Job Location:  Gloucester
Pay scale: £30,643.63 to £41,846.62 dependent on experience, plus additional payment for out of hours on call
Hours: Full Time - 37.5 hours per week 
​Closing date: 14th June 2024
Interview date: 18th June 2024​
 

​We’re looking to attract talented inspired people to join our crew and help us to achieve our vital mission by becoming a trustee and joining our board. As a trustee, you will work collaboratively with the other members of the board to navigate CFC’s journey towards achieving the mission.

Please find full role description below and email your application form to [email protected] in the first instance. The application form can be downloaded here.

​

We are currently seeking a Family Finding & Compliance Officer to seek families for children referred, supporting a successful effective transition.

Alongside this, they will monitor on behalf of CFC to ensure that we are compliant in terms of fostering regulations, GDPR and Health & Safety to assure a safe service and positive outcomes for the child. 

Please click here for full job description and application form and email your completed form to [email protected] 

CVs will not be accepted under any circumstances; all applicants must complete an application form.

Full details and application documents here 

​We’re looking to attract talented inspired people to join our crew and help us to achieve our vital mission by becoming a trustee and joining our board. As a trustee, you will work collaboratively with the other members of the board to navigate CFC’s journey towards achieving the mission.

Please find full role description below and email your application form to [email protected] in the first instance. 

Our Vision
A world where all children and young people grow up in families rich in the essential ingredients required for them to realise their ambitions and dreams.

Our Mission
To create a community that gives individuals the strength and foundation to realise a better future for young people and families.

Our Purpose
Every young person has the right to a bright future.

Role Summary
Community Foster Care’s (CFC) trustees are essential in ensuring that we can continue to strive towards our mission. As a trustee you will ensure that CFC remains on course with delivering its key activities. At CFC we are committed to creating a culture driven by our values and based on diversity, exploration, critical reflection, courage to challenge and belief in the power of people.

Trustees have the overall legal responsibility for a charity. The law describes charity trustees as ‘the persons having the general control and management of the administration of a charity’ (Charities Act 2011, section 177). 

Charity trustees are those responsible under the charity's governing document for controlling the administration and management of the charity. This is the case regardless of the terminology used to describe the role. For CFC, the charity trustees are the board of trustees.

The Role of the Board
At its simplest, the role of the board of trustees is to ensure all of CFC’s assets are safeguarded and applied to the charitable purposes of CFC. The board of trustees must always act in the best interests of CFC, exercising the same standard of duty of care that a prudent person would apply if looking after the affairs of someone for whom they have responsibility. The trustee board must act as a group and not as individuals.

Key requirements of which you should be aware
Trustees are expected to attend an induction session with CFC prior to their first board meeting. Trustees are expected to attend all board meetings. Board meetings are held three times a year, usually in the late afternoon – early evening. The meetings tend to be held at our
Kingsholm Office in Gloucester, but participants can attend via remote video call. From time to time there are additional meetings and planning sessions.

• Papers are distributed one week in advance of meetings.
• Trustees are asked to join one of three board sub committees, each of which meets
• three times a year, for approximately two hours, during normal office hours.
• Trustees can claim out of pocket expenses.

Main Duties and Responsibilities
The duties of a trustee board member are to:

• ensure that CFC complies with its governing document (its Articles of Association), charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations including the Fostering Regulations 2011.
• ensure that CFC pursues its objectives as defined in its governing document.
• ensure CFC applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects. For example, it must not spend money on activities which are not included in the objects, however worthwhile they may be.
• contribute actively to the board of trustees by giving firm strategic direction to CFC, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets, and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
• own the organisation’s Risk Register and mitigations.
• safeguard the good name and values of CFC.
• ensure the financial stability of CFC.

In addition to the above statutory duties, each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have, to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve leading discussions, identifying key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, and evaluating or offering advice on other areas in which the trustee has particular expertise.

