The role

8 Local Authorities have secured over £2.3million in Department for Education (DfE) funding to transform fostering recruitment and retention across Cheshire and Merseyside. We hope that the funding will assist us to recruit and retain more foster carers and improve placement sufficiency across the region. Warrington will be leading on the project and working with seven other local authorities – Liverpool, Wirral, Knowsley, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton, and St Helens to deliver the programme over two years.

Over £1million of the funding will go towards delivering a new, larger and improved Foster4 Recruitment Hub, which will launch in April 2024. The improved hub will help all councils in the consortium to deliver a more joined up approach to foster care recruitment and provide an offer that is attractive and supportive to prospective carers.

The remaining £1million funding will go towards the Mockingbird programme – which supports looked after children and their foster carers.

In this new and exciting role you would be leading and supporting a team of 'Foster4' Fostering Support workers, who will be promoting fostering and facilitating the recruitment of foster carers through a range of events and initiatives, at venues across the Foster4 patch.

The team would be responsible for handling enquiries from prospective foster carers providing a welcoming, warm and professional response, providing advice and information about the various aspects of fostering for each individual Local Authority. 

In the role we would expect you to build and maintain positive relationships with prospective and current foster carers and the respective fostering teams, as well as providing a safe, calm and well-ordered environment for all staff. 

Working alongside the Programme Manager, and Marketing / Recruitment Manager we would expect you to be involved in new developments which may improve the efficiency of the team.

If you are an experienced social work practitioner or manager and have a passion for fostering we would very much welcome an application.

For an informal discussion please contact: Sharon Cooper (Assistant Director) - sharon.cooper@warrington.gov.uk

Closing date: 12th January 2024

Interview Date: Week commencing 22nd January 2024

DBS clearance is required.

The ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

If you are a permanent WBC employee you will need to apply for this fixed term position as an internal secondment opportunity and will need to discuss this with your current line manager prior to applying.

Warrington Borough Council is a Disability Confident employer