The Foster Care Co-operative Ltd

The Foster Care Co-operative Ltd Inspection report for independent fostering agency

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SC036963 Unique reference number 24 August 2009 Inspection date Janet Manders Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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The Foster Care Co-operative Address Penny Hall The Haysfield MALVERN Worcestershire WR14 1GF 01684 892380 Telephone number enquiries@fostercarecooperative.co.uk Email The Foster Care Co-operative Ltd Registered person Anne Mary Bard Registered manager

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Responsible individual

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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Responsible individual

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: The Foster Care Co-operative Ltd,24 August 2009

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Brief description of the service

The Foster Care Co-operative Ltd (Foster Care Co-operative) is registered as a co-operative under common ownership with Co-operatives UK, the National Clearing House and the Representative body for Co-operatives in the UK. It is registered as a limited company.

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Brief description of the service

Foster Care Co-operative was first registered in 2004. It operates from branches within England and Wales. The head office of the English branch is in Malvern, Worcestershire where the administrative headquarters are based.

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Brief description of the service

Foster Care Co-operative operates over a wide range of locations in England. The Registered Manager is the director and has management responsibility for the social work staff and the running of the service. The Registered Manager is based in the Malvern office and also travels across the country for the purposes of the service.

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Summary

This is an announced key inspection. It focuses on the 17 key Standards relevant to this fostering service. These include National Minimum Standards (NMS) relating to Being Healthy, Staying Safe, Enjoying and Achieving, making a Positive Contribution and Organisation. The inspection also included consideration of additional standards relating to the management of the agency and the support to foster carers.

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Summary

Foster Care Co-operative is judged as good overall. The agency has good outcomes in assisting young people to be healthy and encouraging young people to positively contribute to the planning of their care. Excellent support and supervision is provided to foster carers to enable them to keep young people safe. Outstanding practice in education helps young people to achieve more of their potential. However, there remain weaknesses in recording practices as not all foster carers have a copy of the foster placement agreement or written details regarding the arrangements for giving consent to medical treatment for the young people placed with them. There are shortfalls in relation to matching procedures where young people are placed with foster carers outside their approval range and in respect of updating safe care plans. These have the potential to undermine the effectiveness of the work undertaken by the agency with

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Summary

the young people placed with its foster carers. 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 agency has worked hard to address issues raised after the last inspection that took place in June 2008, with all seven of the required actions being fully met. The agency has improved recording so that young people's information is clearly recorded, recruitment procedures have been amended to ensure that all staff who work with young people are suitable to do so. The Statement of Purpose and agency policies have been reviewed by the agency, so that they accurately reflect the operation of the agency and current good practice. This provides sound guidance to staff and foster carers in ensuring young people's needs are met. Improvements have been made in relation to training provided to foster carers in respect of incidents when they are required to restrain a young person. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: The Foster Care Co-operative Ltd,24 August 2009 There were 12 recommendations made at the last inspection and all but two of the

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Improvements since the last inspection

recommendations have been met. The agency has improved the recording, storage and monitoring of health and safety checks and the recording of information in relation to the matching of young people with suitable foster carers. Policies have been updated in relation to short-term breaks, preparing young people for independent or semi-independent living, the use of restraints and case recording. Systems for monitoring and controlling the activities of the agency have been improved to ensure that the agency continues to improve.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Foster Care Co-operative promotes the physical, mental and emotional health of young people placed with the agency. The agency obtains health information about any young person to be placed with foster carers at the time of referral. This enables appropriate foster carers to be identified who can meet the specific health needs of the young person. All available information is shared with the foster carers so that they are able to meet the young person's needs. Consent for medical treatment is in place for most young people; where it is not in place the agency makes every effort to obtain this information. The arrangements for giving consent are recorded in the agency's computer records. However, not all foster carers have a written copy of the arrangements, although they are aware of the arrangements. This could result in the delay in young people receiving appropriate treatment.

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Helping children to be healthy

Foster carers ensure that young people's health needs are met by registering young people with local health care practitioners and keeping a record of health appointments and their outcomes. Specialist support, such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are accessed where this is identified in the young person's care plan.