What we require from all our employees and volunteers:

• A commitment and alignment with Community Foster Care’s Values.
• A tenacity and commitment to resolve and develop our ability to enable children to thrive.
• A willingness to embrace challenge and actively seek constructive feedback.
• A willingness and ability to be a highly functioning team player.
• A willingness to work in a flexible way.
• A commitment to anti-oppressive practice, underpinned by an understanding and promotion of equality and diversity.
• Positively promote and publicise the work of Community Foster Care.
• Always represent Community Foster Care in a professional manner.
• Undertake training and development deemed necessary for the pursuance and development of the post.
• Comply with Equal Opportunities, GDPR and employment practices.
  

Community Foster Care is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children; applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service clearance at enhanced level.

CVs will not be accepted in any circumstances; all applicants must complete an application form.

Person Specification
Each trustee must have:

• a commitment to the mission of CFC
• a willingness to meet the minimum time requirement integrity
• strategic vision
• good, independent judgement
• an ability to think creatively
• a willingness to speak their mind
• an understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
• an ability to work effectively as a member of a team and to take decisions for the good of CFC

Full details and application documents here

It was August 2021 when I received an email from Community Family Care manager, Sasha, entitled ‘The Amazing Casey’.

It was my first introduction to the, then, 18 year old who would go on to bravely share her story on film with myself and her Support Worker, Gemma.

Now, Casey would never identify with words like ‘amazing’ or ‘brave’ - in her eyes, it is simply her life story, but it has become clearer to me over the years, that Casey cannot yet see herself as all those who meet her and hear her words do. Writing in 2023, Casey is now 19 - due to turn 20 this summer - the level of self-awareness, how much processing of her trauma she has already done and the kindness she shows towards other children and young people in care, is honestly astounding.

Inner work that many adults either come to much later in life or never at all, Casey has already been doing for years. One day, I hope, Casey will be able to recognise these huge achievements for what they are - the confidence for an 18 year old to meet a stranger for coffee and lay her whole, harrowing, life story on the table on our first meeting, the strength it takes to recount traumatic events over and over, the diplomacy and grace she affords those responsible for what happened to her - it blows my mind but enough about my experience of The Amazing Casey, read on and watch Casey’s film above (and keep an eye out on the BBC…)

                    Author: Hannah Reynolds, Marketing & Recruitment Officer

Fostering stories from the perspective of looked after children are few and far between, largely because of safeguarding but also due to the stigma many children in care feel at being fostered in the first place. Children in foster care are protected by extremely stringent safeguarding practices, for a multitude of reasons, and so sharing their stories is virtually impossible. Of course, this is for (many) very good reasons - namely, safeguarding these vulnerable children and young people, which comes above all else.

However, every now and then an adult emerges out of the care system with a need to share their experience. Often, this comes years, if not decades, later on in life. Perhaps because this allows the time often needed to process trauma, to feel a distance from any stigma or discrimination they faced or simply with the experience of aging and ‘coming into oneself’. We at Community Foster Care feel truly honoured to have been entrusted with sharing the story of one of our young people who lived in placement with CFC foster carers from the age of 13-18. Let us introduce, Casey.

Casey had her first interactions with Social Services very early in life. She found herself in and out of different foster homes before entering foster care permanently at the age of just four years old. With difficult circumstances in her birth family, followed by this frequent relocation, Casey’s childhood had extremely disruptive and traumatic beginnings. 

When her local authority placed her with a single foster parent under a Special Guardianship, she believed she had found her forever home. For a time, she felt safe and somewhat settled, although, on reflection Casey identifies that her upbringing there was very strict and not what a ‘normal’ childhood should look like. Having only ever known turbulence and change, Casey thought her life was ‘normal’ and didn’t question any of the rules she had to abide by.

When Casey’s foster carer met a new man, they both welcomed him in to the home. Casey describes those early days as a ‘honeymoon' period’ but sadly, this was all to change. What followed was years of horrendous abuse, which she shares in her film.

At the age of 13, Casey escaped the hands of her abuser and, on arriving at school, reported to teachers what had been going on at home. From that moment, Casey had taken the first of many brave leaps to protect herself and survive. Police, hospital, social services and more were to suddenly become a huge part of Casey’s young life.

Casey re-entered the care system and after a few more fostering placements, she finally came to settle with her Community Foster Care carers, where she would stay for the next five years until she turned 18, when she chose to move on to independence.

