Setting

X10029.doc Version 1.40 Page 1 FOSTERING SERVICE

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Lead Inspector Rossella Volpi Announced Inspection 1 st November 2005 10:00 Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 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 Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 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. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 4

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Name of service

Address The Courtyard 303 Hither Green Lane London SE13 6TJ

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of places

Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 5

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Conditions of registration:

Date of last inspection 13th October 2004

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Brief Description of the Service:

The Adolescent and Children’s Trust (TACT) is an independent fostering agency. It is a limited company with charitable status. The charity was started about 10 years ago. TACT is managed by a senior management team, which reports to a board of trustees. The current management team has been in place for about 3 years and consists of the head of social work, the business manager and the chief executive. The chief executive is the designated decision maker for the agency. Finance and human resources services are centralised. The day-to-day management of the London branch is delegated to the branch registered manager: Ms Griffith-Jones, who leads a team of staff and is assisted by two area managers. Tact has recently taken over two fostering agencies, one in London and one in Kent, which were both small charities. Tact has also become an adoption agency. The agency’s main aim is to recruit, approve and support foster carers for

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Brief Description of the Service:

looked after children needing substitute family care. Tact aims to provide planned and emergency placements for children and young people looked after by local authorities, permanent foster placements, a supervised contact service, an outreach support service for carers, children and young people using the service. Tact endeavours to ensure that everybody who comes into contact with the fostered child or young person promotes their welfare and safeguards their interests. It aims to work closely with the child or young person’s family and the placing authorities. The Hither Green office deals with the central administration of the organisation and is the premises for the London (South East) branch of the operation. The north London office closed in December 2003 and joined the south London branch. At the time of inspection, the south London branch had 46 placements and 47 approved foster care families.

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Brief Description of the Service:

Tact also has regional branches in Wales, Liverpool, Bristol, Birmingham and the East Midlands. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 6

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SUMMARY

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

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SUMMARY

Two inspectors (Maggie Edwards and Rossella Volpi) conducted this inspection of the London Branch over several days, during November 2005. (The planning meeting with the manager was held in October 2005). The inspection included interviews with carers/children, discussion with members of the management team and the chair of the panel, group discussion with supervising social workers, group discussion with the administrative team, observation of one panel’s session, observation of a carers’ training session and of a support group meeting, inspection of files and other records. The provider supplied written information and documents for the inspection. Questionnaires were sent to children in placement, carers, supervising social workers and placing authorities.

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SUMMARY

The direct quotes that had been included in the draft report, to better give a feel of opinions and views expressed by different people / groups of people, were removed in the final report following responses from Tact.

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What the service does well:

The organisation continued to be child centred and the quality of foster care provided was, on the whole, of a very good standard.

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What the service does well:

The agency was working above the national minimum standards regarding carers’ support. The main reasons for this conclusion were the wide range of support provided not only to carers, but also to children placed and children who foster; the responsiveness of the agency to specific needs; the strong commitment to involving carers and children in developing services and the very positive feedback from carers.

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What the service does well:

Other areas where the agency was considered to provide an excellent service were: - Education: because of the great emphasis placed on this area, leading to positive outcomes for a significant number of individual children. The agency had appointed an education resource worker to enhance support for children and carers, including ensuring that appropriate personal educational plans would be in place for every child. A child particularly commented on the importance of education being emphasised and suggested that Tact should give more training to foster carers so that they could help children with their studies.

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What the service does well:

- Participation, because of the range of imaginative and innovative projects started and planned to ensure that children and young people would have a central role and a high profile in all aspects of the conduct of the agency, nationally, including recruitment, preparation and training. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 7 - The monitoring and controlling of the activities of the service. This was because of the particularly thorough process of business and financial review of the service, as evidenced mainly from discussion with the business manager. This was the second year that Tact had produced performance indicators across the five outcome areas specified by central government in “Every Child Matters”, as a tool to aid the annual assessment and review of the agency.

