Specialist Foster Carer

Employer: Salford City Council
Location: City wide
Allowance: various
Working hours: various
Contract type: various


Fostering involves caring for someone else’s child in your own home because they cannot live with their own parents or other family members. Children and young people of various ages need fostering for all kinds of reasons and for different periods of time.

The Focus Fostering Scheme is a specialist fostering service that provides long term foster placements for children aged 5 to 18 years. The children/young people who are referred to the scheme are those who require considerable levels of support due to their complex needs. The children/young people who are offered a FOCUS placement are those that require a solo placement, which means that they are the only child or young person placed with the foster carer/s.

FOCUS foster carers can have other caring commitments or children of their own at home. However if they have children of their own they must be at least 16 years old at the time that looked after child is placed in their care.

Fostering is a highly demanding but extremely rewarding task. The fostering service in Salford would welcome applications from people who are caring, patient and resilient, who enjoy the company of children and young people, who have the capacity to focus upon strengths and positives wherever possible and who have an understanding of the reasons why children and young people are not able to live with their birth families. The skills you may have gained in parenting your own children is also something you could bring to a fostering role, and whilst it is not a requirement, some paid or voluntary work with children or vulnerable adults may be advantageous. A sense of humour is also important! We also ask that you are over the age of 21 and have a spare room in your home.

Salford City Council is proud to be a leader in diversity and we would welcome applications from people from all different ages and backgrounds. What is important is you as an individual and the personal qualities that you possess. We would also like to hear from people who are already experienced foster carers who would welcome the opportunity to be part of a specialist scheme.

FOCUS carers receive comprehensive training and preparation for the role, 24/7 support from a team of professionals, fortnightly meetings with a fostering social worker and opportunities to regularly meet with other FOCUS foster carers to share experiences and offer support. You will have access to specialist services and have the opportunity to attend Foster Carer Forums and receive regular newsletters and updates.

You will also receive competitive payments and allowances plus other benefits.

Allowances in the range of £28,485 and £31,298 per year*
*depending on age of child, paid as a weekly allowance whilst child in placement

Expression of interest for this role can be made via an enquiry form on www.salford.gov.uk/fostering  or by calling 0161 799 1268.