​Team Fostering is an ethical not-for-profit fostering agency. We have a strong reputation and proven track record for providing high quality, value-for-money fostering placements for looked after children. We pride ourselves on our values and we expect our staff to commit to and demonstrate these values in their everyday work.

We are looking for Independent Reviewing Officers based in the Yorkshire & East Midlands region. Our Independent Reviewing Officers contribute to the provision of a high quality fostering service for children by ensuring that every Team Fostering foster carer’s suitability to foster and terms of approval are reviewed at least once annually as required by the Fostering Regulations.

Independent Reviewing Officers chair foster carer reviews and produce high quality reports for Team Fostering on a self-employed basis. As part of the preparation for a review they also conduct audits of the agency files to ensure a high standard of recording is maintained. Individuals will have the necessary social work and management skills and experience to undertake this task, to contribute to the maintenance of quality standards within the organisation.

Key Tasks:

Chair foster carer reviews at least once annually as required by the fostering regulations, following an agenda agreed by Team Fostering.
To rigorously assess foster carers’ capability to meet the needs of children in foster care, incorporating their wishes and feelings as well as feedback from other professionals.
To prepare high quality review reports with clear recommendations to the agency regarding the carer(s) and household’s suitability to foster, evidencing the reasoning behind the recommendations made.
Develop positive relationships within the team, to promote and implement the process.
Provide analytical reports to the agency identifying examples of excellent or poor practice, themes and trends, feedback on children’s views and suggestions for development, change to practice, the service or policies and procedures.
 

This is a sessional role. Salary for the post is £31.58 per hour (each review and audit of carer’s file = 6 ½ hours)

If you wish to discuss this role further please contact Vicky Johnson, Quality Standards Manager on 07500 026249.


To apply, please use the below documentation, sending a completed application form and equal opportunities form to hr@teamfostering.co.uk


Please note Team Fostering does not accept CV’s. Applicants are requested to complete an application form and equal opportunities form available above. website.

All posts require an Enhanced DBS Disclosure

Closing date: 9.00 a.m. on Friday 2 October 2020

Interviews will be held on Thursday 22 October 2020

Please note if you are shortlisted for interview we will contact you via the email you have provided. Please ensure you check your emails regularly.

Thank you for your interest in Team Fostering and taking the time to apply for this position.

Full details and application documents here

This September, we’re exploring what Team Fostering means to the many different people who know us best. Our foster carers, our staff and the young people we support all share their views in a brand-new campaign; ‘This is My Team Fostering’.

One of the things we’re always aware of is how much of an impact fostering can have on your life. While many of our carers come to join Team Fostering and remain with us for a long time, we know that with such a diverse mix of foster carers that many people are at different stages of their lives, and circumstances often change.

So when we heard that fantastic carer Sarah was moving on from fostering, we asked her to reflect honestly on working with Team Fostering, and share the stories and memories she’ll keep from her experiences in fostering with us.  

“I have been a single foster carer with Team Fostering for nearly 4 years. It has been a really rewarding time, there have been some hard times too but with the amazing support from everyone who works for this agency, it has made it so much easier to cope with. All the staff are fantastic and their patience with me has been second to none. They have guided me along my journey as I supported the young people through their lives. They were there to celebrate the highs with me and they supported me during the lows.”

“My time with Team is coming to an end as my circumstances are changing, but I will never forget all the fun activities I have attended; the annual Team holiday, Halloween parties, Christmas parties, all the days out in the school holidays, there are too many to mention. There is so much to do that the young people never get bored.”

“I have so many memories and achievements from working with Team Fostering, but for me the one that stands out is one young man I looked after who was always in trouble at school, he had regular detentions for fighting, not doing homework and messing about in class. We worked together over time and he slowly turned himself around and became the highest merit points scorer, not only in his year but the whole school, and at his Achievements Celebration evening, some of his teachers stayed behind as they wanted to be there to see him get his award as they were so proud of him. I will never forget the pride on his face as he got his award.”