In that five years, Casey jumped into life with Community Foster Care, taking every opportunity that came her way, from residential trips and activities to getting involved with foster carer training. As a young adult, Casey has become a keen advocate for looked after children. Her motivation to share her story comes from a place of wanting to offer hope and support to others who may have or be experiencing similar to what she went through. Having been the child whose possessions have been in a bin bag, she was keen to create welcome boxes for foster children coming into placement with CFC. Now, she is keen to explore everything media has to offer in order to raise awareness of the reality of children in foster care. So when the call that a BBC commissioned film looking at teenagers leaving care came in, we knew exactly who would jump at the opportunity! (More on this to follow…)

We are so proud of Casey and so grateful that she actively chooses to be so involved with us - a fostering agency - when she would be fully within her rights to leave ‘the system’ as far behind her as she could. But that’s not Casey, she is a woman on a mission to make positive change and we will continue to do all we can to support her in that journey and to push for better for all children and young people in foster care.

If you believe you could offer a safe, loving and understanding home for children and young people like Casey, please do get in touch. 

Source:
www.communityfostercare.co.uk/news

What we believe

Our Vision
A world where all children and young people grow up in families rich in the essential ingredients required for them to realise their ambitions and dreams.

Our Mission
To create environments, enrich families and harness communities that enable Children and Young People to overcome adversity and abuse, by creating an enduring sense of belonging.   By doing this and by working together, we will have the courage to overcome barriers, through tenacity and creativity we will release their potential.

Key drivers of considerations

As a Team Leader, you will at all times:

• Work consistently within Community Foster Care’s values and contribute to achieving its mission.
• Seek to develop and enhance good working practice (to include suitable levels of work performance) for yourself and for your team.
• Promote Community Foster Care’s reputation and protect its ability to achieve its mission. 

Key requirements of which you should be aware

You may occasionally be required to work outside of office hours to:

• attend any appropriate meetings or events.
• meet the demands of your role.

You may be required to carry out other appropriate duties not outlined in the Team Leader Job Description, where required.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Organisation Wide

• To coordinate and oversee the Business support function. Line managing the team of business support officers.
• To be an active member of the Wider managers forum. Working closely with other wider managers in the organisation to support delivery and cooperation.
• To provide administrative support to the organisation HR lead.  To include administration of the selection process, DBS, correspondence and keeping staff and Foster Carer checks up to date. 
• To induct new staff members in the functions of the Business Support Officer team. 
• To provide support to SLT on specific projects which may include research, developing of tender bids or coordinating events. 
• To run the organisation’s Family matching process, matching Children in care with foster families

            - Monitor the referrals inbox
            - Collate information on referrals
            - Use the organisation’s shortlisting criteria to filter referrals
            - Send referrals that meet shortlisting criteria to relevant       
              Supervising Social Workers
            - Make appropriate recordings on database
            - Ensure correct paperwork is collected e.g. IPAs
            - Collate and format foster carer profile formats
            - Co-ordinate effective referral responses, through the finalising of   
              expressions of interest.
            - Follow up outcome with foster carers.
            - Work with Senior Leadership Team to develop this process and   
              ensure the organisation is best placed to make quality expressions
              of interest.
            - To ensure a process is in place so that this process is always active.

• To be the system administrator and an expert in the Charms database, taking a responsibility for upskilling staff and ensuring the platform is used effectively (training provided).
• To be front line IT and communications systems support.  Addressing low level IT and systems challenges and co-ordinating with Wavetree when required.  Supporting the team to get the best out of the organisation’s systems.
•  Understand the systems, software and databases in place and provide support and guidance as required.
• Ensure compliance with GDPR in conjunction with the Business Development Manager. Taking a lead on any Freedom of Information or Service Access requests and administering the organisations archiving policy.
• Act as Health and Safety Officer, ensuring safe working practices are operated within the Agency.
•  Ensure the offices have a monthly Health and Safety check and that Health and Safety Systems are in place. 
•  Ensure First Aid knowledge is up to date.
•  Take responsibility for ensuring there is telephone cover at all times.
• Ensure that all offices are maintained to a high standard in line with organisation policy.

