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Are you an experienced foster carer, residential worker, social worker, or a professional with expertise in supporting vulnerable children?
Sanctuary Personnel on behalf of TACT, is reaching out to individuals like you who may be ready to take their skills to the next level. If you have the experience and commitment to support children with complex needs, then Step Forward Fostering can provide a unique opportunity to make a profound impact on a child’s life.
What is Step Forward Fostering?
Step Forward is a specialist fostering programme developed in partnership with TACT Fostering and local authorities across the UK to help young people transition from residential care into stable, nurturing family environments.
As part of this initiative, a small number of children currently living in residential settings have been identified as suitable for a family-based fostering environment. Having experienced trauma, instability, and disruption, these young people would greatly benefit from the stability, warmth, and personal attention that a dedicated foster family can provide, in turn they will build trust, develop key life skills, and experience the sense of belonging that every child deserves.
Step Forward Fostering is committed to carefully matching these children with people who can meet their individual needs and help them thrive in a family setting.
The Support You’ll Receive
We recognise that supporting children with complex needs is a full-time commitment.
That’s why we provide exceptional support to our specialist foster carers, including:
✔ Access to a Senior Practitioner for guidance and supervision
✔ A dedicated Family Wellbeing Worker to support both you and the child
✔ Support from a Hub Carer, who will provide 28 days of planned short breaks per year
✔ A network of specialist foster carers to share experiences and advice
✔ Full training, including specialist neurodevelopmental and therapeutic courses
✔ Psychological consultations and access to therapeutic training
✔ 24/7 Out of Hours support
Financial Stability & Recognition
We value the expertise of our Step Forward Foster Carers and ensure they are financially supported in this specialist role.
• £1,052 per week (£54,704 per year) when a child is placed
• £408 per week retainer (£21,216 per year) between placements
• Additional payments and allowances throughout the year
Foster carers also benefit from special tax exemptions, meaning they pay a much lower rate of tax compared to employed roles.
Is Step Forward Fostering Right for You?
If you have experience in fostering, residential care, social work, or another child-focused profession and feel ready to take on a more specialist role, Step Forward Fostering could be a natural next step.
To be eligible, you must:
✔ Have experience in supporting vulnerable children, whether through fostering, residential care, social work, or another relevant role
✔ Be able to offer a young person a dedicated bedroom in your home
✔ Have the right to work in the UK
✔ Commit full-time to the role (without other employment)
✔ Be willing to undergo assessment and specialist training
✔ Work as part of a professional team to support the child’s needs
Take the Next Step in Your Career
If you’re ready to use your skills to provide life-changing care and want to join a team of specialist professionals, we’d love to hear from you.
Submit your details today to speak with a member of our team and find out more.
Who are TACT?
TACT Fostering is the UK’s largest dedicated fostering charity, committed to improving the lives of children and young people in care. With over 30 years of experience, TACT works in partnership with local authorities to provide high-quality fostering services, ensuring that vulnerable children receive the stability, support, and care they need to thrive. As a non-profit organisation, TACT reinvests all surplus income into providing specialist training, resources, and support for foster carers and the children they look after.
This unique partnership with Bury Council, aligns with their mission of creating better lives for children and young people by ensuring they receive the dedicated care, stability, and support they need to reach their full potential. By working closely with Bury Council, TACT are strengthening the support available to both foster carers and the children they care for, creating life-changing opportunities for some of the most vulnerable young people in our community.