Short Breaks Foster Carers

Warwickshire County Council is seeking to recruit foster carers for its short breaks scheme to provide respite provision for families with children who have disabilities.

What is short breaks?

We are seeking short break foster carers who can offer regular placements to up to 6 children a year, including school holidays. This ensures the child is cared for in a family setting and provides a consistent, lasting connection with a foster carer.

Short breaks is a salaried scheme and means that a foster carer can provide consistent connection and support to a group of families and commit to the role fully as their main form of employment. The children would be aged 6-18 and would have a range of needs. Short Breaks carers would need to provide up to 260 days of care in a year which would comprise of weekends, days in the week and during school holidays.

Who can be a short breaks carer?

Short breaks carers come from all age groups and all walks of life and it would be desirable to have previous experience of working with children with disabilities. All you need is to be able to offer a child somewhere to stay overnight. Once approved, Short Breaks carers are carefully matched up with a child who is gradually introduced to them. If this goes well, carers and family agree a regular pattern of visits, perhaps an overnight stay every two or three weeks or one weekend a month. This will happen with up to 6 children with whom the carer is matched with.

What will you receive in return?

You will:

• Have the support of a dedicated fostering social worker.
• Have the support of a team of professionals who are working with the young people in your care and who can offer you advice and support.
• Have access to a full training programme, some of which will commence during your assessment period.
• Have access to 24 hour support when the offices are closed via the foster care support line and EDT.
• Receive a weekly fee of £349.58 plus fostering allowances.

Telephone 0800 408 1556

Email: enquiries@warwickshirefostering.co.uk

Or follow the link to the enquiry form on our web page at 

https://fostering.warwickshire.gov.uk/short-breaks-fostering

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Warwickshire County Council (WCC) is committed to equality of opportunity for all employees and is keen to address areas of under representation in its workforce, this is because we really understand the importance of different voices, experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds within our workforce. Therefore, we strongly encourage applications from members of underrepresented groups. WCC has a number of staff network groups which provide peer support and safe spaces for employees who hold these and other identities. See more.