Foster Carer - Youth Mental Health Practitioner

Ready for a Change? Use Your Skills to Transform a Child’s Life
Step Forward Foster Carer – Plymouth & Surrounding Areas
Employer: Sanctuary Personnel (in partnership with Plymouth City Council)
Location: Plymouth & surrounding areas
Salary: From £840 per week when a child is placed
Employment Type: Full-time | Self-employed
Sector: Social Care | Residential Management | Child Welfare

Is it time to use your skills differently?

Whether you’ve worked as a Youth Mental Health Practitioner —supporting young people’s emotional wellbeing, providing counselling, and delivering therapeutic interventions—you could change a child’s life in ways you never imagined.
Right now, there’s an urgent need for foster carers in Plymouth, especially for young people transitioning out of residential care. Through our Step Forward programme, you can provide the safety, consistency, and emotional support these children need to heal, grow and thrive.

This role is about more than providing a roof over a child’s head; it’s about offering them the stability, love, and security they need to rebuild their lives. It’s a full-circle role that blends professional care with personal commitment, right in your own home.

Why Consider Step Forward Fostering?

This specialist role is designed for experienced professionals who are ready to make a deeper impact. You’ll work as part of a close-knit, fully supported team, helping a young person move forward from trauma into stability and trust.
This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to change lives, including your own.

What You’ll Receive as a Step Forward Foster Carer:

• From £840 p/week (when a child is placed)
• Extra allowances for birthdays, holidays, and celebrations
• 100% Council Tax exemption (eligibility criteria applies)
• Up to 28-nights of paid respite p/year
• Bespoke training in trauma-informed and therapeutic care
• 24/7 out-of-hours support and a dedicated social work team
• Access to Mockingbird Fostering Model and The Fostering Network
• Be part of a local community, helping Plymouth’s children stay close to home

Could this be you?

We’re looking for people who are:

• Based in Plymouth or surrounding areas
• Ready to offer full-time care and a dedicated bedroom
• Skilled in supporting children with emotional or behavioural needs
• Emotionally resilient and reflective
• Willing to become self-employed
• Ideally with no children under 12 at home (though we’ll assess on a case-by-case basis)

Is it time for a change?

If you’re ready to apply your youth mental health practice expertise in a new and deeply rewarding way, then this is your opportunity.

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