Job Introduction
Would you like to provide an emergency home for children in crisis for up to 72 working hours?
Do you have experience of working with or looking after vulnerable young people?
We are looking for individuals or couples, aged over 21 who have a spare bedroom and can be available on a rota to be Emergency Foster Carers.
Main Responsibility
As an Emergency Foster Carer you will be available on a rota (2 weeks on, 1 week off) to support children, aged between 0-18, who require an emergency home, out of normal office hours (Monday to Thursday after 5pm to 8.30am the following morning, Friday after 4.30pm, Saturday, Sunday)
Once a child/children comes to stay with you, you will be expected to look after them for up to 72 working hours to allow time for professionals to explore solutions and plan a return home should it be considered safe to do so.
The Ideal Candidate
Emergency Fostering is suitable for either individuals or couples:
- You will need to have a level of experience of either working with or looking after vulnerable children/young people.
- Emergency foster carers will need to be available to support the needs of any child/children aged 0-18 placed in their care so this is not recommended if you have younger children in your household.
- You will need to be available to look after a child/children on a 2 week on and 1 week off rota, there is scope to do this on a part time basis if it fits your lifestyle better.
You will need to have a level of resilience and be able to manage uncertainty as often children will come into care with little being known about them or their situation.
If you would like to apply to be an Emergency Foster Carer, please complete our fostering enquiry form. Alternatively for further information or an informal chat about joining us please contact us on 0800 169 2061. You can also contact the team via email.
About Staffordshire County Council
We are no ordinary county council:
Our Values:
The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.
Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:
We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.
We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.
Our benefits:
We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.
In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to a range of benefits.
Our recruitment process:
As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities
As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Silver Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
As you’ll know safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and young people/vulnerable adults is important to us and that’s why this position is subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. If applicable you should disclose details of unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions in your application form.
