National Fostering Agency

National Fostering Agency Inspection report for independent fostering agency

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SC038843 Unique reference number 16 November 2007 Inspection date David Welch Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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National Fostering Agency Address 2 Quay View Business Park Barnards Way Lowestoft Suffolk NR32 2HD

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Email

National Fostering Agency Limited Registered person Nigel John Pickering Registered manager Michael John Lovett Responsible individual 26 June 2006 Date of last inspection .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Email

You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children's Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Cripins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is strong Good: this aspect of the provision is sound Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Inadequate: 3 of 11 Inspection Report: National Fostering Agency, 16 November 2007

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Brief description of the service

Previously owned in partnership by two people and trading for a number of years in London and eastern England, the National Fostering Agency (East and Midlands) is now a branch of a larger National Fostering Agency (NFA). The new company was established on 6 November 2006. Its subsidiary, NFAG Limited acquired the National Fostering Agency Limited and The National Fostering Agency (Scotland) Limited on 7 December 2006. The principal activity of the company is holding investments for the group. The principal activities of its subsidiaries are the provision of foster placements and services for local authorities. NFA has headquarters in Uxbridge, London and the two original directors remain on the board of the new company. In this report, when 'the agency' is used it refers to NFA East and Midlands, which is subject of the inspection. The agency provides an independent fostering service for children in East

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Brief description of the service

Anglia and the Midlands who, for a range of different reasons, have been assessed as requiring foster care. The newly-acquired offices of the agency are based in Lowestoft, Suffolk, which together with a sub -office in Solihull, supports the work of professional staff and carers across the region. The Solihull office is only a base where placement consultants in the area, who all work from home, can meet as a team. The administration is done in Lowestoft, although both offices have computer terminals which placement consultants can access. But they do also have electronic access to the agency’s systems via their home base. Each placement consultant has a mobile telephone provided by the agency. Fostering panels are held at the Lowestoft office, with Midlands carers accessing whichever regional office is convenient for them in terms of distance and times for sitting. The agency does have video conferencing facilities. The fostering

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Brief description of the service

panel is suitably comprised and supported. The agency uses professional, qualified social workers on a sessional basis and working only for NFA, to undertake some of its assessment work, subject to the consent of each person’s own employer, in that regard. Both offices share the same Statement of Purpose, policies, procedures, record keeping systems and electronic database. The agency benefits from being part of a larger organisation, with corporate policies and procedures and support. It has established itself as a major provider of fostering services in the region. Training for carers and agency staff is provided at locally-hired venues to facilitate attendance.

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Summary

The inspection took place to fulfil Ofsted's responsibility to inspect the independent fostering agency for the first time since June 2006 and before it moves to a three-yearly inspection programme from now onwards. The manager of the agency was consulted prior to the visit and ensured that all foster carers knew that the inspection was taking place and that they, or the children they are looking after, might be asked for an interview. The inspection provided an opportunity to consider what progress has been made in complying with the nine requirements made following the June 2006 inspection and if the agency had taken steps to introduce the four good practice recommendations made at the same time, all of which would improve the quality of provision for children and their carers and for staff. All of the standards felt by Ofsted to be key to the welfare of children being looked after by foster carers were considered. The

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Summary

outcome areas of Every Child Matters, plus organisation, were used as a template for making judgements about the operation of the service. In every outcome area, the National Fostering Agency (East and Midlands) was found to be providing a good service. The level of satisfaction with NFA stated by a very significant proportion of foster carers and children is of a high order. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: National Fostering Agency, 16 November 2007 Feedback from staff and other users of the service is overwhelmingly positive, with consultation and support at all times being among the most outstanding features. The overall quality rating is good. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The following improvements have taken place over the past 12 months: Increase in staffing levels. Move to brand new office base with very good facilities, including space for meetings and training and ample car parking. Further development of the organisation's IT systems. New Children's Guide compiled in consultation with children. NFA Newsletter across the organisation informs and entertains stakeholders. Emphasis in the Foster Carer's Portfolio of the importance of healthy living and what this means. Revision of the child protection policy and implementation of a safeguarding audit following concerns raised about individual carers. Revised supervision and appraisal systems. Work with 'experts in the field' to improve the educational service to children. Forums for foster children and the children of foster carers. Some additional re-writing of the Foster Carer Portfolio to emphasise the importance of saving, for children and how this

