 Location: Bristol Salary: £33,561 pa plus £1,500 Out of Hours Rota Allowance Hours: 35 hours per week Full Time and Office Based Fixed Term 12 Month Maternity Cover Contract Closing Date: 11/03/2020 Interview Date: 26/03/2020 TACT, the UK’s largest fostering and adoption charity now has over 500 dedicated carers, who look after over 600 children and young people across the country. Our reputation and growth rests upon our strength in providing successful placements. As a charity, we do not have shareholders who receive profits and we invest all of our surplus income into service, staff, carers, and children’s development.
Our vision is to provide better lives for our children and young people. This is an exciting opportunity to be a Senior Supervising Social Worker within a national non-profit making organisation at a local level. We are interested in individuals for whom quality of service is paramount and in those who share our commitment to working in partnership with children and their foster carers in the development of the agency. TACT offer an excellent employee benefits package including:
Please see the Job Information Pack for further information. TACT South West are currently seeking a full time, enthusiastic and committed Senior Supervising Social Worker to cover a period of maternity leave. If you have substantial fostering experience and are looking for your next position, this could be perfect for you. You will need to be DipSW, CSS or CQSW qualified and registered with Social Work England. An enhanced DBS clearance is also required and is requested for you by TACT. You will be required to be on an out of hours’ rota and you will be paid an out of hours’ allowance of £1,500 per annum once participating in the rota. Closing: Wednesday 11th March 2020 Interviews: Thursday 26th March 2020 at TACT South West (BS16 2QQ) Safeguarding is everyone’s business and TACT believe that only the people with the right skills and values should work in social work. As part of TACT’s commitment to safeguarding, we properly examine the skills, experience, qualifications and values of potential staff in relation to our work with vulnerable young children. We use rigorous and consistent recruitment approaches to help safeguard TACT’s young people. All our staff are expected to work in line with TACT’s safeguarding policies. TACT does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them. TACT reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so we advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment. Full details and application documents here Member News: TACT backs call for end to private companies profiting from fostering in Wales27/2/2020
 Fostering charity TACT Cymru wholeheartedly agrees with the call made by Wales children’s commissioner, for private companies to be prevented from making profits on children’s homes or foster care. Like Sally Holland, TACT would welcome an end to firms profiting from vulnerable children. Children with complex needs are well looked after by local councils and charities and not for profit enterprises.
TACT CEO Andy Elvin said: “Private equity backed firms bring no new practice to the table, they simply use financial muscle and leveraged debt to buy up smaller providers then charge the LA’s fees that cover the interest on the leveraged debt. They then sell up after a few year to make more profit with little regard to long terms outcomes for children.” More information on Sally Holland’s report Source: www.tactcare.org.uk  Location: Edinburgh Salary: £33,561 + £1,500 Out of Hours Allowance + £500 Home Working Allowance (if applicable) Closing Date: 09/02/2020 Interview Date: 21/02/2020 Hours: 35 hours per week Office or Home Based (depending on location of successful applicant)
35 Hours Per Week TACT, the UK’s largest fostering and adoption charity now has over 500 dedicated carers, who look after over 600 children and young people across the country. Our reputation and growth rests upon our strength in providing successful placements. As a charity, we do not have shareholders who receive profits and we invest all of our surplus income into service, staff, carers, and children’s development. Our vision is to provide better lives for our children and young people. This is an exciting opportunity to be a Senior Supervising Social Worker within a national non-profit making organisation at a local level. We are interested in individuals for whom quality of service is paramount and in those who share our commitment to working in partnership with children and their foster carers in the development of the agency. TACT offer an excellent employee benefits package including:
Please see the Job Information Pack for further information. TACT Scotland are currently seeking a full time, enthusiastic and committed Senior Supervising Social Worker. The successful candidate will be supporting and supervising carers in the North Fife area so the ability to travel is required. The job can be offered as office or home based, depending on the location of the successful candidate. If you have substantial fostering experience and are looking for your next permanent position, this could be perfect for you. You will need to be DipSW, CSS or CQSW qualified and registered with SSSC. An enhanced PVG disclosure is also required and is requested for you by TACT. You will be required to be on an out of hours’ rota and you will be paid an out of hours’ allowance of £1,500 per annum once participating in the rota. Closing: Sunday 9th February 2020 Interviews: Friday 21st February 2020 at TACT Edinburgh (EH14 1TL) TACT reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so we advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment. Full details and application documents here  Location: Bristol Salary: £33,561 pa + £1,500 Out of Hours Rota Allowance Closing Date: 11/03/2020 Interview Date: 26/03/2020 Hours: 35 hours per week Full Time - Fixed Term 12 Month Maternity Cover Contract TACT, the UK’s largest fostering and adoption charity now has over 500 dedicated carers, who look after over 600 children and young people across the country. Our reputation and growth rests upon our strength in providing successful placements. As a charity, we do not have shareholders who receive profits and we invest all of our surplus income into service, staff, carers, and children’s development.
