Specialist Foster Carer

 Job Title: Specialist Foster Carer
Fee: £1000 per week plus fostering child age related allowance
Contract: Sessional
Location: Herefordshire

Introduction

 Our Specialist Foster Carers make a crucial difference to local children and young people. They provide therapeutic support and intervention to children and young people who have experienced significant trauma abuse, neglect, separation and/or loss.

 If you have significant expertise of working with children and young people we’d love to hear from you.

 Curious about what it’s like to be a Specialist Foster Carer with us?

Want to know what it really feels like to support local young people? This short video from our Specialist Foster Carer Jayne gives you a glimpse into the heart of our service and shows why Specialist Fostering could be your perfect next career move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul8CjNUzSAc

 The Role

Do you have significant experience of working with children and young people with a range of needs and complexities? Do you enjoy being the one to make a difference in the life of a young person?

We are looking for Specialist Foster Carers in Herefordshire to provide stable, nurturing, and resilient homes for children and young people. In this role, you will offer hands-on support and guidance, helping those you look after tackle challenges, celebrate successes, and improve their wellbeing.

You will play a key part in creating strong, positive relationships with those you support, creating stability, emotional development, and the best possible outcomes for every child. Herefordshire is committed to improving the lives of children in care, and this is your opportunity to make a meaningful, lasting difference in our fostering community.

About You

 We are looking for Specialist Foster Carers who are:

• Able to provide care to children and young people aged between 5 and 18 years.
• Experienced in supporting children who have had a number of challenges in their lives and have experienced abuse, neglect, separation and/or rejection.
• Therapeutic in their approach to those whose experiences means they may express their traumas through behaviours that may be a challenge including self-harm and/or challenging behaviour towards themselves and/or others.
• Able to see the potential of children and young people who, once settled, show very different needs and behaviours when they are in safe caring families, to those exhibited when they are feeling unsafe or uncared for.
• Passionate about improving the lives of children and young people, ensuring their safety, wellbeing, and potential are prioritised.
• Skilled at building positive, collaborative relationships with colleagues, foster carers, families, and key stakeholders.
• Committed to promoting resilience, emotional wellbeing, and positive outcomes for children in care.
• Confident in managing complex situations and making informed, child-focused decisions.
• Enthusiastic about contributing to a supportive and professional team environment while investing in ongoing professional development.

To arrange an informal discussion, or ask any questions about the role, please contact

[email protected]

 We Offer

• Fees of £1000 per week plus an age-related allowance for the children you support.
• Free membership to Foster Talk and access to Foster Talk Members 24 hr helpline.
• Additional support from the Fostering Support Worker will be provided through increased visiting and increased supervision at two or three weekly intervals.
• Wrap around support from the Safe Connections therapeutic service.
• Specialist, focused training and support will be provided to the foster carer and there will be a range of routine and individual support as outlined above.

Why Choose Us?

Herefordshire is a beautiful, historic county on the Welsh border, one of England’s most rural and unspoilt areas, with vibrant market towns and a strong sense of community.

Our priority is clear: to keep children safe and give them the best start in life. We do this through passionate, dedicated professionals who build strong relationships with children, families, and partners to make a lasting difference.

It’s an exciting time to join us. We’re investing in our people and our relational practice approach, working alongside our improvement partner, Leeds City Council. You’ll be supported by experienced social workers and a genuine team ethos that values collaboration and care.

If you’re committed to helping children and young people thrive, come and join the journey in Herefordshire - where your work truly matters.

Herefordshire Council Plan

The Council plan sets out how we will make our contribution to achieving a better and more successful Herefordshire, please see the link below to find out more:

Herefordshire Council Plan 2024-2028

Reasonable Adjustments

Our recruitment process runs in partnership with Hoople Resourcing. If you require any reasonable adjustments or alternative methods for the online application process, please contact the resourcing team by email: [email protected].

If you’re shortlisted for interview and require any reasonable adjustments, our Children & Young People Recruitment Team will be happy to support you.

Creating an inclusive workplace

We encourage our employees to feel empowered and to use their voices to help embrace diversity, promote inclusivity and shape our organisation. We have eight employee network groups, collectives of colleagues who often share identities, life experiences or cultures and offer support and community. They also play an important role in strengthening the voices of employees at Herefordshire Council. Embedded in the Council's values is a commitment to listen to people's views and needs.

For more information on our Employee Network Groups please view our dedicated recruitment website: www.spiritofherefordshire.com.

Commitments, Covenants and Statutory Obligations

The following candidates will be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria for the post they are applying for:

• Those who indicate that they have a disability. This is part of our commitment to the “Disability Confident” scheme.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are an Armed Forces Veteran or Reservist. This is part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are a Herefordshire care leaver. This is part of our commitment to supporting young people leaving our care.

We take our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults seriously and expect all of our staff, visitors and volunteers to share in this commitment.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people and vulnerable adults. If you are offered this position, it will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced check and further pre-employment checks.

How to apply

To apply for a position, please complete the application form demonstrating your experience, skills and abilities for the role.
Be sure to include reference to the job description and person specification or role profile.  The application form is available to download under 'company profile' on the advert information.   Please email your completed application form to [email protected]

Following your application, the Fostering Recruitment Team will contact you via email to arrange the next steps. Those wanting to become Specialist Foster Carers will still need to go through the full fostering assessment, to consider suitability to foster.

 Please note: the council is currently unable to offer overseas visa sponsorship for roles in Children & Young People. Overseas prospective candidates that require sponsorship to work in the UK should not apply for these roles. We appreciate your interest in Herefordshire Council and would encourage you to consider other opportunities with us that may be open to sponsorship. A full list of current vacancies can be found here: https://spiritofherefordshire.com/children-young-people/jobs/