Setting

X10029.doc Version 1.40 Page 1 FOSTERING SERVICE

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Lead Inspector Sharon Treadwell Announced Inspection 5th June 2006 09:00 Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 2 The Commission for Social Care Inspection aims to:

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• Put the people who use social care first • Improve services and stamp out bad practice • Be an expert voice on social care • Practise what we preach in our own organisation

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Reader Information Document Purpose Inspection Report Author CSCI Audience General Public Further copies from 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Copyright This report is copyright Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and may only be used in its entirety. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the express permission of CSCI Internet address www.csci.org.uk Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 3 This is a report of an inspection to assess whether services are meeting the needs of people who use them. The legal basis for conducting inspections is the Care Standards Act 2000 and the relevant National Minimum Standards for this establishment are those for Fostering Services. They can be found at www.dh.gov.uk or obtained from The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Crispins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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Every Child Matters, outlined the government’s vision for children’s services and formed the basis of the Children Act 2004. It provides a framework for inspection so that children’s services should be judged on their contribution to the outcomes considered essential to wellbeing in childhood and later life. Those outcomes are: • Being healthy • Staying safe • Enjoying and achieving • Making a contribution; and • Achieving economic wellbeing.

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In response, the Commission for Social Care Inspection has re-ordered the national minimum standards for children’s services under the five outcomes, for reporting purposes. A further section has been created under ‘Management’ to cover those issues that will potentially impact on all the outcomes above.

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Copies of Every Child Matters and The Children Act 2004 are available from The Stationery Office as above This report is a public document. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the prior permission of the Commission for Social Care Inspection. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 4

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Name of service

Address Level 2 Bridgford House Pavilion Road West Bridgford Nottingham NG2 5JG

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Name of service

Email address info@fosteringpeople.co.uk

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manager (if applicable)

Type of registration Fostering Agencies Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 5

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Conditions of registration:

Date of last inspection 8th November 2005

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Brief Description of the Service:

Fostering People Ltd is an independent fostering agency based in Nottingham. The agency recruits and manages foster carers across the East Midlands area in order to provide family placements for children who need to be looked after by local authorities.

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Brief Description of the Service:

The Registered Manager is supported by an Operational Manager and there are currently three full-time Social Workers (one full time post is vacant at the time of this inspection). The administration services are organised by an office manager and three clerical/administration assistants. The agency also has access to freelance workers to undertake occasional work such as independent reviewing, assessments and direct childcare work.

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Brief Description of the Service:

The agency’s Statement of Purpose is to offer emergency, short-term, bridging or long-term placements for children aged between 0 and 19 years old. At the time of this inspection Fostering People listed twenty-six approved fostering households and were offering looked after services to thirty-seven children.

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Brief Description of the Service:

The fees charged by the agency range from £658 per week for a child under four years to £1190 per week for a parent and child placement. The agency negotiates fees with placing authorities in relation to the placement of sibling groups.

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Brief Description of the Service:

Immediately prior to this inspection (in May 2006) there were significant changes to the shareholding of Fostering People Limited with a large shareholding being acquired by Foster Care Associates, a large, national Fostering Agency. Both the Registered Manager of Fostering People Limited and a Director of Foster Care Associates confirmed at the time of this inspection, the intention that this agency will continue to operate as a ‘stand alone’ Fostering Agency with no current planned personnel changes. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 6

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SUMMARY

This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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SUMMARY

This was a planned inspection carried out by two inspectors: Sharon Treadwell and Trisha Gibbs, with a pre-inspection visit being made to the agency on April 5th 2006.

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SUMMARY

For the purposes of this inspection five young people and the two foster carers with whom these young people were placed were tracked through the inspection of case files, home visits and discussions with young people, foster carers, placing social workers and relevant agency staff. An additional young person’s file, and that of his carers were also examined.

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SUMMARY

At the time of preparing this report, questionnaire responses had been received from 7 carers, 9 placing Social Workers and 10 young people, and the views contained in these have been reflected in the report. No comments have been received from the parents of the young people tracked.

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SUMMARY

The inspector did not attend a Fostering Panel since no panel meeting was due to take place close to this inspection. A panel was attended in November 2005 and the minutes of previous panel meetings were examined during this inspection and a discussion was held with the Panel Chair.

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SUMMARY

Prior to the inspection the Registered Manager provided the Commission for Social Care Inspection with a range of written information about the operation of the Fostering Agency.

