Support for adults with care experience
Apply to foster
Sparks Fostering welcomes applications to foster from people with care experience; we appreciate that care experience places people in unique positions of knowledge and experience which is likely to benefit children in care significantly.
To apply to foster, complete this short quiz.
Specialist support for workers with care experience
Sehar grew up in fostering homes from age 2, and she continued to receive social care support until age 25.
Sehar Hamdani is available for additional support for children in our care and staff with care experience. Sehar’s role is to make sure that the voices of children in our care and staff with care experiences are heard at senior level with Sparks Fostering. When Sehar has views to share, she will share them at fostering panels and/or senior management meetings.
You can request contact with Sehar by emailing [email protected].
Vacancies
Sparks Fostering has arrangements in place whereby foster carers and children in our care can be linked with support workers, who themselves are supported by qualified social workers. Priority for these support worker posts is given to applicants who have care experience.
Care experience can be considered to be a significant advantage for applicants of any roles within Sparks Fostering.
Applying to work with Sparks Fostering
The person specification (and application process) which is on the ‘Working with Sparks Fostering’ webpage applies to all applicants; however, Sparks Fostering provides extra support to applicants who have care experience. For example, if the CV isn’t presented well, Sparks Fostering will advise the applicant about required improvements and will allow resubmission. Likewise, if the applicant struggles in interview, Sparks Fostering may give some interview tips and (if appropriate) the interview will be rescheduled.
Expectations during employment
All support workers are expected to comply with the job description (which is outlined on the ‘Working with Sparks Fostering’ webpage). However, if staff with care experience are struggling to complete the application tasks, additional support, training and advice if available.
Career progression
Sparks Fostering supports all staff to progress through job roles if this is what they want to do. This means that all foster carers can be supported to take on support work roles (in other teams within Sparks Fostering), and that foster carers and support workers are supported to complete their social work qualifications if they want to do so. Social workers are also supported to progress to registered manager positions and unqualified staff are supported to become responsible individuals if they want to work towards those positions.
Career aspirations would be discussed during the application process and during supervisions and work reviews.
Next steps
If you are interested in becoming a foster carer, complete this short quiz
If you’re interested in working with Sparks Fostering, you can request a conversation with Sehar or with the Registered Manager by emailing [email protected], or you can apply by following the steps outlined on the Working with Sparks Fostering webpage.
