Structure of the Fostering Service

Brian Johnson – Head of Service Fostering

Nicola Hope – Adoption and Kinship Lead

Fostering Central – Engagement

Team Manager – Andrea Johnson

This team recruits and trains Foster Carers and is responsible for initial visits, training, support groups, annual reviews, and events.  They also cover Supported Lodgings and Private Fostering

Fostering Central – Panel and Approval Team

Manager - Julia Challinor

Focused on panel functions and advice, fostering assessments, (including Task Centred and IFA transfers) and fostering sufficiency.

Fostering Supervision and Support North

Team Manager - Jessica Bomparola

Fostering Supervision and Support East

Team Manager - Emma Luckman

Fostering Supervision and Support South

Team Manager - Sue Prendergast

These teams consist of Fostering  Social Workers who regulate and support placements including the supervision of Family and Friends and mainstream Foster Carers.  Each team has a Senior Practitioner and a Family Practitioner.

Intensive Fostering & Short Breaks Support

Team Manager - Amy Sales

This team supervises Resilience Foster Carers, Turnaround Foster Carers and Disability Foster Carers.  The Senior Practitioner for The Mockingbird Project is also based within this team.

Fostering Stability & Sufficiency Support

Team Manager - Katie Palin

This team has a Senior Practitioner, a Fostering Social Worker and Family Practitioners.  The team chair Stability and Unplanned Ending Meetings and the Family Support Workers will offer direct work with both children and Foster Carers to help stabalise placements.  This team supervises general short break foster carers and also offers some support to Foster Carers out of hours, including weekends and bank holidays.

Family and Friends

Team Manager – Kathryn White

This team focuses on the viability and full assessment of connected people.

Fostering Permanency and SGO Support

Team Manager - Garry Davis

This Team focuses on the SGO assessments and post order support.