Foster Care Associates (FCA)
Senior/Supervising Social Worker - Part-time - 4 Days per Week - 28 Hours
Salary: £31,314.10 pro rata (£39,142.63 per annum full-time equivalent)
Benefits: Company Car or £2,000 Car Allowance, 30 days' Annual Leave, rising to 35 days with length of service, + Bank Holidays (pro rata), Life Assurance, Company Pension, On-site Free Parking, Employee Discount Scheme & Medical Cash Plan
Location: Durham
Ofsted Rating: Outstanding - May 2025
About Us
Set up by a former foster parent and former 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 service 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.
Duties Will Include
- Support foster parents and their families to achieve outstanding outcomes for all children and young people in foster care.
- Support and monitor the continued suitability and competence of foster parents, ensuring they provide a safe, healthy, nurturing and learning environment for children/young people.
- Ensure that carers fully understand the fostering task, competencies to be achieved and the standards expected, including complaints and representation procedures as detailed in the FCA policies and procedures.
- Provide and record regular supervision to allocated foster parents in line with FCA's Operational Standards.
- Work in partnership in a team parenting approach to help identify any needs within the foster family, e.g. respite, activities, therapy, holidays, with all members of the child's network, including contributing to all relevant meetings and any other tasks defined.
- Ensure each child and foster parent is fully compliant in respect of all key documentation.
- Attend meetings and/or provide reports for Commissioning Teams to address individual packages of care.
- Promote participation of children/young people in the development of the agency and in accessing resources and opportunities in their local community.
- Participate in an 'out of hours' support service on a rota basis.
- Undertake occasional initial home visits and Form F Assessments.
You Must Have
- A Social Work qualification.
- Professional registration with Social Work England or equivalent.
- Proven ability to produce a high standard of report writing.
- A comprehensive working knowledge of relevant legislation and child safeguarding procedures.
- The willingness and ability to travel extensively (including occasional nights away).
- Confidence with transporting children and young people in sometimes stressful/difficult situations.
- Full driving licence.
Curious to find out more? Catherine Todd, our Registered Manager, would love to speak with you - call her on 07813 054 555 for an informal conversation.
If you're passionate about changing lives, we'd love to hear from you-apply now and we'll be in touch with you shortly!
No agencies please.
Foster Care Associates is an equal opportunities employer and has been awarded the disability confident employer by Jobcentre Plus.
The successful applicant will be subject to a DBS check at enhanced level if successful for the position.