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Helping children to be healthy

Foster carers receive appropriate guidance, training and support in respect of health issues, which ensures that they are sufficiently skilled and knowledgeable to promote the health of young people who are fostered by the agency. The agency has in place detailed policies and procedures, which establish their expectations of carers. Foster carers are supported in their role in promoting young people's health, through regular supervision and training. In addition, the agency employs a health liaison worker, who is available to provide support to foster carers and young people where this is required. She also regularly monitors the health progress of young people. Recording systems support the task of monitoring and controlling health interventions.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The agency strives to ensure that young people are kept safe whilst placed with their foster carers.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff at the agency are well qualified, experienced and knowledgeable to undertake their roles. The agency has improved its recruitment processes since the last inspection. The processes are comprehensive and thorough. However, the agency retains Criminal Record Bureau checks on staff files until such checks have been seen by an inspector. This is contrary to the agency's procedures and may breach staff members' confidentiality. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: The Foster Care Co-operative Ltd,24 August 2009 The agency ensures foster homes are suitable for the young people who are placed there. Each young person has their own bedroom; this promotes young people's privacy. The agency ensures that foster homes are safe to accommodate young people by undertaking health and safety checks and unannounced visits. These checks assess the safety of the home, its surroundings and vehicles used by foster carers. The agency provides training and guidance to foster carers

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people have been placed with foster carers who have the skills to meet their needs. The agency has improved their documentation and procedures since the last inspection. They now have comprehensive procedures to ensure that young people are placed with suitable foster carers. Young people are encouraged to meet with foster carers prior to the placement taking place, where this is possible.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All referrals are taken by the Placement Co-ordinator, who seeks all available information from the placing authority. This is discussed with supervising social workers to identify suitable foster carers. All available information is discussed with the foster carer so that they can make an informed decision as to whether they feel able to meet a young person's needs. Foster carers feel that the agency has taken care over the matching process and that only those young people whose needs they could meet are placed with them. However, there have been occasions where young people have been placed with foster carers outside the carers' approval range. Generally where this happens, a request for a variation is made to the agency decision maker, who decides whether the placement is appropriate. The matter is also presented to the next fostering panel for their consideration. In some cases this process has not been fully followed. This has the

