Location: Lincoln & Louth Salary: £23,400- £28,600 Contract type: Permanent Hours:37 Closing Date: 5 April 2024 Interview Date: 15 and 16 April 2024 Barnardo's work in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council to deliver its Leaving Care Service for care experience young people aged 16-25.
We support, encourage, and empower care experienced young people to live independent lives. Knowledge of the risks worries and safeguarding concerns when working with Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking young people is desirable. Initial Specific Responsibilities
Supplementary Information
Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible. In addition to the stated salary the post comes with a £3,000 uplift of worker retention payment from 01/04/24 to 31/03/25 paid pro rota: this is only payable once the probation period has been completed. Further details and application documents here Location: Bangor Contract type: Permanent Hours: 22.2 Salary: £34,353 - £42,120 Closing Date: 28 February 2024 Interview Date: 5th March 2024 An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Permanent Senior Social Work Practitioner/Team Manager post within Barnardo's Simpson Family Resource Centre, Bangor.
The successful applicant will be an experienced social worker with previous experience of providing supervision and support to team colleagues and managers, as well as experience of undertaking complex assessment and education with families. Simpson Family Centre is one of three Family Centres in the South Eastern Trust locality, and we work closely with our Trust colleagues to provide Family Assessment and Intervention Services to parents in order to contribute to decision-making processes for children, young people and families. The successful candidate must meet the following essential criteria:
Please ensure that you outline on your application how you meet the required criteria listed in the attached Additional Information Sheet. Location: Simpson Family Resource Centre, 40 Manse Road, Bangor, BT20 3DE Hours: 22.2 per week – Wednesday, Thursday and Friday Contract Type: Permanent Salary: £34,353 - £42,120 p.a. pro rata Closing: Midnight Monday 28th February 2024 Interview Date: Tuesday 5th March 2023 Contact Email: people.ni1@barnardos.org.uk A waiting list will be held in the event that similar vacancies arise during the next 12 months. The successful candidate will also be required to undertake enhanced Child and Adult barred AccessNI check. Pay & Reward Framework We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values. We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people. For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out 1st April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a key pillar of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to grow and develop in their career at Barnardo's as it will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues to progress through the pay band of their role. Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay progression steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application. Benefits Workplace Offer: What it means for you The world of work has changed. We are understanding of what works best for our colleagues both current and future as we look to embrace this new way of working. Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or any combination of these.
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. Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is reflected in our values and our practice, and we have invested in this area of our work to ensure that we can deliver on our commitments to be an inclusive employer. EDI is a key enabler of our purpose as a charity and we want to ensure that the diversity of our teams is reflective of the communities we serve and that we continue to learn and develop our work with a focus on inclusion. We particularly encourage applications from candidates from Black, Asian and Minoritised Ethnic Communities, candidates who are LGBT+ and Disabled candidates. Full details and application documents here Salary: £42,640 - £57,200 per annum Contract type: Permanent Hours: 37 Closing Date: 17 February 2024 Interview Date: 28.2.24 Do you have significant experience working in fostering? Are you looking for a new challenge? Do you put children and families at the heart of what you do? If yes, then Barnardo's could be the place for you!
We are seeking to recruit an experienced, solution focussed and enthusiastic UK Fostering Manager to join our fostering and adoption family in Barnardo's. You will report to the UK Head of Service Development and Quality, and will lead Barnardo's Fostering services in relation to policies/ guidance, compliance, development, quality assurance, inspection preparation, and be the responsible manager for the UK fostering and adoption helpline. Objectives of the role include:
Still interested? Then why not take the next step and make an application. Or if you would like an informal chat about the role, contact UK Head of Service Development & Quality - nicola.williams@barnardos.org.uk. Interviews will be on 28th February 2024. Find out more about what we do here - Foster a child | Barnardo's | Barnardo's (barnardos.org.uk) Please note that due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We therefore recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible. Pay & Reward Framework We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values. We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people. For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out 1st April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a key pillar of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to grow and develop in their career at Barnardo's as it will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues to progress through the pay band of their role. Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay progression steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application. Benefits Workplace Offer: What it means for you The world of work has changed. We are understanding of what works best for our colleagues both current and future as we look to embrace this new way of working. Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or any combination of these.
