​We are looking for a Social Worker to support the growth and development of our Registered Family Centres in Southampton. The Family Centres are made up of a number of self-contained flats or pods each with their own bathroom and kitchen facilities and a separate bungalow which can accommodate an additional 2 families. Families will be referred to the Family Centre if there have been concerns identified around the safety of the children within their existing family unit. Once with us, the families will be continuously encouraged, assessed and guided through a 12 week stay where they are monitored 24/7 to encourage sustainable positive parenting changes.

As a Social Worker with Fair Ways you will deliver the highest standards of care and support to our children, families and vulnerable adults through:

• Assessing and Observing - To take a lead role in parenting assessments through formal and informal observations of the residents with their child ensuring a high-quality service is delivered and maintained.
• Keeping Children, families and vulnerable adults Safe - Managing any presenting safeguarding issues in accordance with Fair Ways Policies and Procedures to keep children, families and vulnerable adults safe from harm for the duration of their assessment.
• Supervision and training - To line manage a small number of direct reports offering reflective supervisions, guidance and undertaking monitoring of any required training and development in line with our professional development and progression plans.
• Being a clear and confident communicator - To attend and contribute to multi-agency meetings, court hearings and other forums to represent the Residential Family Centre and support the Assessors.
• Building strong professional relationships - To proactively maintain safe supervision levels and respectful relationships with parents and children through effective support, guidance and care ensuring the maintenance of safe practice.
• Accurate and detailed report writing - To maintain full oversight of the assessment process for families for the full 12 weeks, writing the parenting assessment reports for courts. Maintaining effective, regular communication with outside agencies regarding parenting capacity.
• Being a Trauma Informed professional - To oversee and model trauma informed responses through the individualised use of therapeutic and (in some services) physical intervention to ensure families are supported appropriately during times of crisis and to demonstrate an understanding of the parents’ early life experiences.
• Supporting and developing new initiatives - To support the management team to develop the community-based assessment and outreach packages for family transitions into the community.
• Committing to your personal and professional development - To manage personal and continuous professional development through self-assessment, supervision and training.

Click here for full job details.

On Monday 11th May, Fair Ways partnered with Portsmouth City Council’s Foster Portsmouth to host The Portsmouth Fostering Friendly Business Summit at Portsmouth Guildhall, bringing together organisations from across the city to strengthen Portsmouth’s messaging as the UK’s first Fostering Friendly City.

The event welcomed approximately 90 attendees for an inspiring afternoon focused on raising awareness of fostering and exploring how employers can better support foster carers and care-experienced young people within the workplace and wider community.

The summit featured a powerful line-up of speakers and lived experience voices, including Sarah Daly, Director of Children’s Services at Portsmouth City Council; care-experienced young people; Chris Wild, Director of Social Impact at Foster Greatness; foster carers from both Fair Ways and Portsmouth City Council; Mark Owers, Chief Executive of the Nationwide Association of Fostering Providers; fostering-friendly employer success stories; and Mark Jowett, Head of Children We Care For at Portsmouth City Council.

Throughout the afternoon, attendees heard moving personal stories, gained a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities within fostering, and discussed the vital role businesses can play in creating supportive and fostering-friendly workplaces.

The event also highlighted the growing momentum behind the Fostering Friendly initiative across Portsmouth, with an incredible 140 organisations now signed up as Fostering Friendly employers. This continued commitment from businesses across the city demonstrates a shared determination to support foster carers, children, and young people both in and outside of the workplace.

Click here to read the full article.

Around 50 guests gathered at Gunwharf Quays on Friday 29th May to celebrate the official unveiling of the Fair Ways Phoenix, marking an exciting milestone in the growing Phoenix Journey project.

The event took place outside The Old Customs House and brought together supporters, partners, local leaders and members of the community to witness the unveiling of the striking wooden sculpture, which now stands proudly as a permanent feature in one of Portsmouth’s most visited destinations.

Guests heard from Fair Ways Managing Director, Gareth Webb, Leader of Portsmouth City Council Steve Pitt, Portsmouth North MP Amanda Martin and representatives from Gunwharf Quays, all of whom spoke about the importance of the project and the positive impact it is already having across the city.

The unveiling follows the successful live carving event held at Gunwharf Quays in April, where visitors watched the sculpture take shape before their eyes. Throughout the carving process, hundreds of people stopped to learn more about the Phoenix Journey, its connection to care-experienced young people, and the powerful stories of resilience and hope that inspire the project.

Click here to read the full article.

E​ach year, we produce an Annual Impact Report highlighting our achievements, the progress we have made, and the positive difference we continue to create across our organisation and wider community.

The report shares stories from throughout the year, showcasing the people, partnerships, and initiatives that help shape our work and support those who rely on our services every day.

Our 2025 Impact Report reflects another year of growth, collaboration and meaningful impact. From expanding programmes and strengthening community partnerships to investing in staff wellbeing and development, this report demonstrates how we continue to evolve while staying true to our values and purpose.

For the full report, click here.

Location: Swaythling, Southampton

Salary: £31,070 per annum

Contract Type: Full time
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Specific Hours: 37.5

Are you ready to make a meaningful impact to the lives of young people? As a leading provider of Supported Living homes, we are actively seeking compassionate Support Workers for our home in Southampton. Join us and be a part of a team that empowers young adults to navigate the path towards independence and success. Our Post-16 supported living provision consists of a collection of small family homes and can accommodate a number of residents at a time. Each young person has their own private room and shared access to communal areas. Our aim is to provide stability, consistency and acceptance, with the emphasis on young adults being responsible for themselves.