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SUMMARY

No requirements have been identified during this inspection but eight recommendations have been made.

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What the service does well:

Foster Carers are well supported by a team of experienced professionals. The level of support provided, in particular the ‘out of hours’ service and the fact that you always deal with someone you know, are highly valued by foster carers.

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What the service does well:

Outcomes for the young people tracked during this inspection were very positive. All were happy in placement and achieving well.

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What the service does well:

Young people spoken to during the inspection and completing questionnaires reflected a high level of satisfaction with their fostering placements. Placing social workers’ questionnaires also reported satisfaction with outcomes for young people placed through the agency.

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What the service does well:

The agency is able to evidence co-operative working with placing authorities to facilitate better outcomes for young people in placement. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 7

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What has improved since the last inspection?

A requirement was identified during the previous inspection for better clarity in documenting panel recommendations and the subsequent decision of the Agency Decision Maker. The agency has improved recording systems in this area to give greater clarity.

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What they could do better:

The agency needs to standardise its recording systems and introduce greater consistency into its record keeping practices. Currently the records of both carers and young people do not always evidence the work being done by both agency staff and carers to achieve positive outcomes for young people. Current recording practices render the agency unable to evidence that the needs of young people, in relation to health and education particularly, are being appropriately met. Young people have no separate health record and there is no monitoring of their educational attendance or attainment.

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What they could do better:

The agency needs to develop written guidelines for its panel members.

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What they could do better:

Although carer and staff awareness of safe care is good, safe care policies are not in place in relation to young people currently in placement. Currently decisions around matching young people to appropriate placements are made following in depth discussions involving the agency, carers, placing authorities and young people but there is no written record evidencing this process. The result is that the agency records do not evidence that young people are correctly placed and safely cared for although observation of and discussion with carers and young people tracked clearly indicate this to be so.

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What they could do better:

The agency needs to ensure that carers and staff have a full awareness of child protection and safe care and should review the frequency of training provided.

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What they could do better:

The acquisition of a major shareholding in Fostering People Limited, by Foster Care Associates, will have considerable impact on the operation of the agency. The Registered Manager has confirmed that there will be a gradual integration of Foster Care Associates policies, procedures and recording systems (the inspector has working knowledge of these). In addition Fostering People Limited will have access to the Foster Care Associates database system to facilitate better collection of statistical data and carers will be able to access additional training and support group opportunities. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 8 Please contact the provider for advice of actions taken in response to this inspection. The report of this inspection is available from enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk or by contacting your local CSCI office. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 9

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CONTENTS

Statutory Requirements Identified During the Inspection Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 10

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The intended outcome for this Standard is:

• The fostering service promotes the health and development of children.(NMS 12)

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The Commission considers Standard 12 the key standard to be

inspected at least once during a 12 month period.

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12

Quality in this outcome area is adequate. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service.

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12

Young people’s health needs are appropriately met by carers but current recording systems for young people make it difficult to isolate information to demonstrate this.

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EVIDENCE:

Foster carers retain daily records of young people’s placements and those examined during the inspection as well as records of foster carers’ supervision, evidence that young people’s health needs are given appropriate consideration. The young people tracked were all registered with a GP and were receiving appropriate dental and optical treatment.

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EVIDENCE:

The files tracked evidenced that referrals were made promptly for young people to receive specialist medical intervention where this was appropriate for example: enuresis, sexualised behaviour, mental health, psychology or input from the Disability Team. Ten young people had been referred during the last year to the CAMHS service and six of these continued to receive support. One carer commented: ‘My link worker has been excellent, providing help, advice and assistance in all areas of our children’s needs, including getting therapeutic work’.

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EVIDENCE:

In their questionnaire responses nine young people said that their carers always gave them good advice about being healthy and one young person said this was usually the case.

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EVIDENCE:

The agency does not retain separate written health records in respect of young people, which are updated during placement and able to move with them. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 11 Not all of the files of the young people tracked contained full Looked After Children paperwork or in some cases this paperwork was unsigned. The agency is therefore in the position of not having consent for medical treatment in relation to some of the young people placed.

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EVIDENCE:

The Carers’ Handbook does not include any guidance for carers in relation to the storage and administration of medication. One of the young people tracked during the inspection had a high medication requirement and the Supervising Social Worker is commended on the development of a pro-forma Medication Administration Record for the carer to complete in relation to this young person. However another carer stated that she would record the issue of prescription medication, by the GP, in the daily diary but would not then record each administration. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 12

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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)

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The Commission considers Standards 3, 6, 8, 9, 15 and 30 the key

standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period.

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JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following Standard(s):

3, 6, 8, 9, 15, 30. Quality in this outcome area is adequate. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service.

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JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following Standard(s):

Discussions with carers, young people, staff and placing social workers confirm that young people are appropriately placed and safely cared for. The agency records do not provide good supporting evidence.

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EVIDENCE:

The agency has clear and comprehensive recruitment procedures and practices. Three personnel files were examined during the inspection and were retained in excellent order, containing full evidence of appropriate interview and appointment and subsequently of induction, supervision and performance appraisal. Since the previous inspection the agency has appointed an Operational Manager who has responsibility for placements and for supervision of social work and administrative staff. All current staff are appropriately qualified and experienced.

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EVIDENCE:

Annual Health and safety checks are undertaken on foster homes as an integral part of the annual review process. The Registered Manager was reminded during the inspection of the need to review the Health and Safety check where a carer’s household changes, for example where building work is Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 13 in progress and additional hazards may be present for young people in placement.

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EVIDENCE:

Both of the carer’s homes visited during this inspection were warm and comfortable, presented as extremely child focussed and provided a high standard of care to the young people in placement. Of the nine placing social workers completing questionnaires, five said the fostering service was excellent at ensuring that young people were well looked after and three said that they were good. One placing social worker commented: ‘The fostering service works extremely well with this child who can be very challenging and demanding. They ensure that the service is meeting all of his needs and ensure that his welfare and safety is paramount’.

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EVIDENCE:

The agency is commended on ensuring that a risk assessment is completed in relation to each young person, at the commencement of placement. This risk assessment is completed by or with the placing social worker and details how behaviours identified as high risk will initially be addressed. In the case of one young person tracked an excellent risk assessment had been completed by the local authority team for the deaf. The risk assessments completed at the time of placement are not subject to review or update as the young person’s placement progresses and the Registered Manager was advised during the inspection that linking the identification of risk with regular reviewing of safe care policies would ensure continuing appropriateness.

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EVIDENCE:

None of the carer’s files tracked contained a current safe care policy, relevant to the young people in placement. The carers visited confirmed that they had compiled written house rules at the time of their approval but that these had not been updated in consideration of the young people in placement. All carers are supplied with a copy of the Fostering Network ‘Safer Caring’ handbook at the time of their initial training and the Carers’ Handbook contains guidelines on both safe care and child protection. The safe care policy for each carer household should constitute a working document and should be reflective of the needs of the young people in placement. As such it needs to be subject to ongoing review as placements or needs of young people in placement alter.

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EVIDENCE:

The agency provides training and clear guidelines to carers about the management of young people’s behaviour and appropriate sanctions. There was clear recording by one of the carer’s tracked of instances requiring physical intervention.

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EVIDENCE:

Carer training records examined during the inspection indicate that the agency needs to review the frequency of training updates provided to carers in relation to both safe caring and child protection. During the inspection the inspector noted a situation, in relation to a disclosure by a young person where reporting procedures relating to child protection had Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 14 not been appropriately followed by agency staff. The agency must ensure that both staff and carers are fully aware of their responsibilities and of the mechanisms for reporting potential child protection issues.

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EVIDENCE:

The young people tracked during the inspection were noted to be very appropriately placed and both carers and staff spoke of good systems of consultation in relation to placing young people with high priority given to considering the match with young people already in placement. The inspectors noted evidence that, where shortfalls were apparent in the matching process, for example in terms of cultural or communication needs, that there was good input with carers to ensure their capacity to meet those needs. One carer providing placement to a young person with no verbal communication skills had been provided with training in sign language to facilitate communication. Written records however, provide little evidence of the matching process. The files tracked contained no evidence of consideration of young people’s needs in relation to the carer’s skills or of the potential impact of their placement on

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EVIDENCE:

other young people already in the foster home.

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EVIDENCE:

The Registered Manager was reminded during the inspection of the need for clarity regarding carer approval status, particularly in relation to the placement of siblings.

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EVIDENCE:

No panel was observed during this inspection. Three sets of panel minutes were examined and the Panel Chair was interviewed. The Panel Chair is newly appointed, having previously operated as the Vice Chair. The Chair was seen as confident and competent and spoke highly of other panel members as ‘knowledgeable and experienced’. He has recently undertaken BAAF training for panel chairs in preparation for his new role. Currently there are no written guidelines for panel members and these should be developed to include decision making when all members are not in agreement. Discussions were held with the Registered Manager about the need to clarify and separate the roles of Agency Decision Maker and Panel Advisor since currently she undertakes both these functions. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 15

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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)

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The Commission considers Standards 7, 13, and 31 the key standards

to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period.

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JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s):

7,13. Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service.

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JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s):

The agency supports its carers to appropriately meet young people’s educational and leisure requirements as well as their cultural, religious and disability needs. Progress and achievement, particularly in education, is not always well evidenced.

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EVIDENCE:

Good evidence was noted in relation to the young people tracked of carers working in partnership with supervising and placing social workers to ensure that young people’s cultural and disability needs were well met. There was evidence of the agency liaising well with a placing authority to ensure the provision of excellent support for a child with a disability in the provision of equipment, interpreter services and carer training.

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EVIDENCE:

The agency has carers approved from a range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds having 4 black Caribbean carers, one black African carer and one white/Asian carer household. One carer tracked was providing a placement for two young people with particular cultural and dietary needs and was meeting those needs well.

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EVIDENCE:

All of the young people tracked were noted to have made good educational progress whilst in their current placement. One young person almost at the end of his school life told the inspector that for the first time in his life he was enjoying learning. Another young person, who had previously had a seriously Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 16 disrupted educational history had recently been statemented and was receiving additional input to encourage progress and was thoroughly enjoying his educational experiences. One young person said ‘My carers want me to do really well and encourage me to do my best’. One carer visited had liaised well with a local school to obtain appropriate placements for two young people recently placed. In their questionnaires nine young people said their carers always helped them to be successful in their education and four out of seven carers rated the

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EVIDENCE:

support provided by the agency to help young people achieve educationally as excellent. One carer stated: ‘They (the agency) help us care for the young people in a way that we feel helps them towards a better future. The training and listening makes them the best company to work for. They have the same views as us-to give young people the best chance in life’.

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EVIDENCE:

Five out of nine placing social workers also rated the agency as excellent in promoting educational achievement and three rated them as good. One placing social worker commented: ‘J has really struggled with his education. Fostering People and the carers have worked well to support him and he is now settled and doing really well at school’.

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EVIDENCE:

The agency has no system to monitor young people’s educational attendance and attainment and young people’s files are not a good record of the significant educational achievements made in some cases. The Carers’ Handbook lacks clarity about responsibility for negotiating school places in respect of new placements and about what happens when a young person is excluded from school. Discussions with the Registered Manager indicate that systems are in place covering these areas but these need clarification. The Registered Manager was reminded of the need to ensure that copies of young people’s Personal Education Plans and Statements of Special Educational Needs are on their files.

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EVIDENCE:

Young people visited during the inspection spoke positively of their access to leisure activities. One young person had learnt to ride a horse whilst in placement whilst another considered himself an ‘expert BMX biker’ and demonstrated his acquired skills to the inspector. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 17

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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)

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The Commission considers Standards 10 and 11 the key standards to

be inspected at least once during a 12 month period.

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JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s):

10, 11. Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service.

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JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s):

Agency staff and carers consult regularly with young people to confirm that their foster placement meets all their needs.

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EVIDENCE:

Contact arrangements for young people were addressed well in the Looked After Children reviews of the young people tracked and carers kept good records of the impact of contact on the young people. The inspector noted good evidence that young people’s views were listened to and acted upon where a carer supported a young person to change contact frequency with a parent where the wishes of the young person were for reduced contact whilst the wishes of the parent were for an increase.

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EVIDENCE:

There was evidence in the files tracked during the inspection of foster carers working well with young people’s birth families. One carer was to be shown ‘how to make curry’ by a young person’s parent.

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EVIDENCE:

The agency seeks the written views of both fostered children and birth children at the time of the foster carer’s annual review.