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. Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is reflected in our values and our practice, and we have invested in this area of our work to ensure that we can deliver on our commitments to be an inclusive employer. EDI is a key enabler of our purpose as a charity and we want to ensure that the diversity of our teams is reflective of the communities we serve and that we continue to learn and develop our work with a focus on inclusion. We particularly encourage applications from candidates from Black, Asian and Minoritised Ethnic Communities, candidates who are LGBT+ and Disabled candidates. Full details and application documents here Barnardo’s and NHS England have joined forces and are looking for young people aged between 14 and 24 years-old to speak out on the health issues that matter to them to help shape mental and physical health provision in England. The NHS Youth Forum, which is now being run by Barnardo’s alongside NHS England, has launched a recruitment campaign to find new members who will help to inform, influence and bring innovation to NHS practices for their peers. After recently being appointed as a partner for the NHS Youth Forum, Barnardo’s is working with NHS England to recruit new members who are keen to speak out about health issues and become involved in decision-making processes to help shape future services and practice. Members of the Youth Forum work to gather the views of other young people across the country by running surveys and deliver recommendations to NHS England. Previous findings have influenced policies relating to healthcare inequalities and primary care. Other reports have been shared with the United Nations Committee for the Rights of a Child. NHS Youth Forum members will also regularly attend meetings and participate in discussions with NHS senior staff and decision-makers. This gives them the opportunity to learn and develop skills including team working, public speaking and building self-confidence. Josh Harsant, Barnardo’s Head of Voice and Influence, said: “At Barnardo’s, we recognise the importance of giving children and young people the opportunity to have their voices heard on the issues which matter to them most. Therefore, leading the NHS Youth Forum is a very natural fit for us. “We hope the forum will champion key issues and provide real insight into how to provide solutions which will be both effective and sustainable for generations to come. So, if you or a young person you know is passionate about improving health care for children and young people and wants to help make a difference then please do get in touch.” The NHS Youth Forum was established nearly 10 years ago to give children and young people the unique opportunity to share their views on how physical and mental health services are run across England. Working with young people and communities is critical for the NHS to create a health and care service which works for people of all ages. Alongside the forum, 11 to 24-year-olds can also apply to be part of the wider NHS Youth Advisory Network. The network is consulted on key health issues impacting the NHS but in a more informal manner, such as through video calls. Barnardo’s and NHS England are looking to double the number in this network to 100 in the coming months and recruitment into this network is ongoing. Duncan Burton, NHS Deputy Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: “Listening to children and young people and engaging them in decisions that affect their health and care is crucial. Their voices bring fresh insights and perspectives that ensure services meet their needs effectively. “For nearly a decade, young people have been working with the NHS and directly influencing health policy in significant areas such as asthma, healthcare inequalities and mental health. They have made a difference to the lives of other children and young people, and we are thrilled to be continuing this important work in partnership with Barnardo’s. Applications to join the NHS Youth Forum and the NHS Youth Advisory Network can be made here. The closing date for the NHS Youth Forum is Monday 4 March 2024. Source: www.barnardos.org.uk/ Location: Barnardo's Fostering and Adoption NI Salary: £35,360 - £47,320 + £312 Office at Home Allowance per annum Contract type: Permanent Hours:37 Closing Date: 9 February 2024 Interview Date: 19th February We have an exciting opportunity for a Social Worker to join us within the Barnardo's Fostering and Adoption Service Northern Ireland team.
