Job Description

Therapeutic Life Coach (Children's support worker)

We are a small, family-run fostering agency based in Waterlooville, Hampshire. We recruit, train, supervise and support foster families and work with the children who are placed with them to help them to recover from early childhood trauma. Our company is designed to remain small, child focused and highly supportive so that we achieve great outcomes for the children our foster carers care for. Therapeutic parenting is at the heart of all that we do here at TheraParent Fostering.

We believe in kindness and our friendly team is excellent at establishing positive and supportive relationships. We are developing a fantastic team of foster parents who work closely with our staff, and we have close and trusting relationships with the children and young people in our care. We invite any individuals interested in this role to read our Ofsted Inspection report.

We (Katie, Mark and Mike) opened TheraParent Fostering in January 2023 therefore our company is still in its infancy, however as we grow, we are beginning to expand our infrastructure to ensure we maintain our high levels of support. We therefore are now looking to recruit a full time Therapeutic Life Coach (children's support worker) to join our team! This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about working with children and young people to support them to overcome adversities.

This role is an office-based role, located in our office in Waterlooville, with the requirement to drive to and from our fostering households which are mainly located across the South Coast (Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth, Isle of Wight for example).

This is a permanent position.

The start date for this position is: As soon as possible.

The position is for 37.5 hours per week however some flexibility is required by the successful candidate. The office is open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday however this role will involve some evening and weekend work as discussed more further on.

We are looking for someone who is positive, friendly, adaptable, confident and proactive. The successful candidate will be someone who is able to problem solve and able to take their own initiative. We are looking for someone who is confident in both verbal and written communication. We are looking to find someone who can work effectively as part of a supportive team, to provide high levels of empathetic support to foster parents and children. As a small team we all like to "roll our sleeves up" to support in all aspects of the company to ensure its success. We are looking for someone who is happy to embrace this way of working, showing durability and flexibility where needed. It is important that the successful candidate is also able to be playful and to have fun with both our families and our children.

As a Therapeutic Life Coach you have the responsibility to:

Ensure Safeguarding children is paramount in all you do.

Plan and organise activity-based, outcome-focused playful sessions with a caseload of children ranging from 0-18 years of age on a regular basis (each child must have a session at least once per month). Many of these sessions will take place after school therefore working hours are likely to run into the early evening.

Commit to getting to know our children and young people well so that we are best able to respond to their needs.

Be enthusiastic and creative when organising and planning activities which meet the needs of the individual child/young person.

Be willing to try new things including engaging in active sports, creative activities, music-based activities, to name a few.

Be energetic but responsible.

Build supportive relationships with children which are based on trust.

Embrace an ethos of PACE parenting (playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy) when working with children and young people.

Engage in all training provided by the agency (full training is provided).

Support foster parents in the day-to-day care of children and young people as required. This may include transporting children to school or other events, providing day care or supporting during professional meetings.

Ensure accurate and timely recordings of their work via our secure online recording platform.

Liaise with foster parents, Social Workers and other professionals as and when required in order to ensure cohesive working which supports the best outcomes for our children and young people.

Work in partnership with the Therapeutic Lead for the agency to ensure your work is therapeutically guided and supports each child/young person individually with their recovery from childhood trauma.

Support in planning, organising and attending TheraParent Fostering family events (such as family picnics, laser tag, bowling etc). These are often held during Weekends and School Holidays.

Support the Supervising Social Workers in any way deemed appropriate by the Registered Manager.

Complete administrative tasks and requirements of the agency as requested by the Registered Manager.

Attend professional meetings and advocate on behalf of the children and young people you are working with.

Work alongside the team to support children and young people to complete AQA Unit Award Scheme units to promote their ongoing achievement.

Be able to notice and recognise the strengths, achievements and all things good about our children and young people, working with them to improve their sense of self-esteem.

Be able to work with children and young people to explore issues which may be difficult or sensitive. To work sensitively with children and young people to be able to express their views, thoughts and feelings.

Support foster parents in tackling presenting issues, such as supporting children with anger management techniques, budgeting skills, independent living skills, using public transport, cooking, washing etc.

Produce factual reports identifying areas of progress and areas of development, as required by the agency.

Organise and deliver training to foster parents or children, as required by the agency.

Support the team in organising and delivering support groups for foster parents.

Maintain confidentiality in line with the agency's GDPR policy.

Any other duties deemed appropriate by the Registered Manager.

Job Specification

We are looking for applications specifically from individuals who:

Have experience working with children/young people.

Have some understanding/experience of Fostering.

Are energetic, warm, passionate, fun and friendly.

Hold a Full UK Driving License and have their own vehicle for daily use.

Are happy to travel as part of their daily role.

Are happy to work flexibly to meet the needs of the agency.

Have excellent skills in both written and verbal communication.

Are IT literate and have a good understanding of how to use basic systems such as MS Word, Office, Outlook, MS Teams.

Have at least a Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care (preferred).

By joining our team, you will enjoy a small, supportive social work team with a high level of experience in fostering. You will enjoy being part of a team who are committed to supporting children and young people to thrive, going above and beyond to achieve great outcomes. You will enjoy access to therapeutic training, guidance and support. You will also enjoy a friendly, understanding and welcoming team.

All appointments will be subject to strict Safer Recruitment checks including employment references and an enhanced DBS check.

If you would like any further information about this role, please contact Katie Gibson-Cook on katie@theraparent.co.uk

We look forward to hearing from you!

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 26,000.00-28,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Casual dress Company pension
Schedule:

Flexitime Monday to Friday Weekend availability
Application question(s):

How many years experience do you have in working with children and young people? Do you own your own car and if so, are you happy with daily travel as part of your role? Do you have any experience of fostering or working with children and young people who have experienced childhood trauma?
Work Location: In person