Job Purpose

To recruit, assess, train and support foster carers in accordance with the relevant legal framework.

To promote the welfare of children placed with Apple Fostering foster carers.

To contribute to the promotion, development and providing of Apple Fostering fostering service.

Key responsibilities

Recruitment and Training of Foster Carers

To assist in the recruitment of New Foster Carers by:

Promoting Apply Fostering by both formal and informal methods such as word of mouth and networking.
Assisting in pre-selection training/information days.
Undertaking assessments of prospective Foster Carers for recommendation for approval by the Fostering Panel.

To support the continued development of Foster Carers by:

Facilitating and supporting post-approval training as required - formal and informal including the CWDC standards.
Ensuring that training is appropriate to the fostering task.
Promoting their attendance at post-approval training and other events to help Foster Carers meet their contractual obligations.
Obtaining feedback on training and development to ensure training is beneficially applied to the performance of Foster Carers.

Contributing to the development of personal development plans for Foster Carers.

Supporting and Supervising Foster Carers

To develop and implement effective supervision plans for Foster Carers, ensuring these are implemented consistently by:

Providing monthly supervisory visits to Foster Carers with children in placement in accordance with Apple Fostering policies and procedures.
Ensuring Foster Carers respond to the supervision process and benefit from the supervision provided.
Undertaking additional support visits as necessary.
Providing support and a link with Apple Fostering to Foster Carers awaiting placements.
Support Foster Carers at all professionals meetings.

To participate in Apple Fostering's Out of Hours rota.

To support Foster Carers in maintaining records as required by Apple Fostering.

To contribute to the review, development and performance of Foster Carers.

To ensure that placements are made and sustained in accordance with a child's Care Plan and their views are heard effectively, by such means as:

Professionally befriending them.
Ensuring they are aware of the contents and intent of the Children's or Young Person's Guide.
Supporting them as necessary in relation to their care needs.
Providing them with a copy of our current Children's or Young Person's Guide and reading it through with them if appropriate.

To bring to the attention of the Fostering Services Manager any Foster Carer who does not meet the performance criteria required and to work to develop and implement an action plan to improve the Carer's performance.

Finding and supporting placements.

To promote the reputation and services of Apple Fostering by:

Representing Apple Fostering in all direct contacts with Local Authority Social Services and any other relevant intermediaries to help 'sell' the Apple Fostering proposition.

To obtain placements by:

Developing and maintaining Apple Fostering's reputation in all dealing with third parties.
Developing and maintaining contacts with placing Local Authorities.

Before and when a placement is made:

To participate in the process of 'matching' children with Foster Carers in accordance with the terms of the Foster Carer's approval and with reference to any recommendations of the Fostering Panel.
To obtain contractual paperwork and LAC documentation from placing Local Authorities in good time for necessary administration, Foster Carer preparation, support and supervision.
To work with Local Authority representatives to ensure they meet their obligations in regard to children in placement by promoting effective working relationships.
To ensure effective and proper Apple Fostering representation at LAC Reviews and whenever a presence is needed.
To provide a service which enables children and young people in placement to reach their full potential.
To assist young people leaving care to be successful in their adult lives by developing support plans and links with local organisations as well as ensuring Local Authorities undertake their responsibilities where appropriate.

Fostering Panel

To assist in the provision of timely and complete Form F assessments, Reviews and other documentation required by the Panel.

To support prospective and approved Foster Carers attending Panel.

Working with other team members

To support the work of Apple Fostering by contributing as required to strategic and operational plans by :

Working pro-actively and positively with all employees and retained third-parties.
Feeding back competitive information such as placement activity and fees.
Working to establish Apple Fostering as a preferred and approved supplier of fostering services with Local Authorities.
Pro-actively contributing solutions and innovations to resolve operational and strategic issues.
Co-operating with all other parties to enable them to progress their own responsibilities and the work of Apple Fostering.

Participating in professional supervision and development as and when required by the Fostering Services Manager in line with our Supervision Contract.

To work within the overall Policies and Procedures of Apple Fostering and its administrative and management processes, and to contribute towards the development of these with the objective of constantly improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Apple Fostering's work.

Field and Professional Infrastructure

Maintain and develop current personal knowledge regarding the regulatory and good practice environment.

To ensure continued professional development by attending training courses as identified and in agreement with the Fostering Services Manager.

To participate and contribute to any regulatory inspections carried out at Apple Fostering.

Caritas Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy