But she didn’t think she’d be doing it in her 20s.

Wainwright, who lives in Sussex, is at 23 one of the UK’s youngest foster carers – well below the average age of 45 to 54. After working full-time as a teacher for a year, she chose to go part-time, believing she could have more of an impact as a foster carer as she felt drawn towards looking after vulnerable children.

Wainwright says people are often surprised at her decision, thinking she should favour the relative freedom of her early 20s over looking after children. But she says she still enjoys meeting friends, listening to music and reading books on the beach – only now she’s doing this with her seven-year-old foster child.

“I sometimes wonder about what I would be doing if I wasn’t fostering, but missing out is not a worry for me,” she says. “There are so many experiences I’ve had because I’m fostering.”

Concern over her age has mainly come from older generations. “It’s been older people questioning my decision,” she says. “More people appreciated it of my generation. I think millennials are quite open in general; they’re not sticking to how things have always been done.”

Wainwright is one of a growing number of millennials choosing to foster or adopt children.

She was driven to do this as growing up in a household with looked-after children, she “came to understand very quickly that children in the care system have stories characterised by pain”.

She adds: “It was difficult to grapple with these things as a child, trying to understand the behaviour of the new sibling I had gained. But I realise now that those experiences cultivated a deeper sense of empathy and resilience in me.”

Connie Robertson-Gurie, 27, was driven by altruistic reasons to become a foster parent at the age of 24, after her eyes were opened to the challenges facing vulnerable children when volunteering abroad for a charity during her gap year. On returning, she and her partner realised “what a dire state we were already in at home”, with more than 70,000 children in care in England and Wales.

“The [care] system is broken,” Robertson-Gurie says. “People have now realised that we need to do something a little bit sooner and we need to be helping these children as children, rather than repair them as broken adults.”

For Robertson-Gurie, it’s up to young adults to do something. Foster care in the UK is facing a “looming crisis” because of a lack of government funding and support, the charity Fostering Network warned earlier this year. The sector is already facing a deficit of more than 8,000 carers, meaning children and young people can be put in “risky” and inappropriate accommodation.

A spokesperson for the charity called for increased recruitment of foster carers from all sections of society to reflect the children and young people coming into care in need of a foster family. Some 164 respondents to a Fostering Network survey in 2018 were between the ages of 18 and 34, compared with 106 in 2016.

Tact, the UK’s largest fostering and adoption charity, has seen a three-fold increase in millennials applying to foster this year, from 10 approved in the 23 to mid-30s age group in 2018, to 36 applicants undergoing assessment now.

“Our younger foster carers tell us that they see fostering as a tangible way of giving back to their community and making a positive difference. Tact has long recognised the skills and abilities that younger adults can bring to fostering,” says chief executive Andy Elvin.

“One couple who began fostering with Tact at just 22 had a teenager as their first placement, and they all agreed it worked really great because the smaller age gap meant they could relate well to each other, and that created a more trusting and open channel of communication.”

Age and perceived inexperience don’t have to hold people back. Legally, people over the age of 18 can become foster carers, and while the assessment process is understandably rigorous, people can consider fostering as long as they are in stable accommodation with a spare room, and enough financial security.

“I was honest with my social worker about how I felt inexperienced,” Wainwright adds, “but she said in some ways it’s better I hadn’t been a parent because a lot of the time people have to relearn a way of parenting, because it’s a different, more therapeutic approach.”

Krish Kandiah, a foster carer who runs the fostering and adoption charity Home for Good, has called for a “radically different approach” to recruitment. He wants people of all ages and demographics to consider it, in order to reflect the varying needs and culture of looked-after children.

When the Guardian asked readers if they had considered adoption or fostering as a millennial, Rebecca, 23, told us she was driven by ethical and environmental concerns to foster or adopt over having birth children. “I have always wanted to become an adoptive parent – [my family] fostered my sister when she was a few months old, and adopted her when she was two.

“Over the last few years I have begun to educate myself on the ecological climate crisis that we are facing, and have made a number of changes in my own life to reflect that – going vegan, package-free, giving up fast fashion.

“I’m not sure if I can reconcile that with the knowledge that I would be bringing an extra human into the world who would consume resources, and also that I would be bringing a child into the world who will have to deal with the consequences of our over-consumption.”

