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Could you be a self-employed ISS (Intensive Support Service) foster carer and provide the best possible care to a child/young person within your own home? We welcome applications from Single persons and Couples.

The ISS aims to provide a family alternative to residential homes for children and young people aged between 5 and 18 years who present challenging behaviours or a risk to themselves or others. The child/young person may have experienced multiple moves within the care system including residential care and foster care. Their behaviour is likely to be difficult and demanding at times. The child/young person will need understanding and patience from those who work with them. They will need structure, routine, boundaries and nurture within a caring family environment. We want children/young people to have a chance to reach their full potential.

As a self-employed ISS foster carer you would provide safe, high quality foster care in accordance with the principles and standards expected throughout Scotland. Fostering is a regulated role and your partnership with Dumfries and Galloway as a fostering agency is regulated and inspected against the Health and Social Care Standards.

ISS foster carers receive a fee and are paid £568.75p per week (over 48 weeks = £27, 300 per annum) plus a weekly age-related allowance to meet the child/young person’s needs. As an ISS foster carer you would be seen by HMRC as ‘self-employed’ as such you would be required to register as ‘self-employed’ with HMRC. All self-employed people must register to pay National Insurance contributions however this is dependent on your profit. Advice is available from HMRC as well as Fostering Network.

Requirements

Essential criteria, you will have:

• direct experience of caring for children and young people in a residential care setting

• an SVQ level 3 in health and social care / HNC or equivalent or be willing to complete this

• existing experience as either a foster carer working with challenging children/young people aged between 8 and 18 years or direct work with vulnerable children/young people

• existing experience of working with adolescents and supporting them into adulthood through volunteering, work or parenting

• an understanding of vulnerable children and young people’s varying needs and how to deal with emergency situations

• the skills and ability to work as part of a professional care team within your own home

• the capacity to provide to care for a child/young person on a full time basis and provide them with their own bedroom

• have no child or young person under the age of 16 living in the household (this includes family members)

When caring for children/young people it is envisaged that an ISS foster carer will:

• be able to respond to children/young people using therapeutic parenting skills

• have an understanding of the impact of early trauma, poor attachment and history of child abuse on a child/young person’s health and well-being

• be able to provide a good standard of care to children/young people, promoting healthy emotional, physical, sexual and intellectual development

• be able to accept the individual child/young person as they are

• be able to provide care appropriate to the individual child/young person in accordance with the child’s plan

• be able to work closely with the child/young person’s family and others who are important to the child/young person

• be able to manage a child/young person’s behaviour by setting appropriate boundaries and not resort to physical chastisement or any other inappropriate punishments

• Be able to show ‘stickability’, patience and commitment to the child/young person, especially through the challenging times.

• have knowledge of child development and an ability to listen to and communicate with children/young people appropriate to their emotional age and understanding

• be able to promote a child/young person’s

• be able to care of a child/young person who may not be in full time education

Responsibilities

As an ISS foster carer we will provide you with:

• An allocated supervising social worker

• Training in a range of required and specialist courses

• At least monthly support visits

• Support to attend meetings

• Support group

• Carers newsletters

The Council shall ensure that criminal record checks are conducted in accordance with the relevant law and guidance including the Health & Social Care Standards.

Additionally, the Council will ensure that any information disclosed to them in connection with Disclosures and/ or the PVG scheme is recorded and stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation and any subordinate Regulations made under these pieces of legislation (hereinafter referred to as Data Protection Legislation).

Prospective ISS foster carers who meet the essential criteria are invited to submit an application. Please be aware that further assessment is required beyond the initial application.

If you have any questions or you would like to discuss this further contact the Fostering and Adoption Team on 01387 260 068.