Foster Carer

Location

Brighton

Job reference

Positions available
: 100

Full time

Contract
:
Permanent

Salary
:
Generous weekly allowance + fee (please see advert)

Care - Children and Young People

Brighton & Hove City Council

Are you looking for a career change? Are you looking for a role where you can make a difference?

We are looking for people who can change and inspire the futures of children and young people who need safe, stable homes where they can live while their own family is unable to look after them.

Fostering can be short term or long term, ranging from a few days, weeks, months or even years. Children may need foster care from the moment they are born, and some children stay in care up to the age of 18 and beyond. Some children may return to their birth families, others may be supported through continued fostering until they are ready to live independently, and some may move onto adoption.

Foster carers are needed for:

• School aged children
• Teenagers
• Siblings
• New parents and their child

To ensure that a child s racial, linguistic, cultural and religious needs are met, equality, diversity and inclusion must be central to our fostering community. Class, gender, race, sex, age, faith, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability should not prevent you from getting in touch and will never prevent your application from progressing.

We are proud of our unique fostering community, which includes children and foster carers from a wide range of backgrounds. We are keen to recruit foster carers from all walks of life.

The essential requirements are that you must have a spare room, overnight childcare experience and live within 25 miles of Brighton & Hove. No prior experience is necessary. If you are or have been a parent you will have enough experience; if you do not have children of your own, you will need to demonstrate that you understand how it feels to be fully responsible for caring for a child overnight and on a regular basis.

You do not need formal qualifications as we offer a comprehensive training programme, including a three-day ‘Skills to Foster’ course. This training, and other mandatory training will take place as part of your assessment, and once you are approved there will be ongoing opportunities to widen your skill set through additional training.

Ultimately, you will need to have enough time in your life and space in your home to care for a child or young person. As a carer you will need sensitivity and flexibility, as well as an ability to empathise with children who may be troubled or display difficult behaviour.

We recognise fostering as a career choice and want our carers to have the skills and expertise to confidently provide a nurturing, secure home environment. We provide an extensive training programme as well as Personal Development Plans to identify ongoing training needs. Fostering can be challenging, and training provides the opportunity to network with others, share experiences and gain support.

We don’t expect any of our foster carers to walk alone and offer the following wrap-around support:

• Supervising Social Workers
• Out of Hours Service (24/7)
• Fostering Support Team to work with children in our care
• Brighton and Hove Foster Care Association (BHFCA)
• Buddy Scheme
• Support Groups
• Social Activities and Events

We are always developing new ways to support our foster carers; their wellbeing is as important to us as the wellbeing of the children they care for. Sessions are themed around wellbeing activities and practical experiences.

Payments and rewards

You will receive an excellent weekly payment for each child in your care. The payment scheme is competitive with local independent fostering agencies and other local authorities, recognizing the complex task of fostering. The total weekly payment comprises an allowance and a fee. The allowance is designed to cover costs such as food, clothes and toiletries and varies by fostering type, age of the young person, and years of fostering.

• Fee payments

Fees are paid on top of the allowance to recognise time, skills and experience. For new foster carers, total weekly figures may range from £335 per week for a child under 4 to £421 per week for a young person aged 12–18. For parent and baby placements, total weekly payments may include additional enhancements.

As a foster carer you are also entitled to a range of benefits and discounts.