​For children and young people that are looked after by Team Fostering foster carers, there may be various reasons that they are unable to live with their own family. This will include traumatic past experiences that resulted in them being removed from their families.

Team Fostering is committed to providing children and young people with the opportunity to overcome such experiences. We understand that moving in to live with a new family can be a difficult time for children and that it is not easy to adapt to new routines and norms in their new environment. In turn this increases the challenges that foster carers need to overcome as they welcome children and young people into their home.

In order to help our foster carers provide bespoke care that meets the needs of each and every child, we provide carers and staff with training on The Secure Base Model. The model encompasses a therapeutic approach to parenting, which helps to support children by encouraging a sense of trust in those around them. By achieving this, children and young people are more able to:

• Have an increased self-esteem
• Be and feel more independent
• Be resilient in the face of adversity
• Manage impulses and feelings
• Build long-term friendships
• Have improved relationships with caregivers and others

The Secure Base Model enhances carers’ empathy and understanding of the needs and subsequent behaviours of children and young people in their care. Our staff are very experienced and have an excellent understanding of The Secure Base Model, using the approach in supervision with foster carers, to encourage caring for children and young people in a way that will support recovery from trauma and past experiences that they have gone through before living with our carers. Our supervising social workers work with our carers to think about how these needs can be met through supportive and understanding care.

Source:
https://www.teamfostering.co.uk

Team Fostering is an ethical not for profit fostering agency with a strong reputation and proven track record for providing high quality foster homes for care experienced children. We pride ourselves on our values and we expect our staff to commit to and demonstrate these values in their everyday work.

An exciting opportunity has arisen within Team Fostering to appoint an Independent Vice Chair for the North East Fostering Panel. We would welcome applications from candidates with a background and knowledge in one of the following areas, education; health; the police force; probation; foster caring and care experience of young people.

As an Independent Chair you will be responsible for contributing to the provision of a first-class fostering service for children through the effective chairing and participation in fostering Panel meetings.

As a Panel Vice Chair, you will need to be able to attend a virtual Panel one day a month.

As Panel Vice Chair your responsibilities will include:

• Chairing Panel meetings, when required, ensuring that all items of business are covered and that the Panel operates in accordance with regulations and the policies and procedures of the agency.
• To prepare for Panel meetings, reading Panel papers carefully, identifying key issues and alerting the Panel Adviser if necessary to ensure, as far as possible, that the assessments are adequate for submission to panel.
• To take responsibility for participating in the making of a recommendation on each case, drawing on both personal and professional knowledge and experience.
• To safeguard the confidentiality of all Panel papers and Panel discussions.

A knowledge of fostering and the regulatory framework and standards surrounding it as well as evidence of a commitment to achieving positive outcomes for children are all essential qualities we are seeking for this post.

As the Vice Chair you will also be required to contribute to the continuous development of the agency through working effectively with the Panel Adviser, the Agency Decision Maker and other Senior Managers.

The Panel Vice Chair will receive £160.61 per panel. In the absence of the Panel Chair, the Vice Chair will be expected to deputise and will therefore receive £401.53 per panel.

A formal induction programme is provided for the successful candidate as a requirement of this post.

For an informal discussion please contact Rachael Johnson, Assistant Director on 0191 257 6806 or by email on rachael.johnson@teamfostering.co.uk

For more information and to apply, please visit:
www.teamfostering.co.uk/about-us/work-with-us/current-vacancies/independent-vice-panel-chair-north-east-region/

Closing Date: Wednesday 27 January 2021.

​As we head into a new year, we can find ourselves looking to the future, but not without a little bit of reflection on the past.

And in 2021, that's exactly what Team Fostering is doing as we head into our 20th Birthday Year!

In January 2021, we celebrate 20 years of operating as a not-for-profit fostering agency, spreading from early beginnings in the North East to a footprint that includes Yorkshire and the East Midlands now. 

Team Fostering was set up in the North East in January 2001 by Peter Richardson and Walter Young, who wanted to develop a fostering agency that wasn’t driven by profit. They were passionate about ensuring that children’s futures were at the heart of everything the agency does. 

With no stakeholders, profits are reinvested back into the business to provide a high level of support and competitive levels of pay to foster carers, assisting them to make a genuine, lifelong difference to the lives of vulnerable young people.

Throughout January we'll be stepping back in time and celebrating the people and the stories of the last 20 years of Team Fostering - from the leap of faith that led Peter, Walter and a few others to set up an entirely brand-new agency around a kitchen table, to the brilliant foster carers who came on board in those very early days and the young people who continually reminded everyone involved what a huge difference that high-quality foster care made to their lives.

Source: www.teamfostering.co.uk/why-us/celebrating-team-fosterings-20th-birthday

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 North East and Yorkshire & East Midlands regions. 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 £32.12 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.

For more information and to apply, please visit:

www.teamfostering.co.uk/about-us/work-with-us/current-vacancies/independent-reviewing-officer-north-east-and-yorkshire-east-midlands/

Closing Date: 9.00am on Monday 11 January 2021
Interviews will be held virtually on Monday 25 January 2021

Team Fostering is 100% committed to promoting the professionalism of foster care.

