Become a foster carer

To be considered for the role of a Stepping Stones foster carer, you need to:

• Be over 21 years old
• Have a spare bedroom
• Be available for the young person on a full-time basis
• Have significant personal or professional experience of managing young people with complex needs, and who may have experienced significant trauma

 An example of professional experience could include:

• Residential care worker
• Police officer
• Teacher
• Mental health/health practitioners
• Ex-social worker
• Inclusion mentor
• Working with children with learning disabilities
• Foster carers with relevant experience

Ideally, the child or young person will be the only child in the household. However, we'll consider foster carers with other children in their household if they're settled, secure and assessed as likely to cope with a child or young person with complex needs and potential trauma.

To be a Stepping Stones foster carer, the skills and qualities you need to possess are:

• A high level of resilience which can be supported by the offer from the Stepping Stones project (including in-house psychologist and speech and language practitioners)

• A therapeutic parenting approach

• Good communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work positively in challenging situations with all other agencies

• A good understanding of attachment and the effects trauma and neglect can have on children, and a willingness to develop these knowledge and skills

• Relevant experience of managing the complex behaviours of children

• To be flexible to meet the needs of the children and families, even when this means plans may change at short notice and there's uncertainty

• The ability to contain one’s own emotions in a positive manner

• To have the ability to work restoratively and be reflective on your own practice to aid positive development and to be able to take on board guidance and suggestions

• To be able to assess children's needs and provide clear written reports, to attend and contribute to meetings as required

• A commitment to continuous development

• The Stepping Stones foster carer will be a vital part of the foster care provision within the process, and will engage in regular meetings with members of the team/service

• The Stepping Stones foster carer will be committed to the child's individualised care plan and work positively towards the aims and goals of this

• The Stepping Stones foster carer will be committed to attending and completing mandatory training under fostering regulations, and specific and identified training to enhance therapeutic approaches specific to the child

• The Stepping Stones foster carer will demonstrate commitment to the young person for the duration of their care plan to achieve the outcome required

• The Stepping Stones foster carer will work closely with the Stepping Stones team, the supervising social worker and the young person’s social worker, and keep accurate records and maintain regular contact with the agencies involved

• The Stepping Stones foster carer will support the child to attend any therapy or identified sessions to support their needs

• The Stepping Stones foster carer will need to be able to spend some time in the specific child/young person’s residential home to get to know them and build the foundations of a relationship

• The Stepping Stones foster carer will work with the child's social worker and the Stepping Stones team to support a child who may be excluded from school and contribute to the plan of supporting the young person to access education

• For Stepping Stones foster carers presenting as a couple, both carers will commit to attending training to develop skills and knowledge, and maintain consistency