Our vision is to provide better lives for our children and young people. This is an exciting opportunity to be a Senior Supervising Social Worker within a national non-profit making organisation at a local level. We are interested in individuals for whom quality of service is paramount and in those who share our commitment to working in partnership with children and their foster carers in the development of the agency. TACT offer an excellent employee benefits package including:
Please see the Job Information Pack for further information. TACT South West are currently seeking a full time, enthusiastic and committed Senior Supervising Social Worker to cover a period of maternity leave. If you have substantial fostering experience and are looking for your next position, this could be perfect for you. You will need to be DipSW, CSS or CQSW qualified and registered with Social Work England. An enhanced DBS clearance is also required and is requested for you by TACT. You will be required to be on an out of hours’ rota and you will be paid an out of hours’ allowance of £1,500 per annum once participating in the rota. Closing: Wednesday 11th March 2020 Interviews: Thursday 26th March 2020 at TACT South West (BS16 2QQ) TACT reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so we advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment. Full details and application documents here  Location: Cardiff Salary : £40,500 pa + £1,500 pa once in Out of Hours rota Closing Date: 26/01/2020 Interview Date: 04/02/2020 Hours: 35 hours per week Deputy Area Manager (Fostering)
We are offering an exciting opportunity for an experienced, dynamic individual to assist and support the Area Manager in the operational management of the Area Team and the recruitment, assessment, training and support of a diverse range of foster carers and placements. This role includes managing Senior Supervising Social Workers, recruiting permanent Social Workers, sessional Social Workers, admin staff and dealing with HR matters. To be considered, you will need to have experience of working with children and young people in a statutory setting and have a management qualification (or willingness to undertake one). You will also need to be registered with Social Care Wales and have a DipSW, CSS or CQSW qualification. An enhanced DBS clearance is required and this check will be undertaken by TACT on your behalf. The use of a car is essential. You will be required to work an out of hours rota, attracting an additional allowance of £1,500 per annum. 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) and fantastic learning and development opportunities. Please see the job information pack for further information. The post will be office based in Cardiff but will involve significant travel within South Wales. Applications from fluent Welsh speakers will be welcomed. Closing: Sunday, 26th January 2020 Interviews: Tuesday, 4th February 2020 (TACT Wales CF11 9LJ) 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. Rydyn ni'n chwilio am Ddirprwy Reolwr Ardal - Gweithiwr Cymdeithasol yng Nghymru. Rydyn ni'n cynnig 31 diwrnod o wyliau blynyddol, trefniadau gweithio hyblyg, yswiriant marw yn y swydd, yswiriant ar gyfer salwch hirdymor yn ogystal â llawer o fanteision eraill. Rydyn ni'n cynnig cyfle cyffrous i unigolyn profiadol a deinamig gynorthwyo a chefnogi'r Rheolwr Ardal gyda rheolaeth weithredol dros y Tîm Ardal, ac o ran recriwtio, asesu, hyfforddi