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Improvements since the last inspection

can be done. Further development of the foster carer training programme and the installation of a training programme specific to the needs of professional staff, including management training for staff with supervision roles.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. National Minimum Standard 12 was considered during this inspection. National Fostering Agency (NFA) has an expectation that each foster carer will help every child they are looking after to receive health care which meets their individual and particular needs. This includes simple visits to the doctor when they feel unwell, through dental appointments and eye tests to specialist services, such as anger management courses and epilepsy clinic, to assistance with dyslexia. The agency's training programme emphasis the importance of this, as well as children participating, where possible, in decisions about the care they need. NFA provides foster carers with as much information as the agency itself has been given by social workers, although this is not always as comprehensive or as accurate as possible and does not always include a full written health care record for every child placed. The agency provides first aid training for

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Helping children to be healthy

carers and expects them to provide information for reviews, thereby keeping professionals informed about current and changing, health needs of the children. Through training and contact with link workers, known in this agency as placement consultants, foster carers receive information about acting as an advocate for the children, when required. Examples of this have resulted in children being helped to apply for a passport and in foster carers appearing in court to speak on their behalf.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. National Minimum Standards 3, 6, 8, 9, 15 and 30 were considered during this inspection. The regulatory body finds the people carrying on or managing the National Fostering Agency in this area suitable. During the application process, assessors employed exclusively by NFA promote and safeguard children's physical welfare by inspecting the homes of prospective foster carers to ensure that the accommodation is comfortable, suitable for children and free from avoidable hazards. During training carers are provided with guidelines about health and 5 of 11 Inspection Report: National Fostering Agency, 16 November 2007 safety. The agency ensures that during registration carers state their preferences in relation to children they feel confident about looking after and assessors take steps to match these with the perceived competence, understanding and past experience of applicants so that they can

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

meet children's assessed needs. The Foster Care Agreement clearly contains specific reference to elements of matching which are taken into consideration in agreeing placements. In many cases, because local authority social workers and their managers see placement of children with an independent foster agency as 'a last resort' and not as a planned process, children are not given a period of introduction to a proposed foster carer. They are often removed from an unsuitable or dangerous home in emergency circumstances. Through 'Safe Caring' and other training, the agency attempts to protect children, including those who are particularly vulnerable, liable to abuse or who have been abused in the past, from all forms of further abuse, neglect and deprivation. The agency ensures that carers are able to recognise the signs of abuse, manage challenging behaviour and develop ways of boosting children's self-image and esteem. The

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

agency provides foster carers with as much information as it has relating to the foster child and his or her family, to enable the carers fully to protect the foster child, their own children and themselves. But, local authority social workers do not always pass on all the information their department has on the foster child and their family, which on occasions leads to the children being placed with carers who are taken by surprise by the child's behaviour or circumstances. The recruitment checks made by the agency are sufficiently robust, but do not always include contact with all previous employers where the work has involved children or vulnerable adults to verify the reason for leaving. And not in every case has the agency's Human Resources Department obtained a full employment history for applicants. National Fostering Agency's panel is efficiently and effectively organised so as to ensure good quality decisions

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

are made about the approval and review of foster carers, in line with the overriding objective to promote and safeguard the welfare of children placed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. National Minimum Standards 7, 13 and 31 were considered during this inspection. All aspects of the agency's training has an element of valuing diversity and promoting equality. While the East Anglian side of the agency's area has a far more homogenous population than the midlands area, where it also operates, the needs of all children placed with it, in regards to race, culture, language, disability and sexuality are emphasised. The agency places a high priority on children in its care having educational opportunities that sufficiently meet their needs and enable them to achieve their potential. To emphasise the importance of education to children in its care, NFA has engaged the services of independent consultants on educational matters, who provide help, advice and guidance to carers when school placement is a problem, a child has been excluded or requires education outside the mainstream services that are available locally. The

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

agency does provide a short-break or respite service for children looked after by local authorities. While the agency emphasises the particular importance of children retaining family contact in these circumstances, the evidence gathered from foster carers interviewed showed that not in every case did they fully appreciate that the requirements for short-term break or respite care are different from longer-term placements. This is especially in regard, where appropriate, to birth parents remaining central to the promotion of health and education needs of children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: National Fostering Agency, 16 November 2007 National Minimum Standards 10 and 11 were considered during this inspection. There are clear procedures, confirmed by carers, setting out how appropriate contact arrangements for each child are established and work out in practice. In order to establish the views of the foster children, including about contact, the agency's placement consultants meet with them in private at least four times a year. In general, carers assist children to maintain family contacts, some having a close working relationship with the natural parents of the children placed with them. The agency helps carers to deal with difficult contact situations by being available at all times. NFA has an expectation on foster carers that they keep records on any contacts. In this way any pattern of behaviour by children after seeing their family members will be evident. Through