Objectives of the Service: The primary aim of Barnardo's Fostering and Adoption NI is to provide the highest quality placements for children and young people who cannot live with their birth families, striving to ensure that Barnardo's strategic aims to achieve safer childhoods, stronger families and positive futures are realised for every child with whom we work. Working Hours: Monday to Friday (37 hours per week) Location: 230b Belmont Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT4 2AW This is a hybrid working role – We place value on colleagues spending time together at our office base on a regular basis, with flexibility to work from home for part of the week. Some of the Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Essential requirements:
History of Barnardo's Fostering and Adoption NI: The Fostering Service has been in existence since 1979 and over this time, has expanded to work throughout all 5 HSC Trusts. We are the longest established Independent Fostering Agency in NI and have worked with children and young people with a wide range of needs and developed particular specialism for children with disabilities and with complex attachment histories. We recruit, assess, approve and support families to work with children and young people from 0-18 years. We have a strong reputation for the development and retention of foster carers and staff and have an established record in securing permanent family placements for children with more complex needs. We have high foster carer retention rates and as a consequence, provide many long-term foster placements, some of which have resulted in children being adopted by their carers. Our service offers an established support and training package for all our foster carers and work is underway to develop similar packages of support to our adopters. If you would like some more information about this role, please contact our office on 028 90652288 and we can arrange for a social worker to have a chat with you about the role. When completing your application please refer to the skills, knowledge and experience you have in relation to the Additional Information sheet, Person Specification & Job Description. Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible. Pay & Reward Framework We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values. We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people. For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out 1st April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a key pillar of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to grow and develop in their career at Barnardo's as it will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues to progress through the pay band of their role. Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay progression steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application. Benefits Workplace Offer: What it means for you The world of work has changed. We are understanding of what works best for our colleagues both current and future as we look to embrace this new way of working. Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or any combination of these.
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. Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is reflected in our values and our practice, and we have invested in this area of our work to ensure that we can deliver on our commitments to be an inclusive employer. EDI is a key enabler of our purpose as a charity and we want to ensure that the diversity of our teams is reflective of the communities we serve and that we continue to learn and develop our work with a focus on inclusion. We particularly encourage applications from candidates from Black, Asian and Minoritised Ethnic Communities, candidates who are LGBT+ and Disabled candidates. Full details and application documents here Location: Making Connections Plaistow Salary: £28,283.00 - £37,327.00 (FTE) £17,581.32 - £23,203.27 (pro rata) per annum Contract type: Permanent Hours: 23 Closing Date: 11 February 2024 Interview Date: 13 and 14 March 2024 Barnardo's work today helps more than 200,000 vulnerable children improve their lives every year. You'll play a vital part in helping adults discover where they've come from and help them get where they're going.
In this important role, you will be part of a team of project workers and senior social workers arranging access to adoption and childcare records, whilst directly supporting adults who were adopted through or cared for by Barnardo's. Formal social work qualifications are required, and experience of working with children in care or children placed for adoption is essential, while work with adopted or care-experienced adults is desirable, and a knowledge of/interest in the fields of childcare and social history will be a definite advantage. Well-developed organisational and administrative skills will be needed, as will the ability to work accurately and pay close attention to detail in written historical records. Flexible working is sometimes required for this post. For additional information about the role or to discuss further, please contact Sally Mevo (sally.mevo@barnardos.org.uk). Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible Pay & Reward Framework We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values. We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people. For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out 1st April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a key pillar of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to grow and develop in their career at Barnardo's as it will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues to progress through the pay band of their role. Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay progression steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application. Benefits Workplace Offer: What it means for you The world of work has changed. We are understanding of what works best for our colleagues both current and future as we look to embrace this new way of working. Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or any combination of these.
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. Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is reflected in our values and our practice, and we have invested in this area of our work to ensure that we can deliver on our commitments to be an inclusive employer. EDI is a key enabler of our purpose as a charity and we want to ensure that the diversity of our teams is reflective of the communities we serve and that we continue to learn and develop our work with a focus on inclusion. We particularly encourage applications from candidates from Black, Asian and Minoritised Ethnic Communities, candidates who are LGBT+ and Disabled candidates. Full details and application documents here Salary: £28,665 - £36,856 (Full Time Equivalent) plus £312 Office at Home Allowance Contract type: Fixed term until 18/04/2025 Hours: 36.25 Closing Date: 4 February 2024 Interview Date:TBC We're on the lookout for a talented, well organised and driven Marketing Officer who can plan and execute Barnardo's Family Placement (fostering and adoption) campaigns. This is a fast paced and rewarding department. You will be required to develop and maintain an audience-focused, centralised campaign plan and work with a varied set of stakeholders.
