Ready for a Change? Use Your Skills to Transform a Child’s Life Specialist Therapeutic Foster Carer – Bedford and Surrounding Areas Location: Bedford and surrounding areas Salary: £62,000 per year (plus additional allowances) Employment Type: Full-time | Self-employed Is it Time to Use Your Residential Childcare Experience Differently? Every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and part of a family. Right now, young people in Bedford Borough are living in residential care and need someone who can help them take the next step into a stable home where they can heal and thrive. If you have experience as a Residential Childcare Worker or Practitioner, supporting children with emotional, behavioural, or developmental needs, you already have skills that could change a child’s future. This role is not about providing a bed. It is about offering consistency, care, and the belief that life can get better. As a Specialist Therapeutic Foster Carer, you will welcome a young person into your home and provide full-time care, supported every step of the way by a dedicated local team. Why Choose Specialist Therapeutic Fostering? This specialist route is for people who want to make a profound difference. You will work as part of a trauma-informed team, helping children transition out of residential care into a safe family environment where they can build trust, resilience, and independence. This role offers you the chance to transform a child’s life while experiencing something life-changing yourself. What You Will Receive as a Specialist Therapeutic Foster Carer £62,000 per year plus £1,000 additional allowances for holidays and birthdays Up to 28 days respite each year Specialist trauma-informed training and ongoing professional development Clinical supervision and 24/7 out-of-hours support Peer support networks, including access to the Mockingbird Constellation model Membership of The Fostering Network Be part of a local fostering team that knows and values its carers Could This Be You? We are looking for individuals or couples who: Live in Bedford or the surrounding area Can offer a dedicated bedroom for fostering a young person Have experience supporting children with emotional, behavioural, or developmental needs in a residential care setting Are resilient, nurturing, and open to learning Can provide full-time care (at least one person at home if applying as a couple) Ideally, you will have no children under 12 living at home. Exceptions may apply depending on the child’s needs. Please note – fostering requires you to register as self-employed. You will be responsible for managing your own tax affairs and maintaining the necessary records related to the role. Is it Time for a Change? This is your opportunity to use your Residential Childcare skills in a way that truly matters. You will make a difference to a child, to your community, and to yourself. Apply now to speak with our team and take the first step toward becoming a Specialist Therapeutic Foster Carer for Bedford Borough