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Helping children make a positive contribution

its training, especially, Attachment and Loss and Moving In, Moving on, NFA encourages carers to listen to children's opinions and views on all matters concerned with their everyday lives. The agency makes sure that children know how to make a complaint if they are unhappy with aspects of their care.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. National Minimum Standard 14 was considered during this inspection. Foster carers receive support and guidance from NFA, not least through training, to help them provide appropriate advice and assistance to young people who are old enough to move on to more independent or semi-independent living situations. The agency has a written statement of its fee structure, made available to Ofsted and pays its carers regularly and on time their full allowance, plus any additional costs incurred in looking after the children placed with them.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. National Minimum Standards 1, 16, 17, 21, 24, 25 and 32 were considered during this inspection. National Fostering Agency makes its aims, objectives and values clear in a written statement that is available to social workers, parents, the regulators and other interested people. The statement and other documents, including the Children's Guide and the Carer's Portfolio, set out what services are available and how they will be provided for the benefit of the children looked after. The agency is managed ethically and efficiently and delivers a good service, not least to the children placed with it. It provides clear lines of responsibility for managers, staff and carers and takes into account any conflict of interest so its employees can continue to do their jobs effectively. It is clear who manages the service on a day-to-day basis and who is in charge if the registered person is for any reason absent. The agency has made sure that the

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Organisation

level of management delegation and responsibility is clearly defined and takes into account fully the expertise, training and qualifications of the people employed. NFA has fulfilled its responsibility to its staff to provide job descriptions and a range of policies and procedures, including working practices in respect of grievances and disciplinary matters so that their employment is grounded in good personnel practice. The agency has grown significantly in recent years, but the new owners have employed additional staff to meet the demands for an increasing number of placements and planned expansion into a range of services. Working conditions for staff are good. The agency recruits a range of carers to meet the differing and individual needs of children and young people placed with it. It has a focussed and speedy assessment process for applicants that firstly, 'counsels out' people who its administrative staff

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Organisation

and assessors feel are likely not to be suitable to act as foster carers. During the assessment, the agency's staff discuss with applicants all the topics required to ensure that a full assessment 7 of 11 Inspection Report: National Fostering Agency, 16 November 2007 of their competence, aptitude and commitment to act as foster carers can be made. Previously, the agency provided training for its staff in tandem with the carer training programme. Acknowledging staff concern that they require training that is specific to their role, and therefore separate from that given to carers, NFA does now provide a separate training programme for its staff. Training has in this first year concentrated on the core issues and has yet to address some of the more specialised matters from a professional's point of view. The agency is a fair and competent employer, with sound employment practices and good support for its staff and

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Organisation

carers. The agency supports its staff effectively with regular, documented supervision sessions and appraisals, making them accountable for the work they are engaged in. Attempts are made to hold staff meetings on a monthly basis, but when the workload is at its greatest or staffing levels are influenced by sickness or absence because of other reasons, the timescale sometimes slips to every six or eight weeks. Each foster carer is supervised by a suitably-qualified social worker working within and to the requirements of the legislation to enable carers to fulfil their role. The ever present support for carers provided by the agency's staff is of a high order. Carers understand the different roles played by NFA staff and local authority social workers, i.e. which staff member is in place to support the child and which the carer. Placement consultants have a clear understanding of when a carers should be removed from the agency's register. National

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Organisation

Fostering Agency trains its carers well in the skills required to provide a high level of care to the, often, distressed and damaged children placed with them and to meet their needs. The agency maintains its own comprehensive and up to date case files on the children placed with it. NFA returns to placing authorities all records held at its office once individual placements end, but carers' own records of day to day happenings in the foster home are not always sent back to local authorities. The agency acknowledges foster carers' concerns about retaining evidence of the placement against any future allegation so that they can protect themselves, but all records should be returned to the agency for safe keeping in line with the requirements of the Date Protection legislation. The National Minimum Standards expect any independent fostering agency to inform foster carers of their responsibility to talk to children in their care,

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Organisation

where possible, about what has happened in their lives, why they are being looked after and what might happen in future. NFA complies with this expectation to ensure that children are aware of the circumstances surrounding their lives in a looked after situation. To this end, children have a Life Book or photograph album to remind them of their background and of ongoing events in their lives. The National Fostering Agency has effective and efficient policies and procedures in place for identifying and undertaking assessments on people who may act as nominated carers to ensure their suitability to care for children when the foster carers are unable to do so or need a break.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, The Fostering Services Regulations 2005 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider must comply with the given timescales.