“So, to anyone thinking about becoming a foster carer, if you have the room not only on your house but in your heart then I say wholeheartedly, do it. Its life changing not only for the children but yourself too. It’s not easy sometimes but the small gains along the way make it all so worthwhile. “

“Team Fostering have so much to offer too -  the training is second to none, there is a course for everything you need and every step you take they are there by your side. I have met and made some lifelong friends during my time and will miss being a foster carer very much, but I have some wonderful memories to take away with me.”


You can read more more about the 'This is My Team Fostering' campaign here, and follow it on social media using the #MyTeamFostering hashtag.

To find out more about fostering with Team Fostering, give us a call on 0800 292 2003; live chat with us here on our website, or leave us an enquiry here.

Source:
www.teamfostering.co.uk

​This September, we’re exploring what Team Fostering means to the many different people who know us best. Our foster carers, our staff and the young people we support all share their views in a brand-new campaign; ‘This is My Team Fostering’.

It’s important to everyone at Team Fostering that the staff team are happy, healthy and motivated. We aim to maintain high standards of employee satisfaction and well-being across our 5 offices, and recently, we were awarded the Better Health At Work Bronze Standard Award in the North East. You might even have seen some of our positive staff comments on social media with the #MyTeamFostering hashtag.

But what about when times are tough? We asked Liz Fenton, Principal Placements Officer in Yorkshire and the East Midlands to tell us how Team Fostering supported her in 2020 to make the right changes to support her young family and balance her demanding job.

“It has been difficult these last few months for everyone for many different reasons.  It’s been particularly challenging for me looking after a very active three-year-old little girl, who has struggled with the change from seeing her family (especially nanny and cousins) and friends on a daily basis, to just me and her dad.”

This September, we’re exploring what Team Fostering means to the many different people who know us best. Our foster carers, our staff and the young people we support all share their views in a brand-new campaign; ‘This is My Team Fostering’.

We know that our staff and carers often have a range of reasons that draw them towards Team Fostering. From our comprehensive package of fees and support, to the close-knit staff team, to our not-for-profit status – all of these factors contribute to how our agency is viewed and valued by the people we work with every day. To explore some of these aspects, we asked our fantastic foster carer Helen to tell us more about what Team Fostering means to her.

“In 2009, my partner Neil agreed with me to look into fostering - my family had fostered when I was small and Neil’s mum was a social worker. We did a lot of research - we contacted our local authorities and also Team Fostering after seeing an advert. We read Ofsted reports and spoke to existing carers. 

From our first meeting we knew it had to be Team; the not-for-profit status was really important. In the September of 2009, we were finally approved as foster carers and our lives changed completely.

I now count many Team carers as my best friends, we’re all very different but the thing that we share is our passion for making children and young people’s lives better.  When things go wrong, I know I can count on their knowledge and support. If I need to ring Team Fostering out of normal hours, the phone will be answered, and I actually know who I’m speaking to. Sometimes all you need is reassurance that you are doing the right thing.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing but the high points keep you going, things like a child being invited to a friend’s birthday party for the first time; going to a young man’s graduation with his mum and feeling like you will burst with pride; having two girls squeeze your hands as an aeroplane takes off on their first flight. It’s not always the big things either; it can simply be being asked for another hug at bedtime, singing along to the radio together or giggling at silly jokes.

I’m lucky that the children and young people who have lived with us in the past still stay in touch and think of us as family, and we consider them as our family too. I sometimes joke that I can’t get rid of them but I really wouldn’t want to.  

If you’re thinking of joining Team, I would recommend that you look up Ofsted reports, ask for a visit and talk to existing carers.

Being a Team Fostering foster carer isn’t simply a job - it’s a lifestyle, a family. We celebrate the successes of all the children not just the ones who live with us. Team Fostering is completely child-focused - from managers, office staff, social workers and carers we all work together because we share a common goal, to make a difference.  As a lovely African proverb said: 'It takes a village to raise a child.’

You can read more more about the 'This is My Team Fostering' campaign here, and follow it on social media using the #MyTeamFostering hashtag.

To find out more about fostering with Team Fostering, give us a call on 0800 292 2003; live chat with us here on our website, or leave us an enquiry here. 

