Child Action North West

Child Action North West Inspection report for independent fostering agency

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SC036972 Unique reference number 21 November 2007 Inspection date Lynn O'Driscoll Inspector Random Type of Inspection

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Child Action North West Address Dixon House Whalley Road Wilpshire Blackburn BB1 9LL 01254 244700 Telephone number

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Email

Child Action North West Registered person

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Registered manager

John Tempest Responsible individual 15 June 2007 Date of last inspection .

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Registered manager

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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Registered manager

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 9 Inspection Report: Child Action North West, 21 November 2007

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Brief description of the service

Child Action North West is a registered charity which offers a range of children's services. It's mission statement is 'to promote the health and wellbeing of children and young people by providing accessible services that encourage children, young people, their families or carers to make a positive contribution that enables them to stay safe, enjoy and achieve and shape their own futures to reach their full potential'. At the time of this inspection 22 carers were working for the fostering service offering 36 placements for children and young people aged up to 18 years. Referrals are considered in an emergency, for respite, short term, long term, pace, remand and for mother and babies.

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Summary

A visit was undertaken to specifically follow up on the actions and recommendations made at the full key inspection on the 12 June 2007. This judgement best reflects the significant amount of progress made over the last few months. Improved monitoring systems, review processes and procedures are now in place and documentation further developed to meet the Regulations and National Minimum Standards, but realistically they are not as yet fully embedded. It will take time to ascertain if all the changes are suitably efficient and effective. The overall quality rating is satisfactory. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The Agency has made significant improvements in the last five months and as importantly are committed to continually developing their services. Of the 16 actions made at the last inspection, only one is not met in full and most of the recommendations have already been satisfactorily addressed.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Overall there are satisfactory arrangements in place for helping to ensure children and young people remain fit and healthy. The service is more pro active in obtaining health information prior to placement so individual needs are met and carers are now expected to maintain a health diary which will inform children and young people's statutory reviews. Better links are developing with looked after nurses in the placing authorities and a therapeutic nurse has been appointed to improve emotional wellbeing. All primary carers will be trained in first aid by January 2008 then their partners will be prioritised. The smoking policy is being reviewed with the carer's consultation group following recent guidance from the British Association for Adoption and Fostering. Some children and young people, but not all, say they are encouraged to eat healthy meals. They enjoy a range of physical activities including swimming, netball, crown green

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Overall there are satisfactory arrangements in place to ensure fostered children and all members of the carer's household remain safe. Most children say, 'it's brilliant' living with their current 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Child Action North West, 21 November 2007 carers, they 'feel happy' and are treated well and 'everything's fine'. The new supervisory visit pro forma reminds link workers to regularly check that sleeping arrangements are suitable, confirming, for example, adequate space, good quality furniture and age appropriate décor and furnishings. The new matching reports ensure specific individual needs are detailed in respect to, for example, religion and language and how any gaps will be satisfactorily addressed. Placement agreements are more comprehensive, individual risk assessments are now in place to safeguard all members of the household and child specific safe caring policies are being

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

developed with training offered to carers. Recording of restraints, complaints and allegations has improved. Most are well recorded, fully investigated and outcomes reached, but there are still some delays in response. The 'Behaviour, Discipline and Restraint policy' has recently been updated and suitable training for carers on de-escalation strategies is being explored. A major positive development is the recruitment and induction training of a new fully constituted panel which has reviewed in detail the majority of carer's approvals. The new panel procedures include their quality assurance function in line with the National Minimum Standards which they are now exercising in respect to the reports presented. The chair says the whole process feels more robust and the Agency values panel member's comments. The recent appointment of a panel administrator will ensure continued efficient functioning of all the panel processes. Panel

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

members files have much improved but still do not include all the details as required by the Regulations and National Minimum Standards. The revised foster care agreement now contains all the details required by the Regulations and carers have signed them acknowledging their commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children placed with them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The role of the education support worker has significantly developed over recent months ensuring time to positively integrate young people back into school and to successfully help school leavers make informed choices about further education or career opportunities. The recent appointment of a support group coordinator has also helped to clearly define roles and carers say it works much better. Support workers provide specific pieces of work with children and young people according to identified needs and sessional workers promote and provide a range of constructive and age appropriate activities for looked after children and young people.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Consultation opportunities for fostered children and carers are developing well. Since the last inspection user friendly documentation has been produced to encourage young people to contribute to carer's annual reviews. Most, but not all views are reflected in the panel minutes. The children's group is more established and they are involved in service development, for example, producing the new children's guide. Minutes are taken and most concerns raised are taken seriously, logged as a complaint and fully investigated. Some, however, have not been acted upon in a timely manner. Most carers continue to actively promote contact with family and friends in line with any legal directions and respecting young people's wishes. The majority of young people are happy with the arrangements.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is not judged. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Child Action North West, 21 November 2007

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Child Action North West benefits from an experienced and child focussed management team who are working well together and are dedicated to constantly improving services to children and young people and their carers. There are regular meetings and good communication between the two offices in Bolton and Blackburn and an administrative manager has recently been appointed to ensure consistency across the Organisation. Benefiting from clear direction and encouragement, staff morale has improved and consequently they are motivated to do their part in making positive changes. They are happy with the working environment and looking forward to individual computers in the new year. Carers continue to feel well supported and remain particularly satisfied with the range and quality of the training on offer to develop their knowledge and skills. A new children's guide has been produced in full consultation with the

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Organisation

children and young people's group. This is an ongoing project ensuring there are a range of different formats to meet all identified needs. There is more stringent monitoring of all records and children and young people's files are in much better order. The two manager's now audit each other's files to introduce some independence in addition to the Operations Manager's own quality assurance processes. A new tighter system will also ensure hard statistical information of all the details required by Schedule 7 of the Regulations. This includes revised supervisory visit forms ensuring this information is discussed with carers and recorded which is then entered on a new data base to better inform future care planning and service development. Notifiable incidents are well recorded and details forwarded to Ofsted. The revised foster care agreement satisfactorily addresses all the matters specified in the Regulations and

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Organisation

thereby ensures carers are very clear about the expectations of the Agency. The new placement agreement also meets the particulars required by the Regulations and consequently ensures carers have the information they need to adequately safeguard and promote the welfare of the children in their care. A detailed Regulation 42 report has been produced since the last Inspection in June and endorsed by the Trustees. This shows the significant improvements made in the last five months and the proposed developments for the next twelve months.

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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

21 December 2007 ensure all the particulars in Schedule 1 are included on panel member's files (Regulation 30) 21 December 2007 ensure a timely response to all complaints by children and young people and full written records maintained (Regulation 18).

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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): 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Child Action North West, 21 November 2007 • ensure panel minutes following foster carer's annual reviews adequately reflect the views of the children and young people placed with them (NMS 11) • ensure children's guides are produced in a range of formats which will meet the different needs of the individual children and young people placed with Child Action North West (NMS 1.5). 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Child Action North West, 21 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) 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Child Action North West, 21 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. 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Child Action North West, 21 November 2007

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