Specialist Therapeutic Foster Carer - Healthcare Assistant & Support Worker Sanctuary

Specialist Therapeutic Foster Carer – Healthcare Assistant & Support Worker

Ready for a Change? Use Your Skills to Transform a Child's Life

Specialist Therapeutic Foster Carer – Bedford and Surrounding Areas
Location: Bedford and surrounding areas
Salary: £62,000 per year (plus additional allowances)
Employment Type: Full-time | Self-employed

To foster in the UK, you must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be 21 years of age or over
• Have a spare, dedicated bedroom in your home
• Have experience supporting children, young people, or vulnerable adults (professionally or personally)
• Be a British citizen or hold Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK

Important – Visa Status
We are unable to accept applications from individuals who hold:

• EU Settled or Pre-Settled Status
• Skilled Worker visas
• Any other temporary or time-limited visa

Fostering requires permanent residency status in the UK.

If you do not meet all of the above criteria, please do not apply, as your application will not be progressed

Is it Time to Use Your Healthcare Assistant & Support Worker Skills Differently?

Every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and part of a family. Right now, young people in Bedford Borough are living in residential care and need someone who can help them take the next step into a stable home where they can heal and thrive.

If you have experience as a Healthcare Assistant or Support Worker, helping children and families navigate challenges, provide guidance, or manage safeguarding concerns, you already have skills that could change a child’s future. This role is not about providing a bed. It is about offering consistency, empathy, and the belief that life can get better.

As a Specialist Therapeutic Foster Carer, you will welcome a young person into your home and provide full‑time care, supported every step of the way by a dedicated local team.

Why Choose Specialist Therapeutic Fostering?

This specialist route is for people who want to make a profound difference. You will work as part of a trauma‑informed team, helping children transition out of residential care into a safe family environment where they can build trust, resilience, and independence.

This role offers you the chance to transform a child’s life while experiencing something life‑changing yourself.

What You Will Receive as a Specialist Therapeutic Foster Carer

• £62,000 per year plus £1,000 additional allowances for holidays and birthdays
• Up to 28 days respite each year
• Specialist trauma‑informed training and ongoing professional development
• Clinical supervision and 24/7 out‑of‑hours support
• Peer support networks, including access to the Mockingbird Constellation model
• Membership of The Fostering Network
• Be part of a local fostering team that knows and values its carers

Could This Be You?

We are looking for individuals or couples who:

• Live in Bedford or the surrounding area
• Can offer a dedicated bedroom for fostering a young person
• Have experience supporting children or young people with emotional, behavioural, or family‑related challenges
• Are resilient, nurturing, and open to learning