Fostering Outreach Worker

Job Title: Fostering Outreach Worker
Starting Salary: £33,366 progressing to £36,124 per annum (pro rata for part time) – pay award pending
Hours: 37.0
Location: Countywide

This is a hybrid role – The postholder will work across Hertfordshire.

Working from the office will be required on an ad hoc basis

Contract Type: Permanent
Directorate: Childrens Services

About the team

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic practitioner to take on the role as a Fostering outreach worker.

The Fostering Service has a pool of outreach workers and the advertised Outreach worker roles, will have a specific responsibility for providing support to fostering families within a new Fostering initiative, called NEST fostering.

The NEST fostering scheme is due to launch in 2024 with the purpose of creating a hub of foster carers who will be closely supported to offer safe and nurturing fostering homes to children, as an alternative to residential care.

The foster carers and children will be closely supported by 1 Fostering senior practitioner, 1 Therapeutic parenting practitioner and 2 dedicated Fostering outreach workers.

As well as supporting the NEST fostering families, the outreach workers will be part of a larger Fostering outreach service that will be provide emergency outreach support to Fostering families across all Fostering teams when required. The outreach workers will be offering support out of hours, including weekend support on a rota basis.

About the role

This is a permanent post within HCC Children’s Services and for the first three years the post will work in the way described in this advert. Following this three year period, it is possible that the post holder may be moved to a slightly different but similar role or team within Children’s Services.

The postholder undertake direct work with foster carers and children placed with them, using a range of therapeutic parenting interventions, organised through the ARC framework in collaboration with senior colleagues.

They will contribute to assessments and care planning for children who have experienced significant developmental trauma.

They will also maintain records and provide information manually and electronically including LCS.

The postholder will be proactive in keeping own professional knowledge and skills up to date through supervision, training and other development opportunities.

About you

Essential:

• Driving licence and access to vehicle
• You should hold relevant childcare qualifications and / or experience working with children and families.
• An understanding of child protection policies and procedures as well as child development will be desirable. You will understand and support the purpose of Fostering and be willing and able to respond appropriately to challenging situations.
• You will have excellent communication and listening skills being empathetic and insightful to the needs of traumatised children and adolescents. You will be calm, resilient, nurturing and emotionally aware with a passion for helping children affected by abuse and neglect to meet their potential through therapeutic care. You will be willing to learn and develop your skills and practice through training and additional study.
• You will be able to function effectively in stressful situations and able to communicate with children, colleagues and professionals. Whilst being flexible and creative in achieving the responsibilities of this post you will deliver to high standards.
• You will understand and demonstrate the need for confidentiality and data protection

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is within the Health and Social Care Services, level HSC9 job profile. Please locate this via:

Job profiles - Health and social care

To hear more about this opportunity please contact Rakhee Rollinson (rakhee.rollinson@hertfordshire.gov.uk)

Interview Date: 8th August 2025

Benefits of working for us

How to apply

As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.

Additional information

Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding
This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.