a chefnogi ystod amrywiol o leoliadau a gofalwyr maeth. Mae'r rôl yn cynnwys rheoli Uwch Weithwyr Cymdeithasol Goruchwyliol, recriwtio Gweithwyr Cymdeithasol parhaol, Gweithwyr Cymdeithasol sesiynol, staff gweinyddol a delio â materion adnoddau dynol. Er mwyn cael eich ystyried am y swydd, bydd angen i chi feddu ar brofiad o weithio gyda phlant a phobl ifanc mewn lleoliad statudol a meddu ar gymhwyster rheoli (neu barodrwydd i ennill cymhwyster o'r fath). Bydd angen i chi hefyd fod wedi cofrestru gyda Gofal Cymdeithasol Cymru a meddu ar gymhwyster DipSW, CSS neu CQSW. Mae angen gwiriad manylach gan y Gwasanaeth Datgelu a Gwahardd a bydd y gwiriad hwn yn cael ei wneud gan TACT ar eich rhan. Mae defnydd o gar yn hanfodol ar gyfer y swydd. Bydd gofyn i chi weithio rota y tu allan i oriau arferol, a fydd yn golygu lwfans ychwanegol o £1,500 y flwyddyn i chi. Mae TACT yn cynnig pecyn buddion rhagorol sy'n cynnwys 31 diwrnod o wyliau â thâl, trefniadau gweithio hyblyg, cynllun diogelu incwm grŵp, cynllun marw yn y swydd a chynllun pensiwn cyfranddeiliaid (aberthu cyflog) a chyfleoedd dysgu a datblygu gwych. Mae rhagor o wybodaeth ym mhecyn gwybodaeth y swydd. Bydd y swydd wedi'i lleoli yng Nghaerdydd ond bydd gofyn i chi deithio cryn dipyn ledled y de. Croesewir ceisiadau gan siaradwyr Cymraeg rhugl. Dyddiad cau: Dydd Sul, 26 Ionawr 2020 Cyfweliadau: Dydd Mawrth, 4 Chwefror 2020 (TACT Cymru CF11 9LJ) Mae TACT yn cadw'r hawl i gau'r hysbyseb swydd pan fyddwn wedi cael digon o geisiadau, felly rydyn ni'n eich cynghori i gyflwyno'ch cais cyn gynted â phosib rhag cael eich siomi. Full details and application documents here  Location: Cardiff Salary: £150 Per Panel Closing Date: 02/02/2020 Interview Date: 13/02/2020 Hours: Variable - Up to 12 Meetings Per Year We are currently looking for panel members to be part of our Fostering Panel in Wales. We are specifically seeking three fostering panel members with backgrounds respectively in healthcare, a formerly looked after person, and a foster carer. We particularly welcome applications from Welsh-speakers and people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
This is an exciting time to become involved with TACT and we believe there is no better organisation to be involved with for anyone passionate about Fostering and Adoption services. In line with our values, we expect fostering panel members to ensure that all decisions are made with regard to the interest of 'children in care', foster carers, and the community in which they live. Successful applicants will be responsible for the following Fostering Panel Member duties:
A Standard DBS check clearance is required for these roles. This check will be undertaken by TACT on your behalf. You will also be required to have professional membership of a relevant body if you are currently a practicing healthcare, social work or similarly qualified professional. Closing Date : Midnight on Sunday 2nd February 2020 Interview Date: Thursday 14th February 2020 - taking place at TACT Wales (CF11 9LJ) TACT reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so we advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment. Full details and application documents here  Location: South Coast Salary: £33 Per Hour Plus Travel Expenses Closing Date: 13/01/2020 Interview Date: 22/01/2020 Hours: Variable TACT are currently seeking an IFRO to support the work of the TACT South Coast region which covers the Dorset and Hampshire areas.