Source:
www.teamfostering.co.uk

Please note we do not operate a performance related reward system or automatic incremental payments

Team Fostering is an ethical not for profit fostering agency with a strong reputation and track record for providing high quality, value for money fostering placements for looked after children. We pride ourselves on our values and behaviours and we expect our staff to commit to and demonstrate these in their everyday work. 

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and qualified social worker to join our successful fostering team as a result of an internal promotion. You will have the knowledge and skills to undertake the full range of Supervising Social Worker tasks, including supervising foster carers, working with other professionals, report writing and attendance at meetings. Not only will you have excellent communication and interpersonal skills you will also be hardworking, positive, and motivated to improve outcomes for looked after children.

This post will be based in our North Shields office however you will be required to work flexibly across the North East region. The role will involve out of hours duty work.  The successful candidate will have experience of Family Placement work either in the Local Authority or an IFA setting.

Informal enquiries regarding the post can be made to Tracey Bulley (Team Manager) on 07900 582684.
 
To apply, please complete an Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form (available below) and return via email to hr@teamfostering.co.uk no later than 9am on 20 August 2020. 

Please note Team Fostering does not accept CV’s.

All posts require Enhanced DBS Disclosure 

Closing date: 9am on Thursday 20 August 2020

Interviews will be held Monday 7 September 2020

Please note if you are shortlisted for interview we will contact you via the email you have provided. Please ensure you check your emails regularly.

Thank you for your interest in Team Fostering and taking the time to apply for this position. 

Full details and application documents here

While we’ve been in lockdown this year, Team Fostering has been exploring different ways to stay in touch with people who are considering becoming foster carers with the agency. We know it’s often a big decision to make even if you’ve been thinking about fostering for a while, and often you’ll have a whole bunch of questions you’d like to ask before you take your first step towards being a foster carer.

We also know that sometimes, when you’re looking for information about a big lifestyle change like fostering, a face-to-face conversation with someone friendly really helps – so as we entered social distancing this year, we wanted to make it just as easy for you to have a useful chat with our recruitment team about becoming a carer with our agency.  

This is why we introduced our new Drop-In Advice days. One day a month, you can book a 45 minute slot with our Recruitment Social Workers, Cheryl and Douglas, who’ll explain more about Team Fostering and what we offer, chat through what we look for in our prospective foster carers, and answer any questions you might have about becoming a foster carer with Team Fostering.  It can be a phone or a video call, and offers the perfect opportunity to find out whether fostering is the right thing for you to explore right now.

It’s really easy to book – just visit our booking page here select your chosen time and scroll down to leave us your contact details. One of our Recruitment Team will get in touch to confirm who your appointment will be with, and whether you’d prefer a phone or video call with us. And then that’s it until Cheryl or Douglas gives you a call!

Our upcoming Drop-In days take place next week on Tuesday 14th July, and then again on Tuesday 11th August.
 
If you can’t make it to our Drop In sessions, don’t forget you can contact us to learn more about becoming a foster carer in one of the following ways:

• Call us on 0800 292 2003
• Email us via info@teamfostering.co.uk
• Submit an online enquiry form by clicking here

Source:
www.teamfostering.co.uk

Team Fostering is a not for profit fostering agency, with an annual turnover of over £9m, based in the North East, Yorkshire & the East Midlands. We have been successfully supporting children & young people living in foster care to achieve positive outcomes since 2001.
​
We are now looking for Non-Executive Directors, based within this geographical footprint, who have senior-level knowledge, experience & expertise in the foster care sector and more specifically from within the independent fostering sector. We require candidates who can sign up fully to the ethical & not for profit stance which underpins all that we do to make a positive difference to the lives of children & young people.
The successful candidate(s) will also provide a creative contribution to the Board via objective criticism and independent judgement on issues of strategy, performance and resourcing of the agency, including involvement in key appointments & standards of conduct.

The post holder(s) will be independent of any of the company’s interested parties and bring a degree of objectivity & impartiality to the Board’s deliberations and play a valuable role monitoring executive management.

