About Fostering

Compass places children from a range of backgrounds and ethnic origins who are likely to have experienced some or even all of the following:

• Separated/distanced from parents and siblings
• History of disrupted placements and rejections in and out of care
• Physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect
• Behavioural and social skills problems [including offending]
• Special Educational Needs
• Excluded from school

As a result these children are likely to have severe problems of attachment and low self-esteem, requiring a great deal of patience and determination on the part of our carers.

Being a Compass Foster Carer

Compass believes in a team approach to fostering provided by people who are professional, caring, committed and who have strong supports enabling them to succeed. Foster carers will be fully involved in placement planning. Foster carers will be responsible for dealing with all matters assocaitated with good parenting.

This includes:
providing a safe and caring environment
support and encouragement of education, school transportation, school contact/liaison, educational difficulties
encouraging and promoting a healthy lifestyle including leisure activities
preparing for independence

Compass will enable foster carers to feel part of an expanding organisation providing quality services.

Foster carers will have opportunities to take on other fostering tasks within Compass as part of their career development.

Compass Foster Carers will have the following skills and attributes:

• Ability to work in a team, sharing responsibility and undertaking an agreed range of tasks.
• Ability to work effectively with other agencies and professionals.
• Willingness to work with children and young people whose behaviour can be extremely difficult, including those who have been physically, sexually and emotionally abused or neglected.
• Acceptance that some children may have experienced many placements, some of which will have broken down.
• ‘Stickability’ and commitment when placements are going through difficulties.
• Availability of at least one adult based at home as a self-employed foster carer (this full-time commitment can be shared by partners).
• Willingness to complete a Personal Development Plan with their Supervising Social Worker and an agreement to continuing and refresher training as a basis for career development within Compass.
• Adherence to the Compass Placement Principles as a basis for professional practice.