Job Introduction
Our Fostering Engagement Team recruits, trains and supports Foster Carers across Staffordshire. We take the lead on support groups, Fostering Standards and events.
You will be joining a strong stable team and will work closely with the other Family Practitioners on the Team.
We are seeking an enthusiastic, dynamic, and adaptable practitioner, who will help develop and deliver the ethos of the service. You will contribute to supporting Foster Carers predominantly also on occasions offering direct work to children and young people. You will also be involved in the planning and coordination of training, communication and engagement of Foster Carers
The post is for 29 hours per week and will require some evenings and weekend work but it is usually on a planned basis.
Main Responsibility
As a Family Practitioner, you will be:
- Booking and running support groups - some face to face and some virtual groups on Microsoft Teams.
- Co-ordinating and supporting the training for Foster Carers, planning and administration. Helping to produce two training catalogues a year and direct delivery of training inline with knowledge and experience.
- Recruitment of Foster Carers – responding to the enquiry line, attending events and activities. Driving the recruitment vehicle when needed and supporting Foster Carers involved in recruitment activity. Working closely with the recruitment officer to plan and support recruitment opportunities.
- Communication – monitoring and responding to the ‘Fostering training’ inbox. Sending information out to Foster carers and responding to information requests.
- Planning and delivery of large events, Summer BBQ, Christmas parties, Long Service awards, star awards.
- Working with the birth children of Foster Carers
- Support Foster Carers to complete their Fostering Standards.
The Ideal Candidate
You will have:
- direct experience of being a Foster Carer and / or working with Foster Carers, children and families
- experience of direct work with children, their families and carers in a statutory or voluntary agency which provides services to vulnerable children and their families
- good Communication skills, the ability to support and listen with empathy.
- be solution focussed and a problem solver
- be open and honest and to challenge constructively
- be confident to run a group and training sessions. To be flexible and a team player. To be confident with computer systems and data inputting
You will also have as a minimum an NVQ3 Qualification (or eqivalent experience) in respect of working with children and their families or equivalent, and a commitment to continuing professional development.
This role is currently subject to a review of weekend working arrangements, including any paid enhancements.
If you would like to have an informal discussion about this role, please contact :
Andrea Johnson, Team Manager, andrea.johnson@staffordshire.gov.uk
Shortlisting should happen within 1-2 weeks of the closing date at the latest. Interviews will be held during the week starting 24th February 2025.
Our Recruitment Process: We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role.
Package Description
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 Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire
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 Gold 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.
Attached documents