As a support worker for Fair Ways Supported Living, you will be involved exciting and rewarding things like:

• Rewarding Connections: Utilise your excellent communication skills to understand and connect with young individuals. Collaborate closely with our team to address significant issues and provide the support they need to thrive.
• Inspiring Growth: Go beyond surface behaviours and make a real difference in their lives. Use a variety of approaches, including social life skills, therapeutic activities, and effective role modelling, to guide and mentor young adults.
• Being part of a supportive Team: Join our amazing team of dedicated professionals who share a common goal of caring for and supporting each resident. Together, we create a nurturing environment where young people can flourish.
• Providing Individualised Care: Be at the heart of their care plans, focusing on their personal development and well-being. Offer guidance and support in areas such as nutrition, medical needs, hygiene, and help them explore work placements, education, and personal interests.
• Fostering Independence: Empower our residents to become more self-reliant by supporting them in daily tasks within a home setting. Be a catalyst for their growth, helping them transition into independent living.
• Building respectful impactful relationships: Act as a key worker, liaising with professionals and external agencies to ensure comprehensive support. Manage administrative tasks efficiently, including accurate record-keeping and reporting.
• Being a Trauma Informed professional: Using our industry recognised RiiSE training to deliver trauma informed responses through the individualised use of therapeutic and, where appropriate, physical intervention to ensure our children are supported appropriately during times of crisis.

Click here for full job details.

Fair Ways Bake Off 2026 brought together young people from across our services to showcase their creativity, confidence and baking skills. With 13 fantastic entries and support from community partners, this year’s event was a true celebration of achievement and teamwork. 

This year’s Fair Ways Bake Off was another fantastic celebration of creativity, effort and achievement, bringing together young people from across our services for a truly special event. 

From delicious cheesecakes to beautifully decorated sponge cakes, each bake reflected the time, care and creativity that had gone into it, making it a real challenge for our judges to choose the winners. 

Click here to read the full article, including photographs.

We are looking for a Social Worker to support the growth and development of our Registered Family Centres in Southampton. The Family Centres are made up of a number of self-contained flats or pods each with their own bathroom and kitchen facilities and a separate bungalow which can accommodate an additional 2 families.

Families will be referred to the Family Centre if there have been concerns identified around the safety of the children within their existing family unit. Once with us, the families will be continuously encouraged, assessed and guided through a 12 week stay where they are monitored 24/7 to encourage sustainable positive parenting changes.

As a Social Worker with Fair Ways you will deliver the highest standards of care and support to our children, families and vulnerable adults through:

• Assessing and Observing - To take a lead role in parenting assessments through formal and informal observations of the residents with their child ensuring a high-quality service is delivered and maintained.
• Keeping Children, families and vulnerable adults Safe - Managing any presenting safeguarding issues in accordance with Fair Ways Policies and Procedures to keep children, families and vulnerable adults safe from harm for the duration of their assessment.
• Supervision and training - To line manage a small number of direct reports offering reflective supervisions, guidance and undertaking monitoring of any required training and development in line with our professional development and progression plans.
• Being a clear and confident communicator - To attend and contribute to multi-agency meetings, court hearings and other forums to represent the Residential Family Centre and support the Assessors.
• Building strong professional relationships - To proactively maintain safe supervision levels and respectful relationships with parents and children through effective support, guidance and care ensuring the maintenance of safe practice.
• Accurate and detailed report writing - To maintain full oversight of the assessment process for families for the full 12 weeks, writing the parenting assessment reports for courts. Maintaining effective, regular communication with outside agencies regarding parenting capacity.
• Being a Trauma Informed professional - To oversee and model trauma informed responses through the individualised use of therapeutic and (in some services) physical intervention to ensure families are supported appropriately during times of crisis and to demonstrate an understanding of the parents’ early life experiences.
• Supporting and developing new initiatives - To support the management team to develop the community-based assessment and outreach packages for family transitions into the community.
• Committing to your personal and professional development - To manage personal and continuous professional development through self-assessment, supervision and training.

​
Click here for full job details.

A charity has praised the Government’s announcement of a package of reforms backed by £88m in funding.

Fair Ways has welcomed the Government’s pledge to increase the number of foster carers across England, calling it an “important step towards ensuring more children can access stable, family-based care.”

The Government has revealed a package of reforms, backed by £88m in funding, aimed at "recruiting thousands of new carers, broadening eligibility, removing barriers to fostering, and improving support for existing foster families".

The charity, which provides fostering services across Hampshire and the surrounding counties, has lauded the Government's commitment and its focus "on strengthening fostering provision and improving outcomes for children in care".

Click here to read the full article.

​We are delighted to share some important news from UCAS that will make it easier for care-experienced young people to access higher and further education. From the 2027 application cycle onwards, UCAS will extend its application fee waiver to include care leavers up to age 26, removing a financial barrier that many face when applying to university or college.

This change builds on the success of the existing fee waiver for students who have received free school meals, which supported more than 40,000 applicants last year. By expanding the scheme to care leavers, UCAS aims to support more young people transitioning from care to take the next step in their education, ensuring that cost does not prevent them from applying.

Care leavers often experience additional barriers when planning their futures, including a lack of family support and financial resources.

Click here to read the full article

The UK government has announced a new package of reforms aimed at tackling the ongoing decline in foster carer numbers across England and increasing the availability of loving, stable homes for children in care.  

The initiative is backed by £88 million in funding, aiming to recruit thousands of new foster carers, remove outdated barriers to fostering, broaden eligibility and improve support for existing carers. 

At Fair Ways, fostering lies at the heart of who we are. Since 2002 we have been providing high-quality fostering services across Hampshire and surrounding counties. Helping children to feel safe, supported and loved through life’s most challenging moments. As a charity, we reinvest into services to improve outcomes for children in care, and our fostering service is underpinned by expert, trauma-informed support.  

Click here to read the full article