Therapist - Fostering

Foster Care Associates (The FCA) Therapist – Fostering

Contract:

Full Time

Location:

FCA Northern Ireland
- Belfast Salary:
Up to £46,500 per annum, depending on experience Benefits Company car or £2,000 car allowance 30 days’ annual leave, rising to 35 days with length of service,  Bank Holidays Life Assurance – 2x annual salary Company pension Free on-site parking Employee Discount Scheme Medical Cash Plan About Us Set up by a foster parent and social worker in 1994, Foster Care Associates (FCA) is an established fostering agency which forms part of the Polaris Community – one of the UK’s largest leading communities of children’s services providers.

The business was born out of an enthusiasm for delivering fostering services to make a positive difference to the lives of looked-after children. Our first office was in the Worcestershire countryside, and that’s still where our Head Office is today. We’ve come a long way since those early days and, over the years, FCA has built a strong reputation for excellence and now offers a wide range of services to children and families.

But our purpose remains the same: ‘to make a positive and lasting difference for children, families and communities’, and it’s underpinned by a series of values designed to help us assist children and young people to reach their full potential. Today, we’re one of the country’s largest and most experienced independent fostering agencies. But just because we’re large doesn’t mean we’re impersonal.

At FCA we’re one big family, and we’re committed to supporting every single child and Foster Parent, every single minute of the day.

What We Are Looking For We are looking for a highly motivated and passionate Therapist to deliver high-quality therapy services to foster families, to facilitate and enable a therapeutic environment for looked-after children and young people placed with Foster Care Associates (FCA) by local authorities. As a Therapist at FCA Northern Ireland, you will be part of a team delivering a therapy service to Foster Parents through consultations, training, workshops, group sessions and the Team Parenting model in consultation with social work staff and other agencies involved in working with the child.

The service supports the agency’s stability strategy for children placed with families. This rewarding role allows you to build firm relationships with our Foster Parents to support their understanding of what it means to be a therapeutic foster carer.

Key Responsibilities Deliver therapeutic support to children, young people and Foster Parents Provide consultations, training, workshops and group sessions for Foster Parents Work collaboratively with social work staff and other professionals involved in supporting children and young people Contribute to the Team Parenting model and wider therapeutic support offered by FCA Northern Ireland Support placement stability by helping Foster Parents understand and respond to the therapeutic needs of children and young people Maintain appropriate professional records and work in accordance with relevant regulatory policies and processes About You Hold a recognised professional therapy qualification relevant to the role Hold appropriate professional registration or accreditation with a relevant professional body Have relevant therapeutic or clinical experience working with children, young people and families

Experience of working within fostering, children’s services or a related environment would be beneficial Be confident working collaboratively with Foster Parents, social workers and other professionals Have strong communication, relationship-building and organisational skills It would be beneficial to have experience of working within a fostering service or…