Community Resource Worker – Private Fostering (Bradford)

Position: Community Resource Worker (Private Fostering)
Partner Agency: Supportive Bridge Staffing Agency
Client: Bradford Children and Families Trust
Salary: National Living Wage + Excellent local benefits package
Hours: Permanent, 37 hours per week (Must be flexible to work evenings, weekends, and bank holidays as required)
Location: Sir Henry Mitchell House, Bradford (Vibrant, diverse, and well-connected)
Closing Date: Sunday 9th August 2026 (Aligning with service recruitment windows)

Introduction

At Supportive Bridge Staffing Agency, we excel at matching dedicated social care professionals with roles where their skills and compassion can shine. We are proud to partner with the Bradford Children and Families Trust to recruit a passionate Community Resource Worker specializing in Private Fostering.

Bradford is a city characterized by its incredible cultural diversity and vibrant sense of community. The Trust is fully committed to restorative, relational practices that nurture trust and put children first. If you are an advocate for children’s safety, a supportive partner to families, and an organized professional ready to shape key statutory services, this is the perfect career step for you.

About the Role

In this vital role, you will work hand-in-hand with Area Social Workers to provide a timely, supportive, and safety-focused response to children, young people, and their private foster carers.

As a key practitioner, you will manage a dedicated caseload, ensuring that private fostering arrangements are safe, stable, and compliant with statutory timescales. Your relational approach will be crucial in helping families navigate complex circumstances, keeping children safe and thriving within their communities.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead Practitioner for Private Fostering: Act as the lead professional for an allocated caseload of private foster carers, co-working cases alongside the child’s Social Worker.
Assessments & Statutory Visits: Undertake Private Fostering Regulation 4 and 7 visits, complete comprehensive Private Fostering Assessments, and facilitate annual reviews within statutory timescales.
Direct Relational Work: Engage effectively with children, young people, and their families, ensuring their voices are actively involved in assessments, support plans, and interventions.
Crisis & Support Management: Support families in potentially stressful environments, including working with children on Child in Need (CiN) or Child Protection Plans.
Multi-Agency & Training: Build strong partnerships with external agencies and design/deliver training to raise awareness of private fostering across Bradford.
Practical & Financial Advice: Provide guidance to service users and carers regarding financial issues, debt management, and welfare benefits under Directorate direction.
Accurate Record Keeping: Maintain meticulous case files and write high-quality reports for case conferences, reviews, and audits using designated electronic systems.

What You Will Need to Succeed

We are looking for a highly organized, resilient professional who can balance regulatory compliance with warm, relational support.

Qualifications: NVQ Level 2/3 in Health & Social Care, Caring for Children & Young People, or an equivalent qualification (such as a relevant degree, DipSW, RGN, Teaching, or Youth & Community work) with work-based assessed competencies in working with children and families.
Professional Development: Clear evidence of ongoing training and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) since achieving your Level 2.
Knowledge: Sound understanding of statutory legislation and standards related directly to private fostering.
Skills: Excellent spoken and written communication skills with the ability to handle confidential information, negotiate in tense situations, and translate complex frameworks into clear advice.
Requirements:
- A full driving license and a car available for home visits.
- Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and bank holidays as dictated by service needs.
- Professional fluency in English (meeting lower/advanced threshold criteria).
- An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

What’s in it for You?

By joining the Bradford Children and Families Trust through our agency, you will receive a competitive employment package designed to champion your work-life balance and career progression:

Generous Annual Leave: 31 days of annual leave, rising to 34 days with service (plus bank holidays).
Financial Peace of Mind: National Living Wage and access to the excellent Local Government Pension Scheme.
Work-Life Balance: Supportive carer policies, family-friendly initiatives, and enhanced parental leave.
Health & Wellbeing Support: Access to Occupational Health services, confidential counseling, and active staff support networks.
Career Growth: Robust pathways for professional training and structured career development.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding Bradford Children and Families Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All preferred candidates will undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (including the Children’s barred list) and will be required to disclose relevant criminal history prior to interview.