Robertson-Gurie adds: “The world is changing and we need more now in terms of the younger generation stepping up. Millennials think we’re eco-warriors and can change the world. We like to think we’re doing our bit to repair what the generation before us has left behind, and [fostering] gives you the perfect opportunity to do that. We have the future in our hands. We can make a change and I think that’s the most appealing part about fostering.”

Source:
https://www.theguardian.com

Our Essex and Hereford offices recently celebrated their 4th and 2nd birthdays so we held a joint Birthday Party today!

Our foster carers, young people and staff teams travelled on coaches to Scout Adventures in Youlbury, Oxfordshire. Once there, we enjoyed a day of different activities.

In the morning we built a campfire and toasted marshmallows and played ball games. We also blew giant bubbles and completed a nature quiz. After that we enjoyed a BBQ lunch. In the afternoon we played Woggleopoloy, a team game suitable for all ages involving nature challenges in the woods.

A career that's life changing!

Who are we?
Action for Children does what's right, does what's needed and does what works for children across the UK. Every year, our team changes the lives of 370,000 children, young people and their families – but for every child who needs help to get help, there's plenty more to do and that is where you come in.

We are seeking a passionate and confident Children's Rights Officer to work in our busy service in Hackney providing advocacy and support to service users of all ages in the care system ensuring that their voices are heard.

You will be contracted to work Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm but this post does require an element of flexibility as it involves some out of hour visits.  

How will you make a difference?

• By assisting, guiding and teaching the Service Users their rights and how to develop their confidence and key life skills.
• By recruiting, leading and supporting volunteers to act as Independent Visitors to people in care.
• By recording and monitoring information on the central system.
• By building and maintaining excellent rapports with Service Users and other care professionals to promote Equality & Diversity.
• By managing individual case-loads and providing advocacy services to Service Users.
• By providing 1:1 support to service users to achieve positive outcomes.

 
What you will need?

• A Positive and Caring attitude is a MUST
• NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent with at least 1 years' experience working directly with vulnerable service users.
• Sound knowledge of Safeguarding and GDPR
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Be able to work under pressure and manage workload
• Recruitment experience would be an advantage but full training will be provided for the right candidate
• Be a passionate individual who is committed to Children's rights.

What are the benefits?

• As an appreciation towards our staff, we offer:
• An excellent company pension scheme
• Minimum of 29 days Annual Leave
• Season ticket travel loans
• Childcare vouchers
• Professional development with access to 100's of courses available from the first day
• Discounts at major high street retailer

 (And that's just to list a few)

This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference to vulnerable children's lives and to build a fulfilling and meaningful career with a leading UK children's charity. So don't delay, apply today!

If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact Ewelina Suchocka on 07776657442 or alternatively you can send your CV to Ewelina.suchocka@actionfrochildren.org.uk for immediate consideration.

Full details and application documents here

How We work: 
Action for children does what's right, does what's needed and does what works for children in the UK. Every year our organisation changes the lives of 390,000 children, young people and families.  

What we do:
Wigan MST service is a commissioned service by Wigan Council aimed at supporting families whose children are on the edge of care or entering custody.  

We work intensively with parents, for up to 6 months, in line with the MST treatment model. MST intervention usually takes place in the family home through regular therapist home visits, identifying problems causing misconduct of a child/young person and overcoming these challenges with the family so that they can make and sustain change.  

The service currently operates from Worsley Mesnes Methodist Church, Holt Street, off Poolstock Lane, Wigan. WN3 5HS. The roles require team members to work flexibly and across the whole borough.  

Wigan commissioning has indicated an ongoing commitment to delivering MST intervention for its families, hence these roles being advertised as permanent. However, secondment requests for fixed periods of time will be considered.  

The Role: 
The MST Supervisor is required to hold a recognised professional qualification, alongside extensive post qualifying and relevant experience, including management of teams.  