All of our foster carers have access to comprehensive training and learning opportunities which help in ensuring they are able to develop the necessary skills and knowledge needed to provide the best possible outcomes for children and young people. The agency provides innovative training for foster parents, starting from the initial training foster parents require in order to become an approved carer, right through to induction and core training delivered by internal and external training providers who are experts in their field.

Our training team is led by Training Manager Gill Voase, who has been with Team Fostering for 15 years. Gill has extensive knowledge and understanding of the role of a foster parent and of children and young people in care. As a qualified social worker and trainer with experience of working in residential childcare, fostering and probation services, as well as being a trained nurse, Gill delivers a wide range of training across the agency for foster carers and staff. Gill is supported by Training Officer Jill Mitchell, who has a particular interest in helping foster parents understand children with learning difficulties or disabilities. Jill lectured at colleges across the North East before she joined the agency in 2016, and also delivers a range of courses and workshops for carers at the agency.

​"Training resources are exceptional and ensure that foster parents are prepared for their roles. The agency focuses on maintaining a highly skilled workforce of staff and foster carers, both of whom are trained in the theoretical model of practice."
- Ofsted, November 2018

All foster carers are given their own Personal Development Plan (PDP) which is designed to highlight specific training needs and opportunities. PDP’s are updated annually at foster carers' reviews to reflect current and future training requirements and provide an accurate record of all training and professional development.

Over time, foster carer's build their own Training and Learning Portfolio to sit with their PDP. In the portfolio they are expected to collate ongoing evidence of their training and professional development throughout their fostering career. Team Fostering will also tailor a pathway of advanced training opportunities through each Personal Development Plan for foster carers who work within a specialist area of fostering, and for those who wish to progress onto higher level qualifications.

For a full overview of the training programmes delivered at Team Fostering, click here.

“Team Fostering have brokered training from providers who are competent as well as using staff & carer parents who are eloquent and knowledgeable. It was lovely to have the opportunity to do the level 2 (accredited) training in Counselling earlier this year. This gave me the background to understand the different types of counselling that our young person was about to embark on. It was among the most useful training that I have ever done and as it was delivered or a period of time it enabled you to try out aspects of the work in your own circumstances.”
- A Team Fostering foster carer, 2019

If you're interested in learning more about the training Team Fostering provides to new carers, or you're ready to make that first step into fostering, give us a call on 0800 292 2003, leave us an enquiry here, or drop us an email at info@teamfostering.co.uk 

Source:
www.teamfostering.co.uk

So, you’ve made the leap. You’ve taken the first step on your journey to becoming a foster carer. Congratulations!

You’re probably feeling excited, apprehensive or even a bit scared; this is totally normal! The fostering assessment is a process which is unusual for a person to go through, and it is incredibly thorough because it needs to be; to safeguard your family and the children you will care for.

There are things that you can begin to think about to prepare for the assessment process. These helpful hints and tips should give you some ideas about how to get the most out of your assessment, and how to make the process as streamlined as possible.

• Think about what your motivation is to foster and keep it in view. Quite often, people who have come through the assessment process say that it was more ‘intrusive’ than they expected it to be, and at times found this difficult. They also say, however, that it was a ‘means to an end’ and something which they understood had to be thorough for them to achieve their goal of caring for children and young people. If you are worried about anything at any stage in the assessment, talk openly to your assessor.

 

• Think about your history. Your assessing Social Worker will be aiming to essentially write your life story for the purpose of pulling out the experiences, skills and qualities that will make you a good foster carer. This is no mean feat, and it will benefit you both if you have already thought about significant dates, schools, employers, home addresses etc.

 

• Do your homework. You will be asked to care for some of society’s most vulnerable children. During the assessment you will receive training, but your learning will also benefit greatly from doing some of your own research. With your application pack, you will have received a resource list of some interesting publications and websites, but also, talk to other foster carers, watch documentaries, read news articles. Anything that sparks your interest in the field of childcare, child development and fostering will prepare you for more engaging discussions during the assessment.

 

• Speak to your Personal Referees. The friends you put forward as those able to give you a personal reference need to be prepared for our letter and call. They will be asked to undertake an interview themselves, usually at their home, after they have submitted their written reference and it is only right that they are aware of this before they agree to it.

 

• Try to stick to your Assessment Agreement. Lots of missed sessions will mean delays in the process. Things happen, like illness, but try to stay on track as best you can.


• Be honest! Your assessing Social Worker will be asking you a lot of personal, sensitive and sometimes difficult questions about you and your life. They are trained and qualified to do so, so be assured that what you talk about will be treated with professionalism and respect. Their job is to assess your suitability to foster, and what you tell them will be evidenced, or indeed not, by the background checks and references that will be undertaken alongside the interviews. You may be reluctant to tell them about some aspects of your life, for whatever reason, but remember that it is human nature to have perhaps made decisions or choices in the past that we regret. It is ALWAYS better to be honest throughout every aspect of your assessment so that we can try to work through any concerns.

Most importantly, try to enjoy the assessment! Its goal is to showcase your skills and qualities, so tell us what they are! Have confidence in yourself and know that what you are ultimately aiming to do is rewarding, fulfilling and admirable beyond measure. Good luck!

 
Team Fostering is an independent, not-for-profit fostering agency that covers the North East, Yorkshire and East Midlands. 

If you're thinking about fostering but would like to know more about the assessment process, contact us:

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 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