What we require from all our employees

• A commitment and alignment with Community Foster Care’s Values.
• A tenacity and commitment to resolve and develop our ability to enable children to thrive.
• A willingness to embrace challenge and actively seek constructive feedback.
• A willingness and ability to be a highly functioning team player.
• A willingness to work in a flexible way, to cover additional tasks where required, not specifically covered in the job description.
• A commitment to anti-oppressive practice, underpinned by an understanding and promotion of equality and diversity.
• Positively promote and publicise the work of the Community Foster Care.
• Always represent Community Foster Care in a professional manner.
• Act as a communication champion to ensure that all staff are well informed about developments and have a clear understanding of issues.
• Undertake training and development deemed necessary for the pursuance and development of the post.
• Comply with Equal Opportunities, GDPR and employment practices.

It is the nature of the work of Community Foster Care, that tasks and responsibilities are unpredictable and varied.  All staff are therefore expected to work in a flexible way when the occasion arises where tasks are not specifically covered in the Job Description and have to be undertaken.

Community Foster Care is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children; applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service clearance at enhanced level.

CVs will not be accepted in any circumstances; all applicants must complete an application form.

Person Specification

Team Leader
Note to Applicant:  When completing your application form you should demonstrate the extent to which you have the necessary education, experience, knowledge and skills identified for the post.  The shortlisting process will be completed in line with these key factors:

• Essential, Desirable
• Shortlisted Criteria 
• Evidenced

Qualifications

• Qualified to A Level standard - Desirable, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form      
• Have a minimum of GCSE grade C in England and Maths

 - Essential, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form

Experience

• Have at least three years’ administration experience, working within an office environment  - Essential, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form
• Able to evidence an understanding and practical application of the use of IT and electronic communications, including the use of Microsoft Office - Essential, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form

Skills and Knowledge

• Ability to communicate at all levels, with a wide variety of stakeholders - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• To have achieved, or demonstrate a willingness to achieve, a thorough working knowledge of Equal Opportunities policies and related procedures - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• To have good written skills/keyboarding skills - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• To have the skills to manage time effectively - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• Good standard of organisation - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• To have the skills to manage time effectively - Essential, evidenced by the interview

Abilities and Aptitude

• Alignment and commitment to work in line with the charity’s values and work together with others to achieve our Mission and Vision - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• The ability to work under pressure with competing demands - Essential, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form
• To have the ability to work autonomously and to demonstrate initiative and self-reliance - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• The ability to form and maintain good working relationships with both service users and members of other agencies - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• To have the ability to work in a changing environment - Essential, evidenced by the interview
• A commitment to personal self-development and training - Essential, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form
• Competent use of a range of hardware and software (tools of the trade) to support effective working including:

            - Microsoft Office
            - Internet Browsers
            - Charms (desirable)
            - Online survey tools (desirable)
            - Secure email systems (desirable)
            - Telecommunication devices

Miscellaneous
Full current driving licence - Desirable, shortlisted criteria, evidenced by the application form

Full details and application documents here 

Car user essential

You: We are looking for an energetic, creative and courageous qualified Social Worker, who can demonstrate a tenacity and enthusiasm in making a positive difference to the lives of children who we look after.  We are looking for a passionate person to support our foster carers in the North West of England to provide loving stable homes to children and young people who have experienced trauma.  We are a small team and positive relationships are valued. Therefore, it is essential that the post holder is able to work effectively with others with a flexible and adaptable approach – always demonstrating their commitment to working to the highest possible standards whilst remaining at all times child centred.

Community Foster Care: Community Foster Care is a small Children’s Charity operating as a Therapeutic Independent Fostering Agency, as well as providing other Children’s Services.  All of our practice is trauma informed and critical reflection is entrenched in all areas of the work.  All our staff must actively engage in our therapeutic reflective discussions, which require a willingness to think about themselves, their values, work relationships and personal impact on and of the work.    We are passionately committed to our values and to enabling children and young people to thrive, be ambitious and to dream. Working for Community Foster Care means you are too.

The post holder will be based in our Lancaster office, however, they will be required to support carers across the north west and work closely with our colleagues in Cumbria. A driving licence and access to a car is essential. You will also be required to participate in an Out of Hours Duty rota.  

