Specialist Foster Carers

 

Stockport Council’s fostering service is recruiting for specialist carers who live within travelling distance of Stockport.

 

Working with our local children in Stockport, our specialist foster carers offer supportive placements to children and young people who display challenging and complex behaviours and would otherwise be placed in a residential setting.

 

The type of children and young people are typically teenagers but there is no lower age limit. Not all children and young people need to be placed in solo placements; some children can be placed alongside other children including birth children which enables positive role modelling and positive peer relationships. All children and young people are carefully matched to the foster placement identified.

 

Specialist foster carers can have other caring commitments or children of their own at home. If you have children of your own we recommend they must be aged at least 5 years old. 

 

Our specialist foster carers enjoy the company of children and young people, have a sense of humour and the ability to see the positives wherever possible.  They have a good understanding of the experiences the children and young people who require specialist foster placements have experienced, and the reasons why children and young people are not able to remain living with their birth families.

 

Due to the complex needs of the children and young people at least one of the Specialist Foster Carers (if a couple) will be required to be available on a full time basis. It is desirable for you to live in the Stockport area, however this is not essential as long as you live close enough to Stockport to enable you to transport the child or young person to and from school and contact and for you to attend trainings and meetings in Stockport.

 

Our specialist foster carers need to demonstrate a level of commitment and are flexible and committed to training and development, being available for regular supervision sessions and attending regular group supervisions in Stockport.

 

To deliver this specialist care, we recognise that some carers may only want to commit to the task of fostering for a couple of years. However, it is essential that carers commit to the child and young person in their care for the duration of the placement.

 

Specialist carers receive a professional tax free salary of between £32,000 - £35,000 per annum plus generous allowances and four weeks per year annual leave.

 

No need to send a CV as we will discuss this career opportunity with you during an informal discussion with our qualified social workers.