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

potential for placements to be made that are not fully suitable for the young people placed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people's welfare is safeguarded by the agency's high priority in ensuring that foster carers are aware of how to keep young people safe. Detailed risk assessments are developed at the time of a young person's placement with foster carers, so that any risks can be managed and minimised. The agency has clear policies and procedures, which are known by staff and foster carers if they have concerns about the safety of a young person. The agency responds appropriately to safeguarding and child protection matters.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Foster carers are trained in safe caring practices as part of the pre-approval training and all foster homes have general safe caring guidelines which are established at the point of approval. However, not all safe caring guidelines have been updated to reflect any risks within the placement for the young people placed. Guidelines have not been signed or dated by the placing social worker, therefore the plans do not evidence that safe care plans are relevant to the young people in placement and that all risks have been assessed. This could potentially negatively impact on the young person's care.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The agency has updated its policy with regards to the use of restraint by foster carers. This provides detailed information for foster carers. All foster carers are being provided with robust training in relation to the use of restraints in conjunction with training on behaviour management. All foster carers are aware of how to de-escalate difficult situations. This ensures that restraint is only used in appropriate settings, by foster carers who are appropriately trained.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The fostering panel is chaired by an experienced chairperson, who ensures that all issues are thoroughly explored before a decision as to applicants' suitability is made. The panel includes members with expertise in child health, education and a person who has been looked after. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: The Foster Care Co-operative Ltd,24 August 2009 This ensures a good blend of expertise, knowledge and experience. The members of the panel are subject to the same vetting processes as other staff.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The panel is effective in raising the quality of work presented to them through their quality assurance role and do not agree to all recommendations made by assessors in respect of foster carer's approval, as their priority is to ensure the wellbeing of young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Young people placed with foster carers are encouraged to enjoy and achieve as staff and carers are aware of the importance of promoting individual needs within the foster placement.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The agency actively seeks to recruit foster carers that can meet the diverse needs of the young people that it places. Its policies and procedures explicitly promote diversity and equality and its importance in achieving a high standard of care for young people.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The agency obtains all relevant information in relation to a young person at the point of referral so that an appropriate match can be made. Staff use a matching form that identifies young people's individual needs in relation to ethnicity and culture. It seeks to place young people with foster carers who meet their needs. When young people are placed with foster carers who do not reflect their cultural or ethnic background, the agency ensures they meet their needs in other ways. The agency provides further training and advice as required. Staff ensure that issues of diversity and equality are considered throughout the placement, including it as a topic during regular supervision visits with foster carers. Foster carers encourage young people to participate in their religion and develop a positive sense of identity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Foster Care Co-operative has a proactive approach to education, which supports young people to achieve outstanding outcomes in relation to their education. The agency carries out effective monitoring of educational outcomes and ensures foster carers are skilled to support and help young people achieve their potential. This provides young people with a firm grounding for future education, training and employment.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Foster carers support young people to join in activities with their peer group in school and in extra-curricular activities. This enables them to develop social skills and self-esteem.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Foster carers are confident in meeting the educational needs of young people as they are supported in this task by regular supervision and by the agency's education liaison worker. Foster carers advocate for young people so that their educational needs are addressed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The agency provides short-term breaks for young people, effectively supporting the main carer within the young person's birth family. The agency has now developed detailed policies and procedures to differentiate this type of placement from other placements. This ensures that there is clarity about roles and responsibilities in relation to the care of young people receiving short-term breaks.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Foster Care Co-operative and their foster carers effectively support young people to maintain contact with their family and friends, where this is consistent with the young person's care 7 of 11 Inspection Report: The Foster Care Co-operative Ltd,24 August 2009 plan. Contact arrangements are considered as part of the matching process to ensure that the carer can meet the complex needs of young people's contact arrangements. Foster carers maintain well-structured records for young people including information relating to contact arrangements and visits. Contact arrangements are discussed on a regular basis as part of the foster carer's supervision and the agency provide training to foster carers regarding the importance of contact and their role in it.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The agency has begun to develop systems to consult with young people and all interested parties to ensure that the agency continues to improve and to ensure that it meets the needs of the young people placed with its foster carers. Supervising social workers meet regularly with young people to offer them the opportunity to raise issues about their placement or care plans. This relationship is important in establishing communication with young people. Young people are also encouraged to contribute to foster carers' annual reviews.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Foster carers listen to the views and opinions of young people. They encourage them to participate in decision-making in the household. Foster carers encourage young people to have a voice and to develop the confidence to communicate their opinions.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are aware of how to make a complaint and are provided with information as to who to contact and what support is available to them; this information is included in the Children's Guide. If young people require additional assistance the agency will provide an independent advocate to ensure that the young person's voice is heard.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is satisfactory. The agency have employed a consultant in preparation for adulthood to train and support foster carers to assist young people to develop skills in preparation for adulthood. Foster carers assist young people to acquire age-appropriate independence skills and to develop practical skills for in the home and the community.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The agency have now developed written guidance and provide training for foster carers in respect of providing effective support and guidance to young people preparing to move into independent or semi-independent living.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The agency is well managed, with appropriate processes in place to ensure that young people are kept safe and their needs met. The agency has made numerous improvements to its quality assurance and monitoring procedures to ensure that the agency continues to develop and improve the level of care offered to young people.

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Organisation

The agency has updated its Statement of Purpose so that it now accurately reflects the operation of the agency. The agency has a comprehensive range of detailed policies to guide foster carers and social workers. This enables staff and foster carers to understand the aims and objectives of the agency.

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Organisation

Young people are informed about what they can expect from the agency and their foster carers whilst placed with the agency's foster carers through a Children's Guide. The agency has updated 8 of 11 Inspection Report: The Foster Care Co-operative Ltd,24 August 2009 the guides provided for young people, however, they still remain too complex to be easily understood by all young people. The agency is hoping to develop a guide based on work undertaken by one of the young people placed with foster carers, which is more age appropriate.

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Organisation

There has been an improvement in the monitoring and quality assurance processes used to analyse the operation of the agency. The monitoring of the agency has been strengthened by the recruitment of an experienced Deputy Director, who supports the work of the Registered Manager and takes responsibility for the running of the agency in the manager's absence. There is a high recognition amongst managers and staff of what the service does well and where development is required. Action plans are in place to rectify any gaps in the service identified by the monitoring processes.

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Organisation

Staff receive supervision from a suitably qualified and experienced senior person in the agency. Supervision addresses issues of practice and professional development. The social work and support staff are competent and knowledgeable in their field of practice. They undertake relevant training to increase their ability to support the fostering role. There is a good level of administrative support available to support the fostering task.

