Referrals Officer - Fostering

Join Our Team as a Referrals Officer - Fostering!

Location: Sittingbourne

Contract: Full Time, Permanent - 35 hours per week

Salary: Up to £23,195.81 per annum

Why Choose Us?

At Polaris, we are proud to be one of the UK's largest communities of children's service providers. For over 30 years, we have been dedicated to improving the lives of young people through our independent fostering and adoption agencies, education, residential services, and bespoke children's services contracts. Our nurturing community is committed to achieving the best outcomes for every child in our care. We believe in the potential of our children, families, and staff, and we are ambitious for their futures!

What We Are Looking For

We are on the hunt for a proactive, relationship-driven Referrals Officer to join our established Referrals Team. In this vital role, you will be the first point of contact between local authorities, foster families, and social workers. Your mission? To ensure every referral is matched with the right foster family, providing a safe and supportive home for children and young people in need.

Your Role Responsibilities

• Take ownership of all foster family vacancies and serve as the key contact for specific fostering agencies within the Polaris Community.
• Accurately monitor and record foster family vacancies.
• Engage daily with foster families via phone or Teams video calls.
• Attend regular meetings with agency managers and social workers.
• Keep the recording system (CHARMS) updated.
• Utilize internal performance tools to track data and support foster family vacancies and agency growth.
• Respond to new referrals within 15 minutes, ensuring quick and careful matching of children to suitable foster families.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with local authorities and commissioning teams.
• Adopt a solution-focused approach to overcome barriers and secure successful matches.
• Provide daily updates to your line manager on referral activity, carer availability, and any challenges.
• Log successful matches and declines accurately on agency spreadsheets.

Requirements

• Strong administration skills, including screening referrals and updating internal systems.
• A methodical and organized approach to managing and prioritizing your workload effectively.
• The ability to thrive in a fast-paced team environment, while also working autonomously.
• Confidence in communicating with both internal and external teams.
• A drive to maximize referral conversions into successful placement matches with available foster families.
• A genuine commitment to the ethos and values of the Polaris Community and its agencies (ISP, Orange Grove, Fosterplus, Clifford House).
• Experience in the children's services sector or a related field is advantageous, but full training will be provided.

Working Conditions & Benefits

• Enjoy 30 days of annual leave, rising to 35 days with length of service, plus bank holidays.
• Participate in our Company Pension scheme.
• Benefit from Life Assurance and an Employee Discount Scheme.
• Access a Medical Cash Plan for your health needs.
• Enjoy free on-site parking for your convenience.

We are an equal opportunities employer, and the successful applicant will be subject to a DBS check. At Polaris, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults, and we expect all staff to share this commitment.

If you are ready to make a difference and join a passionate team, we would love to hear from you!