Job Title: Fostering Support Worker
Location: Essex, South East
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: Full Time - 37.5 Hours per week
Salary: up to £26,000 per annum plus £3,000 car allowance
About National Fostering Group
We have been rated as a Great Place to Work 2025! 83% of employees say it is a great place to work, compared to 54% of employees at a typical UK based company. Please read more about why our employees love working here: https://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk/certified-company/1574411
With over 20 years experience, National Fostering Group is the largest independent childrens fostering group in the UK with a community of over 2,500 foster carers.
As a Group, we work with Local Authorities to provide the highest quality of care for children and young people. All of our fostering agencies are officially recognised by Ofsted, Welsh and Scottish regulators as either ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’.
We also offer a 4 day working week – this means 80% of the hours for 100% pay! This will be given following a successful 6 month probationary period and is a performance based benefit.
About the Role
Our office base is Essex, South East and we would require you to attend the office for meetings and workshops and you will also travel and be out in the community.
We are seeking a motivated, enthusiastic, conscientious and creative Support Worker to work closely with our team of Supervising Social Workers and Foster Carers to deliver the best outcomes for children and young people in foster care.
Your role will include undertaking specific tasks in relation to supporting foster carers in their care of children, direct work with children and young people, organising events for foster carers and children on a regular basis, and a range of other tasks.
Who we are looking for
A key part of your role will be responding flexibly and quickly to support foster carers with the challenges of care experienced children and young people. We want someone who places a focus on the positive outcomes of our children and takes responsibility for helping improve the lives of our young people. You will also support children and young people participating in Duke of Edinburgh.
You will be able to work closely and cooperatively with colleagues, have good communication skills, a professional approach to working with children, young people and foster carers, openness to extending your knowledge and skills – and a genuine desire to fulfil the responsibilities of the support worker role.
You will also need to be IT literate, have a full driving licence and your own transport.
Due to the wide geographical spread of our agency, this role is best suited to candidates who are comfortable with driving long distances. The role requires flexibility, as there may be occasions when you are needed to work outside normal working hours to meet the needs of children and carers.
Applicants should be confident using computer systems such as Microsoft Word, Outlook, and other basic software for tasks like sending emails, maintaining records, and writing newsletters.
But what else is in it for you?
Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:
* Up to 39 days annual leave each year (25 base entitlement + 1 One moment in time + 8 bank holidays + ability to buy up to 5 extra days)
* Life Assurance
* Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions
* "Your Wellbeing Matters" – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks
* And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:
* A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits
* 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad
* Cycle to Work Schemes
* Electric Car Purchase Scheme
* Critical illness cover
And that’s not all, we place the outcomes of the children and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all employees to share this commitment and undertake appropriate checks.
We are an Equal Opportunities Employer.
J-18808-Ljbffr