Residential childcare worker

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Would you be willing to help children in need by offering a long-term home, a balanced living environment, and supporting their growth and development? As a foster family, you will perform important work and have a meaningful impact on a child’s life. We are currently looking for foster families with experience of challenging children. A foster family is a family that provides a home for a child who cannot live in their own home. The foster family takes care of the child’s everyday life, upbringing and well-being. For fostering, you will be paid a monthly stipend and expense allowance while the placed child resides with the family. The income depends on the number of placed children (see the table below). Income accrues pension rights. - One child: stipend 2009 euros, expense allowance 1035 euros, total 3044 euros - Two children: stipend 4018 euros, expense allowance 2071 euros, total 6089 euros - Three children: stipend 6027 euros, expense allowance 3107 euros, total 9134 euros - Four children: stipend 8036 euros, expense allowance 4143 euros, total 12179 euros Before you can act as a foster family, you must participate in foster family training. We are now seeking suitable families for this individualized, family-specific training. The training is tailored to you and can begin according to the contract, even immediately. The training is a process whose average duration is 5–7 months. As a foster caregiver (foster parent), you must be: age approx. 25–55. This age range can be slightly extended, but the idea is that the person should be mature enough to commit long-term (possibly over ten years) and should not reach retirement age before the child is of legal age. -stable finances and life situation. Caring for traumatized and special needs children is demanding and if your life situation is not in balance, it may affect energy and ability to act as a foster family. -no mental health, substance abuse, or criminal background. These are obvious obstacles. -suitable living arrangement. The placed children need their own rooms. For pre-school children placed, they may not necessarily need their own room immediately, but by school age the child should have their own room. We value the following things, but we know not all of them will be met. Please contact us even if not every item is met. -no own pre-school children -two-parent family -possibility to help two or more children (e.g., siblings) -experience of special needs, e.g., neuropsychiatric symptoms, trauma work, learning difficulties -experience in forming secure attachments -experience in upbringing -experience with child protection -professional education in social and health care or education; additional therapeutic, guiding and psychiatric trainings support success in the job. There is no official education requirement for a foster carer job. Previous work experience could be e.g.: residential care worker, family worker, social counselor; teacher or special education teacher; nurse or health nurse; psychologist/psychotherapist/occupational therapist; youth worker; or similar experience. A foster carer does best when they can see the child’s potential challenging behavior as arising from previous life experiences and understand the impact on growth and development. The job requires flexibility and willingness to understand and engage with the child’s biological family and kin networks. This can be challenging because the placement often evokes strong emotions in parents. The job also involves cooperation with social services and other authorities. The placed child needs a safe home, a lot of adult attention, routine and rhythm, and, of course, affection, closeness, and love. The child will gradually become an important and equal member of the foster family. The everyday life of a foster family follows ordinary family life, including everyday routines and celebrations, crying and laughter. The other parent in the family must stay at home to care for the placed child(ren) for at least a year, so that the bond and integration into the family can be formed. Our support staff is professional and will regularly review updates with you and address the child’s matters in greater depth, taking into account the child’s individual situation. We walk alongside the foster family and aim for an open and reliable cooperative relationship. Our supervisory work is regular and takes place by phone and home visits. In addition to the supervisory work, we offer supervision and opportunities for further training for foster carers. Suomen Perhekodit Oy is a young Finnish company. We coach and support foster families in everyday situations for the duration of living with the whole family. We handle bureaucracy so you can care for the child without unnecessary stress. We are approachable, people-centered, and genuinely care about the child’s matters. On our website you’ll find comprehensive information about fostering as a foster family. Get in touch, and let’s think together whether your family would be a suitable foster family!