You will carry out suitability assessments for families and allocate cases amongst a team of 3 therapists. Overseeing pragmatic systemic work with families and cognitive behavioural interventions, you will embed the MST analytical process in all areas of your work. You will manage risks with your team and take responsibility for clinical outcomes which requires high levels of fidelity with the MST model and is highly scrutinised to ensure success. Interpersonal skills will be key, as you engage other professionals, team members and families. You will also work closely with the MST UK network and their expert to ensure quality and adherence to the model.  

Closing date Friday 13th September. Interviews being held week commencing 30th September. 

Other information 
You will require a high degree of flexibility in their role; early and late visits to families being frequent and regular on call responsibility.  

You will receive full training in MST as well as have ongoing development plans in place and access to ‘booster training' by an MST expert quarterly.  

For more information, visit www.MSTUK.org or contact Sarah Tootell, Childrens Services Manager on sarah.tootell@actionforchildren.org.uk or Tel; 0791 2395793 

We are committed to safer recruitment practices to protect our service users, therefore all applicants are expected to have an understanding of and commitment to safeguarding best-practice.

Action for Children is passionate about promoting equality, valuing diversity and working inclusively. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons particularly people with Disabilities and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic applicants, as these groups are currently under-represented in our workforce.

Full details and application documents here

Additional Information for Fostering Social Worker
You will have received a Social Worker job description and person specification for a Family Placement Social Worker. This is a generic role in use throughout the organisation however you will be employed to work as a Fostering Social Worker in the South East and based in the Fostering Service in Southborough.

When completing your application form, please refer to the skills, knowledge and experience required as detailed in the Person Specification and also any further information included in the Additional Information Sheet.

Please note that an appropriate Social Work qualification and HCPC registration are essential for this role.

The duties of this post require the applicant to have a full current driving license that enables them to drive in the UK and have use of a car and business use insurance.  Barnardo's is, however, willing to review any proposals put forward by applicants that would allow them to do the job by other means.

The post-holder may be required to work on some evenings and very occasional weekends to enhance the work of the service in meeting the needs of foster carers and their children. The post-holder will be required to travel to foster carers across the South East area. You will also be required to contribute to an out of hours helpline for foster carer carers in our service which includes an additional allowance.

History of Service
Barnardo's is the largest UK children's charity with over 100 years of experience with successfully placing children & young people with families. You will join our Family Placement team which has over 30 fostering and short break services across the UK.

Purpose of Service
Barnardo's South East Family Placement Team has been in operation for over 30 years and we recruit, train and assist a diverse range of families to provide fostering placements for children and young people of all ages, abilities, culture, including sibling groups, remand, parent and child placements and Staying Put arrangements.

Initial Specific Responsibilities
You will be joining a small and evolving team of social workers, manager and administration staff including a recruitment/placements officer and project worker.  Our aim is to expand our service to increase our pool of foster carers so we can provide quality placements to meet the needs of vulnerable children and young people.  We also wish to innovate in terms of the voice of the young person, participation events and more creative and diverse ways to prop our carers and the children and young people in placement.

You will be expected to carry out all aspects of the supervising social worker role in the fostering service from foster carer recruitment, preparation, assessment and approval through to linking, matching, placing children with their placements.  We would hope there will be other opportunities to help develop the service regarding recruitment of diverse carers offering specialist placements, training and therapeutic assistance for carers and young people, children and young person's groups, participation events etc., as mentioned above.

Supplementary Information
Barnardo's Fostering Team in the South East always look to develop and improve the services provided to foster carers and looked after children seeking a placement.

You will have experience of assessment and inter agency working and be a strong communicator and team worker with knowledge of the issues facing vulnerable children and young people. A sound knowledge of safeguarding  policies and procedures is a must too.

You will need to be able to work to clear timescales and have good communication skills.  You will keep accurate and up to date records on computer systems and write reports with full information and analysis.  All documents pertinent and in accordance with service policy and procedure and current regulations.

As we work with Local Authorities throughout the South East you will be expected to travel anywhere in this region and attend meetings possibly elsewhere in the country.

You will have the opportunity to work in a specialist area of social work in a skilled, motivated and reassuring team whilst receiving quality management and supervision.

You will be expected to attend relevant training which will be provided to aid your performance and development. You will participate in and contribute to team functioning promoting the aims and purpose of the service and to the development of the new areas of work. 

A required car user is essential for this post.

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