Fostering Manager – with Registered Manager responsibility to Ofsted

Are you an inspirational leader and decision maker in social work?

Are you empathetic, highly motivated and passionate about improving outcomes for children in care?

This is an exciting opportunity to join an innovative, ‘Outstanding’ children’s charity and one of the largest voluntary adoption agencies in the UK.

About us:

Adoption Matters is a registered children’s charity and one of the largest voluntary adoption agencies in the UK. We recruit, train and support individuals and families as adopters and offer them ongoing support and training for as long as they need it. We also provide support to birth families and adopted adults. We are the ONLY adoption service in the UK rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted for the last five consecutive inspections.

About the role:

To help provide local foster families with the support they deserve and need to help children thrive.

Foster Care Matters is a new organisation that’s owned and financed by Adoption Matters.

You will help build a brand-new therapeutic agency from the ground up as part of a skilled and experienced team with an outstanding Ofsted rating in Adoption.

Experienced foster parents, care experienced adults and therapists have already come together to start to develop an agency that will help foster families thrive once we have attained Ofsted registration.

Are you the right person for the role?

Excited by the prospect of building a therapeutic, trauma-informed fostering agency working as part of a wider multi-disciplinary and skilled team
Keen to continue the development of a fostering offer that is led by foster parents and care experienced adults’ views, and help secure Ofsted registration
An experienced Supervising Social Worker or Registered Manager
Recognised and accredited social work qualification suitable to becoming a Registered Manager with Social Work England registration
Relevant leadership & management qualification at Level 5 (otherwise willing to immediately pursue and gain within 1 year of appointment)
Qualified to register with SWE
At least two years’ experience relevant to fostering within the last five years
Good interpersonal skills; ability to quickly build rapport
Organised, with ability to meet deadlines, manage own workload and consistently achieve targets
Strong leadership, with the ability to inspire and motivate others
Excellent communicator; can convey complex concepts simply, can quickly build rapport
Ability to review and monitor outcomes and make sound and safe decisions in all aspect of running the agency
Maintain sound judgement when working under pressure
Experience in safeguarding in a fostering context
Experience in trauma and implications for family functioning in context of foster parenting
Had practice in methods to support family members to reflect on and improve their relationships (internal to the family and external to the family)
Well versed in associated Guidance & Regulations
Commitment to anti oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice
Values congruent with those of organisation
Ability to satisfy Ofsted as a Registered Manager (Fostering Regulations 2011)
Ability to travel (only exceptionally would we expect this to be other than own car and current licence)
An Enhanced DBS check will be required
Your main responsibilities will involve:

Work with the Chief Executive and other Senior Leaders to ensure that they receive appropriate advice and information on all relevant matters thus enabling them to fulfil their responsibilities, and to effectively monitor plans and targets.
To model the organisation’s values and play a role in raising the profile of these values and associated behaviours across the organisation. This includes a positive contribution to workplace harmony displaying cooperative team behaviour.
Recruit, select and ensure the supervision and performance review of fostering service staff is carried out in line with Foster Care Matters ethos, standards, and policies.
Manage the recruitment, assessment, training, and support of potential and approved Foster Parents in line with Foster Care Matters ethos, standards and policies.
To ensure training programmes are developed and delivered for foster parents, staff and other professionals that are in line with the ethos and theory of change of Foster Care Matters.
To ensure appropriate safeguarding arrangements are in place within the service, ensuring alignment with legislation and best practice, playing your part in managing safeguarding issues within the safeguarding procedures of Foster Care Matters.
Liaise with, and maintain positive, effective relationships with local authorities to provide effective services for children.
To participate in Foster Care Matters Panel as Panel Advisor.
To monitor targets and manage day-to-day financial planning within agreed budgets.
Ensure high levels of foster carer retention and support across the region, working closely with the foster carer representatives to devise a clear retention plan.
Ensure the delivery of regular foster carer events, support groups and training which meet the needs of foster carers.
What we offer in return:

To join the ONLY adoption agency in the UK rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted since 2008
Hybrid Working Policy with the ability to work remotely as required
Any additional time worked in excess of normal working hours to facilitate the needs of the business, may be taken flexibly as time off in lieu.
Local Government pension scheme
Generous holidays, plus a paid end-of-year shutdown period
Access to the Employee Assistance Programme, 24/7 well-being support scheme
Your development: working across departments you will be an integral part of a supportive team
Full training is provided, and the opportunity to make a difference, feel valued and achieve the job satisfaction you’ve always wanted
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Our values are honesty and fairness, inclusivity, flexibility, ethically based and celebrating difference. We believe that our organisation should reflect and represent the full richness of human diversity in terms of background, identity, ability and circumstance. As groups of people currently under- represented as Adoption Matters employees, we are particularly keen to receive your application if you are Black, Asian or minority ethnic, have a disability or have personal experience of the care system and/or adoption. We will be measuring our success in redressing this.

We are open to discussion of any adjustments or any flexible arrangements you may need to achieve your full potential at any stage of the process, and if you are successful in gaining a position with us, during employment. We promise the only thing we assess within your application is how you have demonstrated your suitability for the job, and nothing else.

What’s next? It’s easy! Follow the instructions below to apply! We can’t wait to hear from you!

How to apply

Visit https://www.adoptionmatters.org/vacancy/registered-fostering-manager/

Download the Job/Candidate Application Pack including Job Description, the Person Specification and complete the application form before returning it via email along with a copy of your CV to recruitment@adoptionmatters.org.


Early application is encouraged as we review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.

Post: FAO HR Department, Adoption Matters, 14 Liverpool Road, Chester, CH2 1AE.

Closing date: 17th July 2023 5pm

Interview dates: First Stage process interviews 24th July 2023 (Microsoft Teams), second stage process interviews 3rd August (in person).

Interview venue: Adoption Matters, Centre for Adoption Support, Unit 412b, Chadwick House, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6AE

If you require any more information on this role please contact our HR team on Tel: 01244 390 938.

Adoption Matters is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people therefore please note our recruitment procedure includes DBS checks and other relevant employment checks, including the right to work in the UK.

Please note that we only contact candidates selected for interview and we are unable to provide feedback on individual applications.