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Organisation

Foster Care Co-operative has sufficient staff to provide a high quality service to foster carers and young people. The agency seeks to recruit a range of foster carers from different backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures to reflect the community; this enables the agency to make racially and culturally appropriate placements. The agency has 84 approved foster carer households, who provide 92 placements for young people. The agency has a clear recruitment strategy, which centres on recruiting foster carers who can meet the complex needs of the young people requiring foster placements. There is a robust process for assessing prospective foster carers. Assessment reports are completed to a high standard and test the required qualities, competences and aptitudes of the prospective foster carers.

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Organisation

Foster Care Co-operative has a clear strategy for supporting foster carers and carers commented positively about the support they receive from the service. Foster carers are clear about the fostering service's expectation of them and of the support they will receive, as this is identified in the Foster Care Agreement.

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Organisation

Excellent support is offered to foster carers by the agency. Foster carers are encouraged to attend support groups to enable them to meet with other foster carers and the staff to discuss issues of practice. Foster carers are provided with a detailed foster care handbook. Supervision of foster carers takes place on a regular basis and unannounced visits are also undertaken to ensure the safety of young people. Improvements to the review of foster carers' approval ensures that the agency is confident that foster carers remain suitable to provide care for young people.

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Organisation

Foster carers attend core training and are offered a wide range of supplementary training. Improvements in the venues for training enables foster carers to attend training local to their homes. This will hopefully encourage increased attendance at training events. The agency has introduced the Children's Workforce Development Council training programme for foster carers. Foster carers are made aware their training is standardised and participation is now compulsory.

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Organisation

The agency ensures that an up-to-date, comprehensive record is maintained for each foster carer and young person. Supervising social workers and foster carers are aware that the 9 of 11 Inspection Report: The Foster Care Co-operative Ltd,24 August 2009 maintenance of good records forms a safe and complete record for young people of their time in the 'looked after' system. They also understand that good information assists good, informed decision making about the young people while they are looked after. All information both within the office and foster carers' homes is stored securely. The agency maintains a register of foster carers and young people.

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Organisation

The agency has changed the record-keeping system from paper based to a computer based system. This enables the agency to effectively monitor young people's and carers' records as essential information is clearly highlighted within the computer records and accurately reflects the work undertaken by the agency and its foster carers. The agency has developed its own foster placement agreement, which has recently been updated to comply with regulations. The foster placement agreement ensures that the agency has all the required information about a young person and the proposed placement. This is shared with foster carers so that they are clear as to how they are to meet the needs of a young person. However, not all supervising social workers have been using the updated agreement. This has the potential for foster carers to be uncertain as to the expectations of the placement.

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Organisation

The agency's promotion of equality and diversity is good. The agency endeavours to ensure that its foster carers, staff and fostering panel all reflect the diverse nature of the community. Foster Care Co-operative ensures young people participate in leisure activities and hobbies which reflect their interests. They support young people from minority backgrounds and those with disability to fully participate in activities and deal with discrimination. Young people's specific needs are carefully considered as part of the matching process, thus ensuring that young people are appropriately placed with suitable foster carers.

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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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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • provide all foster carers with written details regarding the arrangements for giving consent for the child to receive medical treatment (NMS 12.3) • ensure that Criminal Record Bureau checks are not kept on staff or foster carers' files (NMS 15.3) • ensure that all young people are carefully matched with a foster carer capable of meeting their assessed needs. Where a young person is placed outside the carers' approved range, the agency's procedures are followed in seeking the agency decision makers agreement to the placement (NMS 8.1) • ensure that safe caring guidelines reflect the assessment of risk carried out by the fostering service when a child is placed (NMS 9.3) 10 of 11 Inspection Report: The Foster Care Co-operative Ltd,24 August 2009 • ensure the children's guides to the fostering service are suitable for all children fostered

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Recommendations

through the service, specifically by reviewing the formats in which they are provided to make them more accessible (NMS 1.5) • ensure that an up-to-date, comprehensive case record is maintained for each child or young person in foster care, with specific reference to an up-to-date foster placement agreement. (NMS 24.1) 11 of 11 Inspection Report: The Foster Care Co-operative Ltd,24 August 2009

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