This is a part time role requiring, as a minimum, 30 day’s work per year and a minimum of 1.5 days worked each month equating to £13,335.75 per annum.  Part of this monthly commitment is attendance at a monthly Board meeting which may be held in one of our North Shields, Middlesbrough, Leeds, Sheffield or South Normanton offices. Other responsibilities and pieces of work taken on, at the direction of the Board, are paid at an hourly rate of £59.27. 

The closing date for application for this role is 9am on Monday 13 July 2020 and interviews are scheduled for Thursday 30 July 2020.

For further information, please ring Alex Cooper, Retained Consultant on 0191 653 1049

To apply, please complete an Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form (available below) and return to hr@teamfostering.co.uk no later than 9am on Monday 13 July 2020.

Please note Team Fostering does not accept CVs.

Full details and application documents here

At Team Fostering, we recruit and train foster carers that are able to look after a range of children and young people, including young people who have recently had their own children.

This is a specialist type of fostering referred to across the industry as 'Parent and Child Fostering,' the aim of which is to provide support and guidance not only to the infant but also the parent, usually the mother. The aim is that the parent may eventually provide independent care for their child. Parent and Child Fostering is an alternative to referring young parents to live in residential units and it helps to provide the support needed at the early stages of their relationship, a very crucial time for bonding. Without this support, such relationships can often break down and this could lead to the separation of the child from the parent.

The Benefits of Parent and Child Fostering
Fostering a parent and child is not an easy task, but the rewards are huge and we have many foster carers at Team Fostering with specialist training for the role. Foster carers can help the development of a bond between parent and child, giving both a brighter future, and to see an attachment grow first-hand has been described by our foster carers as nothing short of amazing. Throughout Parent and Child Fostering, carers offer support that provides young parents with insight into the lifelong parenting skills required for looking after a child independently. This is done in a stable environment that helps keep focus on the child, with access to valuable resources that may not have been available without the fostering setup. 

In turn, the child of the young person benefits from extra support received by all, providing them with the best start in life.

As Team Fostering consider Parent and Child Fostering to be a specialist role we provide a slightly different support package for those who offer this. A higher level of one-to-one support and training will be provided to any foster carers that look after a parent and child, and higher foster carer fees are paid in comparison to some other types of fostering. 

Team Fostering is an independent, not-for-profit fostering agency operating across the North East, Yorkshire and East Midlands. We have strong, ethical values and behaviours and continually look to welcome new foster carers to the team. Read our eligibility criteria by clicking here.

If you're interested in learning more about fostering, you can get in touch in one of the following ways:

call us on 0800 292 2003
send an online enquiry by clicking here
email us via info@teamfostering.co.uk
 
Our offices are in North Tyneside, Middlesbrough, Leeds, Sheffield and South Normanton.

Source:
www.teamfostering.co.uk

For quite a while now here at Team Fostering, we’ve been considering our impact on the wider world, especially with consideration to environmental issues; a concern close to the hearts of many of the young people we work with. We asked Non-Executive Director Walter Young to discuss the changes we are making as an agency to respond to this.
​
“Team Fostering’s purpose and values have always been summed up in four words: Putting children’s futures first. Over the years we’ve become increasingly aware that the one thing that is putting children’s futures at risk more than anything else is climate change. Global warming is already affecting our environment, health, food supply, economy and security. If we do not take action, the effects will be far worse in the future.

What can one organisation do about this? The Directors of Team Fostering have listened to the views of children and young people via the Eco Task Force, as well as suggestions and actions from employees and others. We have explored what changes could make the most difference in the shortest time, and whilst the challenge still feels overwhelming, we believe that we can at least ensure that the agency operates on a carbon-neutral basis.

For example, one of the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis has been to make every meeting a virtual one, using video conferencing instead of meeting face-to-face. We’ve learned that it’s often possible to share information and make decisions without travelling to attend a meeting. In the future, we will cut our carbon footprint by making much more use of virtual meetings. Over the next few months, it is our intention to go through everything we have learned from the current crisis and work out how we can use that learning to make Team Fostering a better and more environmentally efficient organisation.

