To recruit, train, assess, supervise and support Foster Carers in their role of looking after children and young people. To ensure the highest professional standards and a good overall knowledge of relevant children’s and fostering legislation, regulations and practice methods.
Key Responsibilities To provide a supportive and efficient service to children, young people, their families and fostering families ensuring that the needs of children and their parents and carers are professionally assessed.
To investigate, evaluate and analyse information on cases, demonstrating clarity of assessment, reliability of information, evidence in conclusions and realistic action plans.
To develop practice which takes a holistic view of the individual, locating them in their immediate and extended social circles and having full regard to their overall development needs.
To ensure that all casework and foster care services comply with statutory requirements, fostering regulations/Nat minimum standards and the Council’s policies and procedures.
To ensure that investigations, enquiries and assessments are completed to high professional standards within agreed timescales.
To use ICT as required to maintain adequate case recording as directed in the service procedures.
To ensure that all case management complies with statutory requirements and the Council’s policies and procedures.
To liaise with and work in partnership with other agencies and organisations, to support care plans of children in placement and the work of foster carers.
To undertake the recruitment, assessment, training and the initial and ongoing development of foster carers, enabling the service to meet the diverse needs of children in Southend Borough Council
To participate in an effective referral and allocation system, ensuring that relevant documentation is available and current for children looked after by foster carers. To ensure children are placed in conjunction with Fostering regulations, national minimum fostering standards and Southend Councils policy and procedures.
To attend panels, conferences, reviews and court as required for each case presenting the Council plans and opinions with professionalism and integrity.
To prepare and submit written reports as and when required.
To identify service enhancements and support the culture of continuous improvement.
To recommend expenditure within strict criteria and policy.
To represent the team, group or department on working parties and at other meetings as required.
To ensure the Team Manager is kept fully appraised of problems arising from workload and seek advice as and when necessary.
To provide statistics relating to own workload as and when required.
To be familiar with Equal Opportunities good practice and the Council requirements for Diversity and to implement this in all aspects of working practice and promote it in the team and workplace.