Foster Carer - Healthcare Assistant/Support Worker

Step Forward into a Role That Changes a Child's Future. Become a Foster Carer.

Step-Forward Foster Carer - Bury

Employer: Bury Council
Location: Within 20-miles of Bury
Salary: £1,029 per week per child, plus allowances and additional benefits
Sector: Social Care | Education | Healthcare

Could Fostering be your Natural Next Step?

If you've worked as a Healthcare Assistant (HCA) or Support Worker , you already understand how important patience, compassion, and consistency are when supporting people through challenging times. The same qualities that help you provide reassurance, routine, and emotional support in your role could make a life-changing difference to a child.

Every child deserves a stable home where they know that they matter. Right now, some children and young people in and around Bury are living in residential care or away from their local community after experiencing trauma, loss, or instability. What they need now is a caring home where life feels calmer, more predictable, and full of possibility again.

This type of specialist fostering is not about perfection. It's about creating steady routines, offering reassurance, and being there for a child every day, even when things feel difficult or uncertain. If you have supported children, young people, or adults with complex or challenging behaviours, whether through your work or personal experience, you will know how powerful consistency, patience, and trust can be in helping someone feel secure and confident enough to move forward.

With the right training and support around you, you can help give a child the stability they need, help them to build stronger relationships, and ultimately, move towards a more positive future.

What the Role Involves:

This specialist fostering role requires you to welcome a child or young person into your home and support them as part of your family. This is a full-time role where you will provide day-to-day care as the child's primary carer.

* Full-time care for a child or sibling group moving from residential care
* Providing stability, routine, and reassurance within a nurturing home
* Supporting the child's emotional, behavioural, and social development
* Working closely with social workers, therapists and other professionals
* Keeping clear records and providing therapeutic, relationship-based care
* Helping children maintain family relationships through Family Time

Who Can Apply to Become a Step-Forward Foster Carer?

We welcome enquiries from individuals and/or couples who:

* Are aged 21 or over (with no upper age limit)
* Have the legal Right to Work in the United Kingdom (see definition below)
* Can provide full-time care for a child or children in their home (at least one carer must be present on a full-time basis if applying as a couple)
* Have a spare bedroom or bedrooms that can be dedicated to fostering
* Ideally have experience supporting children, young people, or adults, particularly those with complex needs or challenging behaviours

Do You Have the Right to Work in the United Kingdom?

To foster, you must be allowed to work in the United Kingdom. This includes:

* British or Irish citizens
* People settled or pre-settled under the European Union Settlement Scheme
* Those with certain visas or indefinite leave to remain
* Anyone with the right to live and work in the United Kingdom

Please Note: You will need to show original documents before you can begin your application to foster.

What you can expect as a Step-Forward Foster Carer with Bury:

* Enhanced fee of up to £53,308 per year (£1,029 per week) once a child is placed
* Weekly age-related fostering allowance for the child*
* Allowances for birthday, holiday and religious/cultural celebration*
* Adjustment fee paid for two weeks following the end of a placement
* Retainer fee for up to four weeks per year when between placements
* 50% Council Tax reduction

Additionally, you will receive access to:

* A dedicated Supervising Social Worker and 24/7 out of hours support
* Specialist therapeutic training and ongoing professional development
* Foster Carer support groups, buddy scheme, and peer network
* Membership to The Fostering Network for advice, training, and advocacy
* Discount schemes including Blue Light Card and Max Card

Could This Be You?

We are looking for individuals or couples who:

* Live within 20-miles of Bury
* Can provide at least one dedicated spare bedroom for fostering
* Have experience supporting children or adults with complex or additional needs, whether through roles such as Healthcare Assistant, Support Worker, or similar (a relevant qualification is desirable)
* Are resilient, nurturing, and committed to learning and reflecting
* Can provide full-time care (at least one person at home)
* Have a full driving licence and access to a suitable vehicle

Please note: Fostering is classed as a self-employed role. You will manage your own tax affairs and maintain the necessary records for the role.

Take the First Step

This is not just a role. It is a chance to change what a child's future can look like.

To offer stability where there has been uncertainty. To create belonging where there has been separation. And to be the consistent presence that helps a child begin to heal and grow.

If this feels like something you could do, Bury Council would love to hear from you.