Cathy Dickson

• Working with foster carers to ensure they meet National Minimum Standards of foster care.
• Ensuring foster carers are fully equipped and trained to work with children in care using therapeutic parenting skills.

Overseeing the implementation and management of the Mockingbird model, which provides innovative therapeutic support to foster children and families who foster.

• Working with children in care, many of whom are SEMH and ASD using therapeutic strategies including PACE and DDP.
• Use of therapeutic play for children and their foster carers that enhances attachment, self-esteem and trust in others
• ·Develop and implement comprehensive support structures for fostering families, ensuring effective communication and resource allocation.
• ·Ensure compliance and Safeguarding in line with National Minimum Standards for Foster Care
• Engage with external partners to promote the Mockingbird therapeutic model and its benefits to foster carers.

Support and supervision of supervising social workers in a busy fostering team. This position required maintaining high standards of care whilst ensuring compliance with local authority regulations and National Minimum standards for foster care.

• Offering therapeutic caring training to social workers and foster carers.
• Offering 1:1 support to children with ASD and SEMH in order to build confidence and a feeling of being safe and secure within their foster family
• Supervised and supported social workers in managing complex fostering cases, ensuring the welfare of looked after children.
• · Conducted regular quality assurance assessments including oversight of annual reviews and unannounced visits to uphold fostering service standards.
• · Oversight of training sessions to enhance the skills of foster carers and social workers.
• · Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to provide holistic support for families who foster.

• 1:1 support to children who had been brought into the care system
• Establishing relationships with the children, building trust and enabling them to have a voice
• Using therapeutic play and craft sessions
• Advocating on behalf of children
• Offering support and supervision to foster carers
• Offering training to foster carers in therapeutic parenting including PACE and DDP.
• Working in tandem with other agencies and inhouse services such as Promoting Stability Team