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Become a Step Forward Foster Carer – A Life-Changing Opportunity for Pastoral Officers
Foster with TACT Fostering and Bury Council
Are you a Pastoral Officer who supports students through their most vulnerable and challenging moments? You already have the emotional intelligence, safeguarding knowledge, and relationship-building skills to make a life-changing difference in a young person’s life.
We are looking for compassionate, supportive individuals like you to become Step Forward Foster Carers — providing a stable, nurturing home to a young person transitioning out of residential care. This is your opportunity to take your school-based experience and create lasting impact in a family environment.
What is Step Forward Fostering?
Step Forward Fostering is a pioneering project that supports young people who have faced trauma, instability, and loss, helping them move from residential care into a safe and loving home.
These young people don’t just need a bed — they need someone like you: a consistent adult who understands behaviour, builds trust, and supports emotional wellbeing.
As a Step Forward Foster Carer, you’ll be part of a professional support network. You’ll never be alone on this journey.
What You’ll Receive:
We understand the responsibility that comes with fostering a young person with complex needs — and we’ll support you every step of the way, both practically and emotionally.
Specialist Support:
- A dedicated Senior Practitioner offering supervision and guidance
- A Family Wellbeing Worker to support both you and the child
- A Hub Carer providing up to 28 days of planned short breaks each year
- 24/7 Out-of-Hours Support
- Access to a network of other Step Forward Carers for peer support
- Ongoing trauma-informed and neurodevelopmental training
- Access to therapeutic and psychological support
Financial Package:
We provide a generous fostering allowance so you can focus on providing a safe, stable home.
- £1,052 per week while a young person is placed with you (around £54,704 a year)
- £408 per week retainer between placements (up to £21,216 a year)
- Additional allowances for birthdays, holidays, and cultural celebrations
- Tax exemptions specifically for foster carers
Is This You?
We are looking for Pastoral Officers who are:
- Passionate about supporting young people beyond the school setting
- Experienced in managing challenging behaviour with empathy and structure
- Emotionally resilient and committed to helping others grow
- Ready to use their pastoral care skills in a family-based environment
If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you!
To Be Eligible, You’ll Need:
- Experience working with children or young people in a school or pastoral setting
- Full-time availability and a spare bedroom
- A willingness to complete our professional training
- The right to work in the UK
Take the next step in your career and become a Step Forward Foster Carer. Your experience as a Pastoral Officer could be the foundation for a truly life-changing role.