You'll work within the Brand and Marketing team – and closely with our Family Placement team across the four nations. You will report directly to the Marketing Manager. As the Marketing Officer, you'll work on exciting fostering and adoption campaigns throughout the year as well as business as usual activity. You will work closely with the Digital Marketing team for our social ads each month. Through this role, you'll get access to a host of stakeholders from across the organisation, as well as time for development and training. Equality, diversity and inclusion will be a particular focus for this role, to ensure that everyone we work with and to support is reflected and included in our written communications. It's an exciting time for Barnardo's. Over the next six months, we'll be working on a once-in-a lifetime project to redevelop our brand, as well as focusing on our strategic focus as a leading children's charity. Our new brand will support us to better achieve our organisational goals and help us to explain more clearly what we do as an organisation. It'll give us a fresh, modern, engaging sound, look and feel (a new ‘personality') which children, young people and families will connect with too. Our Marketing Officer will take an active role in this project, supporting to shape the rollout of our new brand and audience segmentation. If you think you could be our Marketing Officer, please do apply – we really look forward to hearing from you. Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible. Pay & Reward Framework We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values. We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people. For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out 1st April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a key pillar of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to grow and develop in their career at Barnardo's as it will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues to progress through the pay band of their role. Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay progression steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application. Benefits Workplace Offer: What it means for you The world of work has changed. We are understanding of what works best for our colleagues both current and future as we look to embrace this new way of working. Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or any combination of these.
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. Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is reflected in our values and our practice, and we have invested in this area of our work to ensure that we can deliver on our commitments to be an inclusive employer. EDI is a key enabler of our purpose as a charity and we want to ensure that the diversity of our teams is reflective of the communities we serve and that we continue to learn and develop our work with a focus on inclusion. We particularly encourage applications from candidates from Black, Asian and Minoritised Ethnic Communities, candidates who are LGBT+ and Disabled candidates. Full details and application documents here Swansea care leaver Darran Thomas Roberts has not only found himself filming with actor Lennie James, but discovering just how much the two have in common. The 21-year-old has been filmed alongside the LA-based star of the Walking Dead and Line of Duty, and their joint production has just been released in a bid to encourage more people to consider fostering for the children’s charity Barnardo’s. Darran is supported by Barnardo’s Swansea Bloom service which helps young people build their independence after leaving care. Lennie too was in care, and both had such positive experiences of foster families that they have joined forces to back the charity’s current campaign to recruit much-needed foster parents. Lennie, who was born in Nottingham, is currently in Britain taking a break from his successful Hollywood career and, as an ambassador for Barnardo’s, agreed to front the campaign. Darran had the chance to travel to London to film with Lennie for a series of campaign videos and immediately felt at home with the actor, discovering just how many childhood experiences they had shared. He said: “Lennie was really cool and down to earth, and the conversation just flowed naturally. People who have been in care don’t often talk about their experience, so it was good to be able to talk freely to someone who had been through the same things as me, moving from a care home to a foster family and initially finding the change scary.” Lennie made quite an impact on Darran, who went into care at the age of nine and spent time in a care home before moving in with a family for five years. “Hearing about how Lennie had the courage to move to LA, even though he didn’t know if his acting job would last for long, really opened my eyes. It made me realise I don’t have to look to my past and I shouldn’t be afraid to take on new things in life and take a risk,” said Darran. Actor Lennie moved into a children’s home when his mum died and was later placed with his foster mum Pam. “With her I found not just a stable place to call home but a place where I could belong. She opened not just her home but her heart to a kid who really needed it,” he said. Darran also appreciated his foster parents Keith and Carol, who he described as “amazing”. He said: “Becoming part of a foster family helped me massively, even though it took me a couple of months to adjust because I had really enjoyed the care home. “I arrived in the family not really knowing right from wrong and I had to get used to rules, but my foster parents involved me with everything, the family caravan holidays surrounded by children and grandchildren, and all the celebrations. “Sadly, Keith died three and a half years after I