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EVIDENCE:

Young people spoken to during the inspection were happy that their views were listened to by their carers. Young people’s questionnaires revealed that nine out of ten young people were always listened to by their carers and eight out of ten were always listened to by their placing social worker. The following comments were made: ‘We sit down as a family and chat about things to judge Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 18 what’s best’; ‘When I need to talk about anything I can talk to my carers’. A carer commented: ‘My support worker always makes time to chat to all the children to make sure they are OK with any decisions. The inspector spoke with the birth child of one foster carer who confirmed that he was spoken to by the supervising social worker and that he felt that he had ‘my own space’ when he needed it.

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EVIDENCE:

All young people receive a very personal letter of welcome to the agency when they are initially placed and additionally receive a Children’s Guide containing contact details for various children’s advocacy services. Nine of the ten young people completing questionnaires said that they knew how to make a complaint. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 19

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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)

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14, 29

Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service.

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14, 29

The agency is supporting carers well to make the transition into adulthood a positive experience for young people in placement. Carers are happy with the payment system.

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EVIDENCE:

Information supplied by the Registered Manager prior to the inspection notes that during the last year the agency has negotiated a number of agreements with placing local authorities for young people to remain with their foster carers post eighteen. This was discussed with the manager during the inspection and she clarified that these placements were not funded as foster placements despite making those placements unavailable to the agency until the young people moved on. It is to the agency’s credit that it was prepared to support foster carers to support young people in this way. One carer commented: ‘On a number of occasions I have had young people reach 18. The agency has not insisted that young people move straight away although they were using a bed that the agency could use. They have waited until the young person was ready to move in a planned way’.

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EVIDENCE:

Good evidence was noted with one of the young people tracked of effective liaison between the carer, supervising social worker and placing authority to endeavour to ensure that an appropriate resource was identified to provide appropriate adult care for a young person with very specific care needs. The carer was working well to try to equip the young person for adulthood and appropriate external resources were being used to obtain clear assessments of need. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 20 In response to the question ‘How well does the fostering service provide opportunities for young people to prosper?’, four out of nine placing social workers said the agency did an excellent job and four said they did a good job. Four out of seven carers said the agency did an excellent job of moving young people on in a planned way and three said they did a good job. All ten young people completing questionnaires said they were being helped

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EVIDENCE:

and supported to think about their future.

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EVIDENCE:

No issues were raised by carers in relation to their payments. One carer raised a concern relating to additional funding from a placing authority relating to a specific placement and the Operational Manager confirmed that this had been discussed with the placing authority and the carers. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 21

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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) • 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)

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The intended outcomes for these Standards are:

• 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) • Local Authority fostering services recognise the contribution made by family and friends as carers.(NMS 32)

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The Commission considers Standards 17, 21, 24 and 32 the key

standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period.

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JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s):

1, 16, 17, 21, 24, 25. Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service.

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JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s):

The agency is managed and staffed by experienced professionals who provide good support to carers and young people. Records are an inadequate reflection of the input provided. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 22

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EVIDENCE:

The agency’s Statement of Purpose is reflective of the aims and objectives of Fostering People Limited and of the nature of placements provided. The Registered Manager is aware that the Statement of Purpose will now need to be reviewed to reflect changes inherent in the incorporation with Foster Care Associates.

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EVIDENCE:

There have been changes to the staff team since the previous inspection. There is currently one Social Worker post vacant and recruitment is in process. The staffing complement is adequate to meet the needs of the fostering service. In terms of recent changes to management of the service, with the appointment of an Operational Manager, only one carer expressed dissatisfaction claiming that they felt ‘cut off from management. Two out of seven foster carers felt that the service provided by the agency had got better during the last year and four felt that there had been no change. Personnel files evidenced a good level of staff supervision and appraisal and staff spoken to were happy with the training opportunities provided by the agency. There is a good level of competent administrative support.

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EVIDENCE:

The carers visited and carers completing questionnaires spoke extremely highly of the support they received. In questionnaires several carers rated the fostering service as excellent in terms of the support provided to them to appropriately meet young people’s needs in terms of health, education, leisure and independence. Comments made were: ‘Good information provided, good support on the telephone and with visits, good training’; ‘The agency has a good professional attitude’. One placing social worker said of the agency: ‘They are very young person focussed, always wholly supportive of the foster carers and up to date with the young person’s needs’. Many carers spoke particularly positively of the agency’s out of hours service and of finding always talking to someone you know especially supportive in times of difficulty.

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EVIDENCE:

The agency carers are widely spread geographically making the organisation of support groups difficult. One group of carers based around Newark do operate a support group and this is financially supported by the agency.