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. Core Tasks
Rates of Pay TACT will pay £33.00 per hour plus travel time at £15 per hour (outside of London) or £16.50 per hour (London only) and mileage at 45p per mile. Please see the Job Information Pack for a full breakdown of the role and rates. You will need to be DipSW, CSS or CQSW qualified and registered with Social Work England. A standard disclosure is also required and will be carried out by TACT on your behalf. Closing: Monday 13th January 2020 Interviews: Wednesday 22nd January 2020 at Eastleigh (SO50 9LH) TACT reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so we advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment. Full details and application documents here  Home Office accused of still ignoring offers to house children from camps in the UK
Pressure is building on the Home Office to fulfil its promise to give sanctuary to child refugees as it emerged that foster agencies across the UK have offered dozens of places that remain unused. Estimates suggest there are hundreds of places available for vulnerable unaccompanied minors in addition to the 1,400 offers from local councils that the Home Office is accused of ignoring. Britain’s largest fostering and adoption charity, Tact Care, said that fostering agencies had told the Home Office they had significant capacity to house child refugees. Tact Care alone had 25 spaces that could be used immediately. Andy Elvin, chief executive of Tact Care, said: “The Home Office could easily accommodate its obligations to offer sanctuary to vulnerable minors. Its response has nothing to do with capacity, it’s essentially an ideological decision they are making. It’s not one based on child welfare or our ability to do it as a country, it’s that they don’t want to do it. We’ve told the Home Office but they are not interested.” Pressure is also mounting on cabinet ministers who backed a scheme to welcome unaccompanied minors to take a “moral stance” after some protections for children were dropped from the Brexit bill. Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, was one of the Tories to rebel in support of a plan drawn up by the Labour peer Lord Dubs in 2016, which committed the UK to accept almost 500 unaccompanied child refugees. Lord Dubs was one of 10,000 children rescued from the Nazis by the Kindertransport in 1939. A separate commitment to allow child refugees stranded in Europe to reunite with families in Britain after Brexit was dropped by Boris Johnson. Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, called on ministers and Tory MPs to reverse the “moral disgrace” of removing the protection for children. “At the election, Johnson promised to maintain the UK’s reputation as a ‘beacon of freedom and human rights’.” he said. “However, at the first hurdle, he showed his true colours: tearing up protection for some of the world’s most vulnerable people.” Charities are stepping in after growing frustrated with the Home Office’s slowness in transferring child refugees to the UK. The Dubs amendment of May 2016 followed a public outcry about the plight of children stranded in Europe. Campaigners had hoped that as many as 3,000 children would benefit, but ministers set a limit of 480. The Home Office refuses to specify how many of these children have since been transferred to Britain. Now a project, funded by a Jewish philanthropist, will find family-based placements for children who arrive under the Dubs scheme and ensure that councils have money upfront to provide a home. The project, launched in Bristol, Wiltshire and the London borough of Lewisham, and run by a Christian charity called Home for Good, is seeking an initial 20 homes. The charity said the situation was so poor that it had identified children processed by the UN refugee agency in European camps who were still waiting for places to become available. Emily Christou, head of advocacy at Home for Good, said: “We heard that the 480 still seems to be way off. We knew there was public goodwill out there and we knew that local authorities are saying they’ll take more.” The scheme’s first meeting between a family and a social worker took place last week. The next step will be winning approval from a local authority panel and receiving an allowance to cover the costs of opening their home. Jennifer Nadel, co-director of the campaign group Compassion in Politics, said: “It is scandalous and heartbreaking that the UK isn’t honouring its moral and legal obligation to these refugee children. We are the fifth largest economy in the world; we have families and local authorities willing to welcome these children with open arms. The problem is the lack of political will.” The Home Office says it is committed to the Dubs scheme and that safeguarding vulnerable children will remain a priority after Brexit. Source: www.theguardian.com  TACT is delighted to be associated with ‘The Arrival’, the story of two siblings separated by adoption by Olivier Award-winning theatre director Bijan Sheibani. The Arrival is currently running at the Bush Theatre until January 18th.