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Due date Action Standard

31 December 2007 ensure that in every case a full employment history is obtained and, as far as practicable, contact is made with all previous employers where the work has involved children or vulnerable adults to verify the reason for leaving (Regulation 20) 8 of 11 Inspection Report: National Fostering Agency, 16 November 2007 31 December 2007 ensure that foster carers are aware in every case of the, potentially, different requirements when a child is placed with them short-term or for respite care (Regulation 14) 29 February 2008 develop further the ongoing programme of targeted and relevant training and development for staff and provide as a matter of urgency training in some of the more specific issues identified by staff (Regulation 21) 31 December 2007 ensure that all relevant records kept by foster carers are returned to the agency for a decision about their secure retention when each placement comes to an end (Regulation

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • continue efforts to ensure that, prior to placement, social workers provide as full a description as possible of the health needs of every child placed, to include comprehensive and accurate health records (NMS 12) • ensure as far as possible that, prior to placement, local authority social workers pass on as much information as their department has relating to the looked after child(ren) and their families (NMS 9) 9 of 11 Inspection Report: National Fostering Agency, 16 November 2007

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The intended outcomes for these standards are:

• the fostering service promotes the health and development of children (NMS 12) Ofsted considers 12 the key standard to be inspected.

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The intended outcomes for these standards are:

• any persons carrying on or managing the service are suitable (NMS 3) • the fostering service provides suitable foster carers (NMS 6) • the service matches children to carers appropriately (NMS 8) • the fostering service protects each child or young person from abuse and neglect (NMS 9) • the people who work in or for the fostering service are suitable to work with children and young people (NMS 15) • fostering panels are organised efficiently and effectively (NMS 30) Ofsted considers 3, 6, 8, 9, 15 and 30 the key standards to be inspected.

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The intended outcomes for these standards are:

• the fostering service values diversity (NMS 7) • the fostering service promotes educational achievement (NMS 13) • when foster care is provided as a short-term break for a child, the arrangements recognise that the parents remain the main carers for the child (NMS 31) Ofsted considers 7, 13 and 31 the key standards to be inspected.

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The intended outcomes for these standards are:

• the fostering service promotes contact arrangements for the child or young person (NMS 10) • the fostering service promotes consultation (NMS 11) Ofsted considers 10 and 11 the key standards to be inspected.

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The intended outcomes for these standards are:

• the fostering service prepares young people for adulthood (NMS 14) • the fostering service pays carers an allowance and agreed expenses as specified (NMS 29) Ofsted considers none of the above to be key standards to be inspected.

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The intended outcomes for these standards are:

• there is a clear statement of the aims and objectives of the fostering service and the fostering service ensures that they meet those aims and objectives (NMS 1) • the fostering service is managed by those with the appropriate skills and experience (NMS 2) • the fostering service is monitored and controlled as specified (NMS 4) 10 of 11 Inspection Report: National Fostering Agency, 16 November 2007

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Annex A

• the fostering service is managed effectively and efficiently (NMS 5) • staff are organised and managed effectively (NMS 16) • the fostering service has an adequate number of sufficiently experienced and qualified staff (NMS 17) • the fostering service is a fair and competent employer (NMS 18) • there is a good quality training programme (NMS 19) • all staff are properly accountable and supported (NMS 20) • the fostering service has a clear strategy for working with and supporting carers (NMS 21) • foster carers are provided with supervision and support (NMS 22) • foster carers are appropriately trained (NMS 23) • case records for children are comprehensive (NMS 24) • the administrative records are maintained as required (NMS 25) • The premises used as offices by the fostering service are suitable for the purpose (NMS 26) • the fostering service is financially viable (NMS 27) • the fostering service has robust financial processes (NMS 28)

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Annex A

• local authority fostering services recognise the contribution made by family and friends as carers (NMS 32) Ofsted considers 1, 16, 17, 21, 24, 25 and 32 the key standards to be inspected. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: National Fostering Agency, 16 November 2007

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