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EVIDENCE:

Carer assessments are completed to a good standard and the agency is particularly commended on its use of an Independent Reviewing Officer and on the fact that every second review is taken back to the panel.

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EVIDENCE:

Regular entries are made in the records of both carers and young people. The carers tracked completed weekly summaries of young people’s placements in the form of a daily diary. It was noted however that one carer was maintaining one record in relation to siblings and this is not appropriate. Each young person must have a separate running record. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 23 There was a notable lack of standardisation and consistency in the records of both carers and young people. None of the files had a contents sheet, which would make records more easily accessible; pro-forma recording sheets (often in different colours to denote their nature) were sometimes used and sometimes not; some files had Looked After Children and/or educational paperwork missing; some hand written entries were extremely difficult to decipher; some foster carer entries do not differentiate well between fact and

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EVIDENCE:

opinion; records of carer supervision do not follow any particular format (although topics to be covered are stated on the pro-forma record) and it is often difficult to ascertain what topics have been covered. There is currently no evidence that files are audited by the agency’s management. As detailed elsewhere in this report this lack of consistency makes it difficult for the agency to evidence, in terms of its records, that the needs of young people in terms of health, education, safety and personal achievement are being appropriately met. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 24

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SCORING OF OUTCOMES

This page summarises the assessment of the extent to which the National Minimum Standards for Fostering Services have been met and uses the following scale.

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SCORING OF OUTCOMES

4 Standard Exceeded (Commendable) 3 Standard Met (No Shortfalls) 2 Standard Almost Met (Minor Shortfalls) 1 Standard Not Met (Major Shortfalls) “X” in the standard met box denotes standard not assessed on this occasion “N/A” in the standard met box denotes standard not applicable

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SCORING OF OUTCOMES

BEING HEALTHY ACHIEVING ECONOMIC Standard No Score WELLBEING 12 2 Standard No Score 14 4 STAYING SAFE 29 3 Standard No Score 3 3 MANAGEMENT 6 3 Standard No Score 8 2 1 3 9 2 2 X 15 3 4 X 30 2 5 X 16 3 ENJOYING AND ACHIEVING 17 3 Standard No Score 18 X 7 3 19 X 13 2 20 X 31 X 21 4 22 X MAKING A POSITIVE 23 X CONTRIBUTION 24 2 Standard No Score 25 2 10 3 26 X 11 3 27 X 28 X 32 x Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 25 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? No

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Fostering Services Regulations 2002 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action

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RECOMMENDATIONS

These recommendations relate to National Minimum Standards and are seen as good practice for the Registered Provider/s to consider carrying out.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

No. Refer to Standard Good Practice Recommendations

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RECOMMENDATIONS

FS25 The agency should introduce greater standardisation and consistency into its record keeping practices in order to better evidence the meeting of young people’s identified needs. 2 FS13 The agency should develop a system to monitor young people’s educational attendance and attainment and should ensure clarity for carers about responsibility for negotiating school places in respect of new placements and about what happens when a young person is excluded from school. 3 FS30 Written guidelines should be developed for panel members and these should include decision making when all members are not in agreement. 4 FS8 The agency should clearly evidence that the matching process includes full consideration of the assessed needs of the child, the views of all relevant professionals and the prospective carers and the needs of any other young Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 26

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RECOMMENDATIONS

people in placement. 5 FS9 The agency needs to review the frequency of training provided to carers in relation to both safe caring and child protection and must ensure that both carers and staff are fully aware of their reporting responsibilities in relation to disclosures by young people indicating child protection concerns. 6 FS9 The safe care policy for each carer household should constitute a working document and should be reflective of the needs of the young people in placement. 7 FS12 The agency should ensure its capacity to give consent for emergency medical treatment and should ensure that carers are given clear guidance relating to their position in relation to this and to the storage and administration of medication. 8 FS12 The agency should provide carers with a written health record for each child placed in their care, which should be updated during placement and move with the child. Fostering People Ltd DS0000043914.V287523.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 27

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Commission for Social Care Inspection

Leicester Office The Pavilions, 5 Smith Way Grove Park Enderby Leicester LE19 1SX

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Commission for Social Care Inspection

National Enquiry Line: 0845 015 0120 Email: enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk Web: www.csci.org.uk © This report is copyright Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and may only be used in its entirety. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the express permission of CSCI

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