Job title:  Fostering Review Officer - Integrated Safeguarding Unit 1 post

Salary: PO4 £44,711 – £47,754

Hours: 37 (full time)

Contract: Permanent

Location: Leeds (various office bases)

As a Fostering Review Officer, you will be undertaking reviews of foster carers you will have a key role in evaluating a foster carers practice and ensuring the quality of foster placements is continuously improving. Foster carer reviews are a statutory requirement and governed by a range of regulations. The role of the Fostering Reviewing Officer (FRO) is to undertake such reviews, to help determine whether a foster carer remains suitable to care for looked after children, and if their terms of approval are still appropriate. 

The role requires an in-depth knowledge of the fostering task, of the fostering regulations, and strong commitment to all aspects of the quality assurance and service improvement.

The post holder will be one of a team of four full time Fostering Reviewing Officers, based in the Integrated Safeguarding Unit (ISU). Fostering Review Officers undertake independent reviewing of all Leeds foster placements, including carers of children with disabilities having Short Breaks and long-term kinship carers.

As a Fostering Review Officer for Leeds, you’ll thrive on working in a leading and inspiring team and driving restorative practice. You will be passionate about working in a service to create a Child Friendly Leeds and be aligned with the Best City Ambition. In this role you will model skills in relationship building, developing positive working partnerships and demonstrate your social work values throughout your work. You will look to ensuring best practice and being innovative in your approach.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As a Fostering Review Officer, you will:

• Ensure that the Council’s foster carers provide quality care to Children Looked After, to a standard that meets department’s legal and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure that key stakeholders (children & young people, carers, social workers, Independent Reviewing Officers etc.) are consulted in undertaking reviews of foster carers.
• Review all foster carers in line with the practice and principles contained within departmental procedures, policies, national guidance, standards and legislation.
• Produce high quality review reports within agreed timescales, to inform decision making at Fostering Panel.
• Contribute to the quality assurance and performance management frameworks as required.
• Contribute to the recording of quality assurance and performance information compiled from foster carer reviews.
• Undertake, and be involved in delivery of training, to enable the service to develop and improve in line with changing government policy, legislation and research.
• Comply with the requirements of all Leeds City Council and Departmental policies, procedures and staff instructions, including responsibilities under the Health and Safety Policy and Procedures.
• Actively promote and support Leeds City Council's and Departmental Policies on Equal Opportunities and to work in an anti-racist and anti-oppressive manner.

Children’s Social Work in Leeds is underpinned by a culture of restorative practice and working with our children and families.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Louise Tatchell Team Manager. Call 07891274263 Email:  Louise.Tatchell@leeds.gov.uk

The closing date for application is Friday 28^th February 2025.

The interview date is 14^th March 2025 the candidates to be interviewed will be informed by the end of day via email on 10^th March please therefore hold the full day in your diary.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s barred list will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds and the communities we serve. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six month probationary period.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, candidates must consider their own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the 'standard' salary rate of at least £38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. For more information visit Skilled Worker visa on the government website. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Essential requirements candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

Essential requirements

Skills

• Ability to form good relationships with foster carers, children of all ages, supervising social workers, family members and other professionals including from external agencies, based on “High Challenge/ High Support”.

• Ability   to work constructively with colleagues and managers, offering critical analysis, a child-focussed perspective and appropriate challenge

• Ability to gather, record and share information effectively, in line with Data Protection Regulations.

• Good administrative and self-organisation skills, including diary management, keeping to timescales, and report writing.

• Analyse complex situations and make considered decisions, based on children’s best interests.
• Analyse and understand statistical information
• Chair multi-disciplinary meetings

• Contribute to the overall development of services for Children Looked After.

• Understanding of safeguarding issues for children and young people who are looked after.

• Competent in the use of information technology, including interrogation of case recording systems, using Outlook, Word etc.

• Ability to provide scrutiny and analysis of performance of the fostering service, with a view to identifying areas of practice improvement.   

• Ability to work flexibly, travel occasional long distances, and be able to work outside normal office hours if required.
• Creativity in supporting and developing the participation of children and young people in the foster care reviews including foster carers’ own children
• Commitment to own professional development 

Knowledge

• Appropriate professional qualification (Dip SW, Degree, CQSW or equivalent). The post holder must be registered as a social worker (Social Work England) and maintain yearly registration.

• A competent understanding of the legal framework relating to Children who are Looked After and Care leavers, including knowledge of statutory guidance in relation to fostering, National Minimum Standards, Fostering and Adoption, Fostering Regulations 2011, Care Planning and Review Regs 2010

• Knowledge of best practice in working with foster carers to safeguard and promote children’s welfare

• Knowledge of relevant research, Case Law, and findings from e.g. Child Safeguarding Practice Review (CSPR) that are relevant to fostering.

• Understanding of local government issues and the social, political and legal context in which it operates

• Understanding of the roles and responsibilities of partner agencies and working together to safeguard children 2023 statutory guidance.

Experience

• Chairing meetings
• Involving children in reviewing and decision –making
• Fostering social work practice
• Considerable experience as a practitioner in all aspects of child protection work

Behavioural and other job-related characteristics

• Committed to relationship – based, restorative social work practice
• Ability to demonstrate the Councils Values in your practice.
• Ability to understand and observe the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy.
• To carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under the Council’s Health & Safety Policies and Code of Conduct
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills and continuous professional development
• Must be able to meet the physical and travel/mobility requirements of the post (with or without reasonable adjustments).

Desirable requirements candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.

Desirable requirements

Skills

• Developing interagency and multi-disciplinary problem-solving approaches to issues.
• Possession of a full current driving licence

Knowledge

• A management qualification
• Knowledge of the impact of inequalities on disadvantaged groups

Experience

• Of management or supervision of staff.
• Experience of developing new approaches to work related issues.