Sarah Faulkner is the Registered Manager at Step by Step Fostering. We caught up with her to find out what her role entails and what inspired her to work in a caring profession.

What do you do at Step by Step?

I was initially employed to set the fostering service up but then moved into the role of Registered Manager. The opportunity was appealing because of the ethos behind it. It felt so much bigger than just starting up a fostering agency because the funds we generate support many more young people in other Step by Step services.

What inspired you to work in the area you do?

After a change in my personal circumstances, I decided to make a change in my career. I wanted to find a job that I was truly passionate about that would also allow me the time to support my children while they were growing up.

I was inspired by my dad who worked as a probation officer. I would meet him for lunch and he’d have a suitcase with him, full of all kinds of things to make the lives of the people he worked with easier. I remember him having a toothbrush and toothpaste to give to the child of one of the men who was on probation, as they couldn’t afford to buy those things. It made me realise that there are a lot of small ways you can help people without them realising, and in social work you get to be a voice for these people.

I went to college while working at Step by Step the first time, and then went onto achieve my degree in Social Work and a Masters in Practice Education Professional Standards.

What’s the best thing about working for Step by Step Fostering?

The most rewarding thing is the outcomes you can achieve. It’s great to have the ability to support foster carers and looked after children. The bigger picture is inspiring. I really enjoy running Skills to Foster training and have just officially trained in Talking Teens, a course to support foster carers to understand the teenage brain.

What’s the most challenging thing?

The amount of paperwork- but I know it needs to be done to protect the young people we work with!

What is a common misconception about fostering?

A lot of people worry that a child will be placed with them and then they’ll be on their own when that’s not the case. Our foster carers receive constant support, can reach out to us at any time, and are provided with plenty of high-quality training every year.

What do you like to do outside of work?

In my spare time I love swimming, especially open-water swimming when the weather is good! I also enjoy gardening when I have the time. I visit the Isle of Wight a lot as my fiancé used to work there so we have a lot of friends over there- we also go to the festival as often as we can!

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