arrived and it was very hard, I locked myself in my room and didn’t want to come out. Later, the family got a puppy, and I was put in charge of looking after it. It made me feel like I had a role, I was a cog in the family. I would take it on walks and train it and it made me feel better when days were bad.” Darran has been keen to support Barnardo’s current campaign to recruit new foster parents. Latest Welsh Government figures reveal there were more than 7,000* children in care in Wales in March 2022, a number that has increased by almost 23% in the last decade. During that time the charity’s existing foster parents have got older, some have retired, and fewer younger people are coming forward to take their places. The charity is hoping to bust some of the myths around fostering as many people think they are too old to apply, even though there is no upper age limit**. Others think they couldn’t afford to do it, not realising there are fostering allowances available, and some say they wouldn’t foster because they have their own children. Barnardo’s existing foster parents report that fostering is a positive experience for the whole family, including birth children. Darran said: “Fostering is challenging, and I think you need a certain strength to cope with children who may arrive with problems, but if you can get through the difficult times, it can be so rewarding. You can have a positive impact just like my foster parents had on me. “For me it was so important to wake up every day to the same faces, rather than wonder who was on duty in the care home that day. I didn’t have to explain to children in school why different people picked me up at the gates each day, that had been hard in the past.” Darran had enjoyed his time in the care home and was initially worried about moving, but after a few weeks with his foster family he didn’t look back. He said: “When I was with the family, we were always doing fun things. We all sat down to eat around the table together each day, that hadn’t been normal for me in the past. “In the care home I would get my meal and take it back to my room to eat on my own. I never got to do my own washing, go shopping, or have someone spend time with me one to one, teaching me things like cooking. Those things are part of being a family and I’m really glad I got to experience family life. “Now I have my own place, I’m really involved in Barnardo’s Swansea Bloom project for young people who have been in care and I want to do more to influence change in the care system.” To find out more about fostering with Barnardo’s visit www.barnardos.org.uk/foster or call 0800 0277 280 Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm. Watch Darran and Lennie on YouTube . Notes to editors
*Latest Welsh Government figures for 31 March, 2022 revealed there were 7,080 children looked after in Wales, which compares to 5,760 on 31 March 2013, an increase of 22.9%. **A YouGov poll of 213 people conducted on behalf of Barnardo’s in Wales revealed that 46% of those surveyed who haven’t considered fostering before, believe they are too old to become a foster parent, when in fact there is no upper age limit to apply. The poll also revealed that only 2% of people who are not currently approved foster parents would consider fostering in the next five years. A total of 14% said they didn’t think they could afford to foster or believed there is not sufficient financial support, unaware of the caring allowances paid to foster parents. 15% of people questioned in Wales said they hadn’t considered fostering because they have children of their own or would like them. Fieldwork was undertaken between 29th November - 1st December 2023. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). About Barnardo’s Cymru: Last year Barnardo’s Cymru provided essential support to around 14,000 children, young people, parents and carers through 61 services. We provide vital support to the children and families who need us most, to help with a range of issues including mental health, child sexual abuse and children in care. We listen to children and young people and work to bring about positive change so that they can have a brighter future. Visit www.barnardos.org.uk to find out more. Source: www.barnardos.org.uk .Research commissioned by the country’s leading children’s charity Barnardo’s NI, has revealed that the campaign to recruit new foster carers is being hampered by a number of pre-conceived notions about what it takes to become a foster carer. The YouGov poll reveals that over half of the respondents (55%) who haven’t considered fostering in Northern Ireland*, believe they are too old to become a foster carer, even though there is no upper age limit on becoming one. The poll also revealed that nearly three quarters of adults in the UK are worried there aren’t enough foster carers to give children safe and loving homes – but only 2% ** of respondents in Northern Ireland would consider fostering a child in the next five years, according to the new data. Hilary Armstrong, Operations Manager at Barnardo’s Fostering & Adoption NI said: “We know there are people in Northern Ireland who would love to foster, but believe things like their age, financial situation, or because they have biological children, would prevent them from doing so. We want to bust these myths, as we believe that any loving person can make a wonderful foster carer. There is no upper age limit and fostering can be a hugely beneficial experience for the entire family, including birth children. At Barnardo’s we offer support and training every step of the way.” The number of children in care in Northern Ireland is at a record high, with almost 4000 children and young people needing a safe home, but despite this, there are fewer and fewer people willing to foster. Gillian Cassidy and Megan Stitt are