As well as reducing our carbon impact by burning less fossil fuel, we can mitigate it by supporting the creation of forests in the UK. We are investing in this financially in partnership with Forest Carbon, an organisation that has already planted 7 million trees in the UK, in woodlands independently audited and certified under the UK Woodland Carbon Code. By supporting the creating of UK woodlands, we are helping to capture CO2 as well as delivering other benefits for biodiversity, landscape, flood management, water quality and recreation.

We are currently creating our next 3-year strategic plan, which will cover the period 2021-2024. One of Team Fostering’s strategic objectives will be about ensuring an effective response to climate change, particularly reducing our output of greenhouse gases. This will lead to further initiatives and changes in our behaviour that we cannot necessarily predict today. Our approach to this needs to be about continuous improvement, not just a one-off change.

Everyone can do their bit in trying to reduce the impact of climate change. Rather than feeling helpless or hoping someone else will sort it out, we believe that even the efforts of one organisation are worthwhile and will make a difference."

To help Team Fostering continue making a difference to the lives of many more young people, you can contact us in the following ways:

send an online enquiry by clicking here
call us on 0800 292 2003
email us via info@teamfostering.co.uk

One of the undeniable things about caring for children during lockdown has been the need to keep them occupied and active, often alongside many other household commitments.

When schools closed completely at the height of the Coronavirus pandemic, this meant that many parents and carers encountered a whole new set of challenges, having to provide routine, teaching, play and more to young people who were used to the structure of a school day.
To ensure that that this went smoothly and that our Team Fostering carers had the support they needed during this time, our brilliant Education and Support Service worked hard to move the work they do online, as Steve Elliff, Education and Support Service Manager (Yorkshire and East Midlands) explains; “We deliver most of our support face to face, so lockdown has been a bit of a challenge! In the early stages of lockdown, we tried to support our carers as they adjusted to home schooling, with a host of links, suggestions and ideas for how to keep children busy.  For some of our children, engaging in schoolwork at home has gone really well, but for others this has been particularly tricky.“

Lisa Leggatt, Education and Support Service Manager (North East) continues: “The Education and Support Service has continued to provide the support our children and carers expect from us; albeit in a different way.”

“Every week we’ve been posting activities to keep our children and young people of all ages entertained and learning. We found that we didn’t need to keep posting curriculum-based learning activities as schools were doing this, we could just concentrate on the fun stuff. Many of our young people and carers have sent in photographs of what they are getting up to in the lockdown period; their creativity and imagination never ceases to amaze me.”

A large part of the Education and Support Service’s face to face work includes their monthly Life Skills sessions – they include cooking a meal together followed by a short group session on a topic related to independence. As Steve explains: “We contacted some of our young people who attend these sessions and worked with them to come up with an online version of life skills delivered through Microsoft Teams.  Friendship is a key part of the life skills group, so the final format included 15 minutes of socialising at the start, a 30 minute life skill session, followed by a 15 minute game at the end.” Topics included health and wellbeing, budgeting, workplace advice and registering with a GP, and they even managed to include some baking in the virtual sessions too!

There’s been the opportunity to have some more targeted support for many of our young people as well. As Lisa recounts, “Some young people need some direct support while being home schooled. We are still ‘meeting’ these young people one to one via video link and thanks to the help from our fabulous IT guru Dave this is going really well. I can share my screen which we can use like a whiteboard you would see in any classroom across the country. So far we have delivered sessions on; science, maths, GCSE poetry, French, RE and history.”

With the help of digital tools, a ton of adaptability and a lot of creativity, the Education and Support Service has met the challenges of providing development and support to the children and young people we work with, head on. The service will continue to provide guidance and advice to the foster carers supporting these young people through this complicated time, and we look forward to being able to combine our diverse programme of face to face activities with our new virtual sessions in future.

To learn more about becoming a foster carer with us, you can contact us by:

Submitting an online enquiry form here
Calling us on 0800 292 2003
Emailing info@teamfostering.co.uk

Source: 
www.teamfostering.co.uk