Development Center for Children and Families seeks foster care consultant.

Development Center for Children and Families seeks a foster care consultant.

Do you want to help create the best possible framework for children and young people who are placed with a foster family? And do you thrive in a job where professionalism, relationships, coordination and close interdisciplinary collaboration go hand in hand, then this may be you we are looking for as our new foster care consultant.

Foster care is part of the Development Center for Children and Families (UBF) and consists of four foster care consultants. Our joint goal is to find the best possible solutions for the individual child or young person when there is a need for placement in a foster family.

In Foster Care in Næstved Municipality we work from a vision that all placed children and young people should be ensured a good childhood and have better opportunities in their adult life. We also have a strong focus on allowing children and young people to explore and develop their abilities and competences – both individually and in collaboration with others.

We work from the principle that children and young people in need of a family placement should preferably be placed in network foster care or in a foster family rather than in an institution, when it is the right solution for the child.

An close collaboration with authorities is a central part of the job

As a foster care consultant, you will become an important part of the overall work around the child or young person. You will therefore have a close and committed collaboration with Child and Youth Advisors in Næstved Municipality.

Foster care consultants and the caseworker have different roles and areas of responsibility, but must be able to work closely together to create coherence in the effort. This requires that you can participate in an open, constructive and professional dialogue – also when cases are complex, or perspectives differ.

You must be able to coordinate, follow up, share relevant professional observations and actively contribute to joint solutions, while maintaining your own professional responsibility and perspective.

Therefore, it is important for us that you have good collaboration skills, are clear in your communication and can build trusting relationships with both authorities' caseworkers, foster families, children and young people, and other partners.

Support, advice and guidance for foster families

A central part of the task as a foster care consultant is to support the foster families in their important and sometimes demanding task of creating safe and developmental frameworks for the placed children and young people. You must be able to offer ongoing support, professional guidance and instructions based on the individual child's needs and the foster family's current challenges.

This includes helping foster families understand and manage the child’s reactions, behavior and emotional needs, as well as supporting their competences in creating stability, well-being and development in everyday life. You must be able to establish a trusting collaboration with the foster families, facilitate professional reflection and contribute with concrete pedagogical perspectives and courses of action.

In addition, you must be able to identify the need for further support and engage in close dialogue with relevant partners to ensure a holistic effort around the child or young person. The role also involves acting as a link between the authorities and the foster family.

We expect that you

• Are educated as a social educator, social worker or have another relevant social science education – preferably with relevant further education,
• Work holistically and have an eye for involving relevant resources around the child, the young person and the foster family.
• Have experience with close interdisciplinary collaboration and thrive on working with advisors and other professionals.
• Can create and maintain professional relationships – also in complex and demanding situations.
• Are clear and appreciative in your communication and can handle different professional perspectives in a constructive way.
• Can convey complex issues both orally and in writing and prepare precise and professionally well-founded documentation.
• Can work independently, in a structured and responsible manner and at the same time be an active part of a collegial community.
• Have a sharp focus on the well-being and development of children and young people.
• Have a driving license and can provide your own car.

Foster families receive supervision in groups. It is expected that you have experience with supervision and can supervise a smaller group. If you do not already have this experience, you must undertake a relevant course or supervisor training as part of your employment.

We offer

• A professionally strong team with four foster care consultants
• An workplace where a good working environment is given high priority.
• Opportunity for professional development, supervision and ongoing professional sparring
• Great flexibility and influence over how you organize your work
• An active workplace where days are never the same.
• A collegial community where professional reflections and knowledge sharing are a natural part of everyday life.
• Collaboration with our many foster families.
• Opportunity to participate in theme days and competence development for foster families in collaboration with other municipalities.

Salary and terms of employment

Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the applicable collective agreement between the negotiating organization.

Information about starting salary and expected salary range

Via the link here you can view information about the relevant salary range for the specific position. In the overview, select Næstved Municipality, which job category (collective agreement) you are applying for and further which position you are applying for. In the table below you can see the relevant information for the specific position.

Starting on 1 January 2027

Working time per week 37 hours

Want to know more? Contact

Foster care consultants

Bente-Marie Christensen

Mobile 2297 5803

[email protected]

Signe Theil

Mobile:2446 2455

[email protected]

Lykke Lauridsen

Mobile: 2545 0801

[email protected]

Principal Per Aarkrog

Mobile: 4031 3710

[email protected]

And on the City of Næstved's website. www.naestved.dk

Application deadline: 13 November 2026

Interviews expected to be held in Week 48.

You apply for the position by sending your application, CV and other relevant documentation and qualification certificates electronically via the applicant button “Ansøg”.

We look forward to receiving your application.