The play explores the real need to keep siblings together when fostering or adoption is taking place, and the life-long detrimental effects that can happen when siblings are kept apart. The play has received very positive reviews, including from TACT members of staff and young people. A TACT social worker described it as “beautiful and incredibly moving” while a TACT care-experienced person said “it does a fantastic job capturing the difficult emotions experienced by many in the care system”. TACT is fully aware of the damage that can be caused when siblings are separated. TACT CEO, Andy Elvin said: ‘TACT knows the importance of siblings remaining together when they go into care, because that is what they tell us they want. However, there may be occasions when siblings cannot be all placed together due to concerns of behaviour or risk, or simply because of the lack of available foster families. Fostering sibling groups can sometimes be challenging and demanding, but it is also extremely rewarding. TACT is constantly looking for more foster carers who want to give brothers and sisters a stable family home, particularly those who can care for the larger sibling groups.’ Research shows that maintaining sibling relationships for those in care is associated with more stable placements, stronger developmental outcomes and better mental health and wellbeing. Conversely, separation often results in life-long issues around identity and attachment. Despite this, sibling separation remains the norm. In 2009, 81% of children in care were separated from their siblings, 73% were separated in 2011 and 71% in 2014. The Victoria Derbyshire Show reported in 2018 that more than half of siblings were separated in 30 out of 50 councils. There are no official government figures about the number of separated siblings in the care system. This lack of recorded figures on the matter illustrates how this is an under-explored issue that needs more attention. The primary problem is that there simply are not enough foster carers and adopters for sibling groups. The need for children to be placed in a foster family is often urgent, and there are limited number of homes with the available space to accommodate siblings. The Arrival explores these long-term issues, starting with the joyful reunion between biological brothers Tom (Scott Karim) and Samad (Irfan Shamji). Despite Tom’s adoption and all the years spent apart, the two brothers are joined by an undeniable biological bond. But as they become closer and their lives entangle, the psychological effects of being separated begin to cast a dark shadow over their new-found bond. A taut family drama about obsession, betrayal and the human need to belong, The Arrival is a world premiere written and directed by Olivier Award-winning theatre director Bijan Sheibani (Barber Shop Chronicles, The Brothers Size). Written and Directed by Bijan Sheibani Design – Samal Black Lighting Design – Oliver Fenwick Sound Design – Gareth Fry Movement Director – Aline David Cast – Scott Karim and Irfan Shamji Source: www.tactcare.org.uk  Ahead of next month’s General Election, the UK’s largest fostering and adoption charity The Adolescent and Children’s Trust (TACT), is calling on all Britain’s political parties to step up and make children in care, foster carers and care experienced young people an important part of their election promises.
To that end TACT has produced its own manifesto – Call to Action, a plan that we urge all parties include in their manifestos, to transform the life chances for children and young people in care. TACT CEO Andy Elvin said: “TACT’s Call to Action highlights what government and local authorities should be doing to fulfil their responsibilities as corporate parents. Children and young people’s voices should always be heard in the design of policy for the care system. Unfortunately, far too often the state is not a good enough parent.” Here are some of the actions we are calling for: Automatic Delegated Authority for Foster Carers Foster carers are experts on the children that they look after and should automatically have full delegated authority for all decisions about them unless there is a valid reason not to do so. Foster Carers as personal advisors for their care experienced young people. When young people have positive relationships with their foster carers, they should be given the option of having them as their personal adviser as a natural continuation of the foster carers’ role. This would enable foster carers and care experienced young people to continue their relationship with the financial support that will enable them to do this. Waive or pay university tuition fees or offer a guaranteed apprenticeship for care experienced young people Universities should guarantee undergraduate places for care experienced young people regardless of their age and financial support with a maintenance grant in place for living expenses and accommodation during term time, and outside of it. Many young people will not wish to go to university and there should be a guaranteed apprenticeship for those care leavers. Local authorities and governmental agencies should also be offering appropriate employment opportunities. More central government funding for Staying Put ‘Staying Put’ enables young people in foster care to remain with their carers until the age of 21. The future of ‘Staying Put’ is currently uncertain because funding is only secured until 2020/2021. Under funding and no guarantee of continuation to the scheme can leave carers unable to offer a continued home for their foster children when they reach 18. Extend the current legislation prohibiting private for-profit companies from running child protection services to all of children social care services. Private equity firms are increasingly present in the fostering market, buying and selling independent fostering agencies and making substantial gains in the process. More transparency and accountability is needed, with resources remaining within each provider to ensure a total focus on the needs of children and young people. For the full Call to Action click here Source: www.tactcare.org.uk |
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