Member News: Team Fostering - Meet the Team: Jill Mitchell

Over the summer holidays we'll be sharing staff profiles, foster carer videos and children's stories as part of our 'Meet Team Fostering' initiative. 

This week, we speak to Training Officer Jill about her role at the agency... 

What is your role and how long have you worked at Team Fostering?
My name is Jill Mitchell. I’m the Training Officer at Team Fostering and I’ve worked at the agency for almost 3 years, based in the North East.

---

What does a Training Officer at Team Fostering do?
I work part-time and term-time, so I have a lot to squeeze in! My role includes many functions including the researching, planning and facilitating of internal training courses for our foster carers. I work alongside carers and other staff members to develop and review training courses to make sure that the content remains up-to-date and relevant to the foster carer role. At times the agency offers 1:1 training sessions, if a foster carer were to have a need for specialist advice, and I deliver some of these sessions across the North East.

Some more behind the scenes roles include the production of resources for carers to use at home or provide to the children and young people they are looking after, for example visual timetables to promote healthy routines. I research and source external training facilitators who can bring expert advice to the agency and analyse carer feedback forms. I plan training calendars and work with other team members to monitor each foster carer’s training requirements to ensure that they are up-to-date, particularly with their accredited training.

What part of your job do you most enjoy?
I love delivering the training that carers have been involved in planning or are co-facilitating! There’s something about being in a room with exceptional people who support each other and share their experiences as a way for others to learn and feel a sense of belonging. Being a foster carer can be quite isolating at times and training is way of bringing everyone together to share skills, knowledge and experience.

Why Team Fostering?
I’m proud to be part of a not-for-profit agency where children are at the centre of everything we do. That’s really important to me.

When you’re not at work, what are you likely to be doing?
I have two amazing children who are 4 and 10. They are the centre of everything I do! Although they sometimes have competition from my best pal, Ralph the black Labrador. I spend a great deal of time at the beach, whatever the weather. I love spending time in Scotland and try to get there as often as I can.

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