sisters-in-law from Portaferry and Newtownabbey. With 13 children and several years of fostering experience between them, they’re sharing their experience of welcoming children into their family homes, in the hope it encourages more potential foster carers to do the same. Megan said: “I have three birth children and have fostered three little girls, I also provided day care for two sisters over the past three years. I would say that most of my inspiration to become a foster parent came from Gillian. After Gillian started fostering and when Covid hit, there was such a crisis and so many children during lockdown needed a safe place to live.” Gillian said: “I also have three birth children, one adopted son and one foster daughter who will soon be adopted. When we adopted one of our sons, I started a peer group of friends who fostered and adopted, so we could be a support to each other. It became very obvious very quickly there was a massive need for foster carers in Northern Ireland, and a massive need for people who could support foster carers.” “When we talk to people about fostering, they say things like, ‘I couldn’t let them go’, and it is a really difficult part of fostering, but you do let them go, and it breaks your heart, but then you welcome the next child into your family. The support our family gives us is amazing, it makes me very proud of them. Our extended family are very welcoming and open to the children that are in and out of our lives.” Megan said: “I am so proud of my birth children. When we started our fostering journey, we said to each other we’ll give it a go and if it's too hard on the kids, we'll come back to it in the future. But we have no regrets. They speak about it so fondly and positively.” As part of Barnardo’s Fostering and Adoption campaign, Megan and Gillian are encouraging anyone who has ever considered fostering, to get in touch with Barnardo’s NI. Gillian said, “There’s a family feel to fostering with Barnardo’s. All of the social workers know us and they're very protective of us. They will never ask us to go beyond our capabilities. I feel like Barnardo’s genuinely care about what we're struggling with and they want to do something about it. I think if you’ve ever had a thought in your mind that you might consider fostering – you should definitely take steps to find out more. Also, if you're going to do it, do it now. It's like starting a family - is there ever a right time? You're never going to be 100% ready to do it - you just have to jump in.” For more information on becoming a foster carer with Barnardo’s, please visit www.barnardos.org.uk/foster or call (028) 90652288. The charity’s lines are open from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm. *Of those who are not likely to consider fostering in the next ten years. **Of those who are not currently approved carers. Source: www.barnardos.org.uk Location: Barnardo's Scotland Fostering Edinburgh Salary: £35,360- £37,700 FTE Plus £312 Office at Home Allowance Contract type: Permanent Hours: 37 Closing Date: 30 January 2024 Barnardo's Scotland Fostering Edinburgh have a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Supervising Social worker to join our busy team on a Full Time (37 hours) permanent basis.
Location: The successful candidate will work on a hybrid basis with their office base in Edinburgh, however some meetings and training occur Scotland Wide. As a Supervising Social Worker, you will work within a team of supervising social workers, children's workers, therapists, education liaison worker, managers, and admin staff responsible for the recruitment and support of foster carers who provide care to looked after children and young people who are referred to the service from the Local Authority. Some of the key responsibilities are:
Ideal Candidate's must haves:
History of Service Barnardo's has well over 100 years of experience delivering fostering and adoption services across the UK. Our fostering service in Scotland has been operational for over 18 years and rated ‘Good' across most areas from Care Inspectorate. Our fostering Service is supported by Practice Managers, comprising of new and experienced team members. This team is supported by experienced administrative staff, and the work of the supervising social workers, childrens worker (PW2) and a Psychotherapist. The Edinburgh team is the only Scottish Service operating the Mockingbird model, supported by the fostering network. When completing your application please refer to your skills, knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification, Job Description and Additional Information document (if applicable) This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described. Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible. Benefits Workplace Offer: What it means for you The world of work has changed. We are understanding of what works best for our colleagues both current and future as we look to embrace this new way of working. Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or any combination of these.
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. Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is reflected in our values and our practice, and we have invested in this area of our work to ensure that we can deliver on our commitments to be an inclusive employer. EDI is a key enabler of our purpose as a charity and we want to ensure that the diversity of our teams is reflective of the communities we serve and that we continue to learn and develop our work with a focus on inclusion. We particularly encourage applications from candidates from Black, Asian and Minoritised Ethnic Communities, candidates who are LGBT+ and Disabled candidates. Our basis and values Full details and application documents here |
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