Fostering Manager

The Fostering Manager’s main role within the Agency will be:
• To ensure overall responsibility for the day-to-day running of the agency and ensuring excellent and professional practice
• To register with Ofsted to become Registered Manager within six months.

Essential requirements

• Able to satisfy Ofsted as a Registered Manager (Fostering Services Regulations 2011)
• Recognised and accredited social work qualification
• leadership skills and experience including recruitment, supervision, monitoring and disciplinary action
• At least 2 year experience relevant to fostering within the last 5 years and at least 1 years’ experience supervising and managing professional staff.
• Proven knowledge of Ofsted, National Minimum Standards for Fostering services 2011 and Fostering Services Regulations 2011
• Excellent communication and administrative skills
• Ability to run the day-to-day practice and business aspects of the fostering agency
• Strong leadership skills to implement the vision and strategy of the agency
• Have or be in the process NVQ Level 5 in Leadership and Management or equivalent qualification
• Undertake other identified tasks, as required by the Registered Individual of the fostering service
• Take part in further training as identified

Competencies

• Ability to work as part of a team as well as using own initiative with consistent self-motivation
• A high level of applied literacy and numeracy
• An ability to maintain judgement when working under pressure
• Proven ability to plan and prioritise workloads
• Ability to communicate clearly and appropriately at all levels
• Ability to provide reports on a monthly / yearly basis
• Ability to liaise and negotiate on a business level
• The ability to analyse and manage data

Job Description and Responsibilities

• Overseeing Initial Home Visits to potential foster carers
• Allocating Form F Assessment and monitoring progress and timescales
• Responsibility for foster carers and staff training and development programme
• Ensure foster carers and staff members have copies of policies and procedures relevant to fostering service and monitoring of the implementation of these policies
• Regular liaison with the Panel Chair and Registered Individual to plan and take action regarding practice issues
• Ensure records of staff, foster carers and children/young people are kept up-to-date
• Ensuring that the agency policies are effective and up to date


Placements

• Ensure that each foster care placement is supervised, as per the NMS, FSR and agency policies
• Ensure that standards are maintained within recording and reporting of Supervising Social Workers and any gaps in practice are swiftly dealt with
• Providing sound advice and supervision to Supervising Social Workers
• Liaising with foster carers as and when relevant and in a professional manner

Policies and Procedure

• Ensure adherence to all policies and procedures relevant to the fostering service, staff and premises
• Alongside the Registered Individual, review and where appropriate revise the Statement of Purpose, Children’s Guide and other policies/procedures as required

Conduct of Fostering Services

• To work in line with the Ofsted requirements of your registration as a Registered Manager
• Ensure that the welfare of children placed or to be placed with foster carers is always safeguarded and promoted
• Implement Safeguarding Children Policy, as required and be responsible for ensuring accurate records on allegations/investigations are kept and reported to Ofsted, as appropriate
• Ensure that monitoring mechanisms are in place to measure compliance with Policies and Procedures
• Act on complaints, as specified within the Complaints Procedures
• Ensure that high standards of care are provided and that care is compliant with the National Minimum Standards and Fostering Regulations
• Co-ordinate and be part of, training, advice, information and support to foster carers, including support outside of office hours
• Maintain a system for improving the quality of foster care provided by the fostering service
• Carry on the fostering service in such manner as is likely to ensure that it will be financially viable for the purpose of achieving the aims and objectives set out in its Statement of Purpose
• Ensure that any reports required by Ofsted or other organisations are completed to timescales
• Ensure records are maintained appropriately within the database system
• Ensure that the practice of the agency/ service is continually monitored and ensure compliance with the service’s policies, to identify any concerns about specific incidents and to identify patterns and trends
• Ensure that immediate action is taken to address any issues raised by monitoring of the agency actions

Staff

• Ensure regular supervision of Social Workers and Support Workers, who are employed by the fostering service. Written records to be completed and actions plans followed up
• Ensure all staffs have a formal Review within six-months of employment and that appraisals are undertaken annually.
• Operate within disciplinary procedures

Premises

• Ensure the premises are suitable for the purpose of achieving aims and objectives of the fostering service
• Ensure security arrangements are adhered to and records are securely stored
• Any records stored away from the premises are kept in conditions of appropriate security
• Ensure that the agency practice is in line with Data protection legislation