New to Foster 4 Leeds: can you help a young person reconnect with their home and community as a Reconnections Foster Carer? Find out more: Reconnections Foster Carer | Foster 4 Leeds 

THE ROLE:

This role will see you provide specialised care for a child, likely 11+, with complex emotional, behavioural, or developmental needs who has been living in residential care. 

With the right care, your home will become a temporary home for a child, allowing them to move back into a long-term family setting, either with another foster carer or a member of the child’s birth family/extended network – allowing them to be brought closer to their home, community and cultural identity in a safe and supported way.

There are full and part time roles available.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS:

To be eligible for this role, you must:

• Have significant formal childcare experience (e.g. 3 years’ fostering experience or employment in children’s residential provision, education settings, family support work, social worker, police, youth services/ justice, third sector provision and health)
• Not have any other employment
• Be 21 years old or over
• Have a spare bedroom for the young person
• Be resilient, patient, and have the ability to build connections with young people who may have exceptional needs and experienced trauma
• Be experienced in a trauma-informed approach to working with young people
• Be comfortable working closely as a team with the young person and wraparound support services. These will include therapeutic services, education provision, Youth Justice services and any other service working with the child
• Be able to provide support care plans to the young person
• Be able to provide aftercare to support the young person once they've left your care
• Appreciate the impact of separation and loss of family networks for young people look after
• Demonstrate an understanding of the care system experience and the ability to support young people through a trauma-focused approach
• Enable and support young people to progress and adapt to living within a family setting

SUPPORT AND TRAINING:

Reconnections Foster Carers will receive a fee of up to £67,000 per annum for full time carers (£10,000 subject to tax), consisting of fees up to £1,300 per week.

Alongside this, support includes:

• Specialist training will be provided to help you gain knowledge and skills to work with and support young people through their recovery from trauma.
• Opportunities to shadow professionals in residential children's homes to better understand the models of work will be provided
• A bespoke support package for each young person and carer (including 24/7 support where needed)
• Individual and joint counselling for you and the young person
• Regular support from Specialist Supervising Social Workers and dedicated outreach workers
• Group and Peer support for Reconnections foster carers.
• Respite provision where needed, as agreed as part of the young person's plan

For more information or to apply, please visit our specific fostering website at: https://foster4.leeds.gov.uk/reconnections-foster-carer or give us a call on 0113 378 3538.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.  

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s barred list will be carried out on preferred candidates. 

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