Guidance for applicants

If applicable to the post, job offers of employment are subject to the organisation receiving disclosure information from various sources. Therefore the decision to shortlist a candidate is based upon the information that is provided on the personal statement. List A: A United Kingdom passport describing the holder as a British citizen or as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies having the right of abode in the United. List B: A residence permit issued to a national of a State which is a party to the European Economic Area Agreement.

1 Guidance for applicants Please read the following important advice before submitting your application for a role. 1. The Fostering Network receives many applications for each post advertised. Therefore the decision to shortlist a candidate is based upon the information that is provided on the personal statement. To do this fairly, we need all applicants to provide relevant information about themselves. 2. You should read carefully the enclosed job description, detailing the duties and responsibilities of the post, and the person specification describes the criteria that are regarded as essential or desirable to the job. It is these criteria which are used to assess the suitability of a candidate for the post. 3. Most times, your CV and personal statement will provide the only information we have about you. It is the quality of that information and the presentation of your application that will help the selection panel decide whether to interview you. 4. When completing the personal statement it is essential that you include the experience that you have had, including voluntary/community work, student/work placement, leisure activities or domestic obligations, which are necessary or relevant to the job for which you have applied. 5. It is important that you give a full account of your employment history including a full explanation of any employment gaps 6. All shortlisted candidates will be asked to produce evidence of educational and professional qualifications and/or evidence of registration with a professional body at interview, where these are required for the role. 7. You should explain how your experience, skills and abilities meet each of the specified selection criteria in the person specification. This is the most important part of your application as it is used to shortlist candidates for interview. 8. Please complete the equal opportunities monitoring form. This helps The Fostering Network to monitor our recruitment strategy. 9. It is not possible to reply individually to all applicants so if you have not heard from The Fostering Network by three weeks after the closing date. Please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

2 Checklist 1. CV 2. Personal statement addressing each point on the person specification. Please include the job title of the post you are applying for. 3. Equal opportunities monitoring form 4. Return all documents to or otherwise, as indicated on the advert 2

3 Disclosure statement Although The Fostering Network is not an organisation that works primarily with children or young people, some roles within the organisation work directly with children, young people and families. Therefore, The Fostering Network has a rigorous procedure for safer recruitment to help make better recruitment decisions. This helps to prevent unsuitable people from coming into contact with, or having access to information relating to children or young people. If applicable to the post, job offers of employment are subject to the organisation receiving disclosure information from various sources including the data barring service, ACCESSNI and disclosure Scotland. Satisfactory checks may be required before the candidate starts employment. Eligibility to work in the UK Under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 the Government has made it an offence for an employer to employ someone who is not eligible to live or work in the United If your application is successful you will be required to prove that you are eligible to live or work in the UK. You can do this by bringing with you the following specified documents when you are offered the job. Either: one document from list A two documents from list B, two documents from list C. List A One of these documents: A United Kingdom passport describing the holder as a British citizen or as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies having the right of abode in the United A passport containing a certificate of entitlement issued by or on behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom, certifying that the holder has the right of abode in the United A passport or national identity card, issued by a State which is a party to the European Economic Area Agreement or any other agreement forming part of the Communities Treaties which confers rights of entry to or residence in the United Kingdom, which describes the holder as a national of a State which is a party to the agreement. A United Kingdom residence permit issued to a national of a State which is a party to the European Economic Area Agreement or any other agreement forming part of the Communities which confirms that the holder has rights of entry to or residence in the United A passport or other travel document or a residence document issued by the Home Office which is endorsed to show that the holder has a current right of residence in the United Kingdom as the family member of a named national of a State which is a party to the European Economic Area Agreement or any other agreement forming part of the Communities Treaties which confers rights of entry to or residence in the United Kingdom, and who is resident in the United 3

4 A passport or other travel document endorsed to show that the holder is exempt from immigration control has indefinite leave to enter, or remain in, the United Kingdom or has no time limit on his stay. A passport or other travel document endorsed to show that the holder has current leave to enter, or remain in, the United Kingdom and is permitted to take the employment in question, provided that it does not require the issue of a work permit. A registration card which indicates that the holder is entitled to take employment in the United List B One document from section one plus one document from section two: 1. A document issued by a previous employer, Inland Revenue, the Department for Work and Pensions Jobcentre Plus, the Employment Service, the Training and Employment Agency(Northern Ireland) or the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency, which contains the National Insurance number of the person named in the document; And either: 2. Either: a. A birth certificate issued in the United Kingdom, which specifies the names of the holder s parents; b. A birth certificate issued in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland; c. A certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British Citizen; d. A letter issued by the Home Office, to the holder, which indicates that the person named in it had been granted indefinite leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom; e. An immigration status document issued by the Home Office, to the holder, endorsed with a United Kingdom Residence Permit, which indicates that the holder has been granted indefinite leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom; f. A letter issued by the Home Office, to the holder, which indicates that the person named in it has subsisting leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, and is entitled to take the employment in question in the United Kingdom; g. An immigration status document issued by the Home Office, to the holder, endorsed with a United Kingdom Residence Permit, which indicates that the holder has been granted limited leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom and is entitled to take the employment in question in the United List C One document from section one plus one document from section two. 1. A work permit or other approval to take employment issued by Work Permits UK; 2. And either: b. A passport or other travel document endorsed to show that the holder has current leave to enter or remain in, the United Kingdom and is permitted to take the work permit employment in question, OR c. A letter issued by the Home Office to the holder, confirming the same. 4

5 European Economic Area (EEA) countries: Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Republic of Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden UK Switzerland is not an EU or EEA member, but Swiss nationals have the same rights to live and work in the UK as other EEA nationals. 5