Applicants must demonstrate:

• that they share our values as these are integral to the day to day work of our Charity
• a comprehensive working knowledge of fostering and child care legislation and safeguarding practices
• ability to engage in critical reflective discussion across areas of their work

The role will require the post holder to be involved in the recruitment, assessment, training and support of foster carers.  You will be required to support the children we look after to ensure that they are provided with the highest possible standard of care and the best opportunities to achieve all their ambitions.   The safeguarding of children is paramount, this post will require the successful applicants to undertake an enhanced DBS check.

What you get by working for Community Foster Care

• Become an integral part of the Community Foster Care Charity Community
• Work for a Charity driven by its beliefs and values, which reinvests any surplus back into work with Children and Young People
• A working culture that promotes innovation and creativity
• A competitive pension scheme with matched employer contributions up to 5%
•  A flexible working culture, that enables children’s needs to be met, but also provides you flexibility that you need for modern living
• A Charity that has available a range of diverse professional interventions to enable children to recover from trauma and live within loving stable families.  Our resources include:

            - Clinical Therapist.
            - Family Support Workers.

• A Charity with a firm commitment to anti oppressive practice, underpinned by an understanding and promotion of equality and diversity
• Commitment to personal development
• Excellent Terms and Conditions

An informal discussion about the role with registered manager, Emma Weaver is required before making an application.  Emma can be contacted on 01524 489388 or [email protected]

Following this discussion  completed  application forms should be sent via email to [email protected] by the 14th April 2023

Job share is an option

Full details and application documents here

Last week was half term in Lancashire and in the BRAND NEW CFC office (any chance to brag about this), we hosted some of our children and young people to learn all things life skills!

There was pizza making, arts and crafts, volunteering in a care home for the elderly, shopping and budgeting and lots of laughter along the way!

​Our Supervising Social Worker, Sam, joined in the activities and said:

The young people were great. They were engaged and worked really well together as a group. Seeing them doing arts and crafts with the people at the care home was incredible, they made heart shaped decorations for each of them, finding out what they liked and the residents were so pleased! There were smiles all round that day, I was so, so proud of each one of them.

They are incredible young people and are positive contributing members of the community. They really picked up on how important this was and that it's linked to us being called 'Community' Foster Care, and this is why it was part of our activities. They represented our agency so well and should be incredibly proud of themselves!

Our Support Worker, Rachel, who organised the activities said:

Most of us take for granted learning life skills and if, by the time we leave home, we don’t have that many we usually have family members or friends to call on for help. Children and young people in foster care might not have these support systems when they age out of care and if they find themselves moved from home to home, their learning is interrupted and may not be consistent, depending on who’s looking after them. That’s why it’s so important to host these life skills events, not only to give them the insight of what adult life is like but to give them the confidence to take on these tasks.

It was a brilliant couple of days delivering the Life Skills course to a group of young people in our new Lancaster office. It was lovely to see them interact, have fun with each other and engage in all the activities and challenges. We covered budgeting, responsibilities and much more!

On day 2 we had an interactive Q&A session from a care leaver who has gone on to be a successful businessman, this was aspiring for our young people. Seeing them in the Care home “giving something back to the community” was lovely to see. The residents enjoyed the Valentine’s themed activity and biscuits, whilst one of our talented young people played his keyboard for them. We had some great feedback from the young people too, they particularly enjoyed the food planning, shopping, prepping, and eating task!

What would you need to do?
As a Family Group Conference (FGC) Co-ordinator at Community Family Care you will be driven to promote the child or young person’s voice and enable them to thrive through delivering high quality family group conferences. 

You will do this by using best practice to bring family members and friends together to look at how they can collectively provide safe, supportive, and sustainable solutions to the problems being experienced in caring for children within the family.

What we need from you?  

• A certificate to show you have completed full FGC training.
• A willingness and ability to be a highly functioning team player.
  
• Be able to work in a flexible way, this includes evening and weekend work from time to time.
  
• A commitment to anti oppressive practice, underpinned by an understanding and promotion of equality and diversity.
  
• To co-ordinate one or more FGC’s at any given time, working with children, young people, their families and a variety of professionals, facilitating a high quality service.

Please see full job description and email your CV to [email protected] in the first instance. An application form can also be downloaded frpm the link below.

Closing date: this is a rolling recruitment and will close when the right person is appointed.

Full details and application documents here