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What the service does well:

There were also many areas were good practice was demonstrated. Tact was very thorough in the matching process of children’s needs to carers’ skills and expertise. It was noted that referrals had not been accepted, when an appropriate match could not be found, even though the agency had a number of vacancies at the time. Careful consideration was given to culture, race and religion in the matching process. The agency used interpreters and had formed links with cultural centres or community groups to help children to follow their cultural tradition and speak their first language. Efforts had been made to recruit carers from the background of the children referred.

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What the service does well:

There was an experienced panel, effectively chaired, thorough in the process of assessing and reviewing carers’ suitability and well supported by the administration team.

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What the service does well:

The premises of the carers were homely and nurturing. Although a very small sample was seen, the findings were consistent with those of previous inspections.

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What the service does well:

The agency was committed to maintaining and developing family contact and friendships, recognising the central role played by the child’s birth family. The office premises provided suitable facilities, separate from the office area, for contact to take place.

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What the service does well:

Overall discussion with carers, children and staff, demonstrated Tact’s enthusiasm for providing a service that would benefit children.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Work had continued to expand the agency’s role in enhancing children and young people’s influence on the service, support to carers and education achievement, as discussed above.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Files and documents were being reviewed to ensure that case files would better evidence the service provided to children, while cutting down on unnecessary paperwork.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Staff at all levels said that the incorporation of the two other agencies into Tact (London) had brought more expertise and diversity of outlook, thus enriching the team. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 8 Assessments of carers were all done by the supervising social workers only (and no longer by free-lance social workers). This had brought more consistency in the assessments and in the good quality of the work, although it had increased the workloads.

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What they could do better:

Although overall the agency had provided a very good service, there were a number of dissatisfactions in the supervising social workers’ (SSWs) team about the way in which they were managed and supported by the organisation.

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What they could do better:

SSWs raised many positive points about the service and also discussed some positive aspects of management / individual managers. However, overall, they considered that the organisation was not using SSWs’ skills appropriately and that it did not value diversity in their staff team. They said that they were not encouraged to raise issues of concern, not even when these related to suitability of carers. They experienced inflexibility in the organisation and felt that their professionalism was not recognised. They considered that this was mainly caused by the inexperience and anxiety of some managers. They also felt that there was a strong pressure to fit in with the established management group and not to challenge their views.

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What they could do better:

There was no evidence that this had yet affected the quality of their work, but it was a serious issue for the organisation to address well and urgently. The social work team is crucial to any agency’s ability to provide support to carers, monitoring the work of carers, ensuring that suitable assessments of carers are made and overall, therefore, protecting children and promoting their welfare.

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What they could do better:

SSWs also raised that while support to carers was generally excellent, their workload did not take into account the often very much longer travelling time to see carers in North London.

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What they could do better:

Although the agency had acted on the previous inspection requirement, regarding the need to conduct checks on members of the panel, these had not yet been completed.

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What they could do better:

The manager had identified a need to focus recruitment campaigns of carers on meeting the needs of white children across South London. Also the need to better retain carers through periods when placements are low and carers would carry vacancies for prolonged periods of time. It was understood that the management review of the service was looking at these issues.

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What they could do better:

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. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 9

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CONTENTS

Statutory Requirements Identified During the Inspection Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 10

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The intended outcomes these Standards are:

• 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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JUDGEMENT – The intended outcomes for these Standards are

We looked at outcomes for standard(s): 12

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JUDGEMENT – The intended outcomes for these Standards are

Tact took seriously the promotion of health for children. Health needs were identified and action taken to ensure that children received health care, guidance and lived in a healthy environment.

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EVIDENCE:

The health and wellbeing of the children and young people was given priority.

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EVIDENCE:

From discussion with staff, carers, children and examination of files, it was noted that carers supported children to attend statutory checks, liaised with specialist health care professionals when needed and were expected to provide a nutritious and balanced diet. Detailed health information was sought at the time of referral. The agency had developed individual health records for each child in placement.

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EVIDENCE:

The foster carers training programme included topics on a variety of health, safety and hygiene issues. The agency supported carers in advocating for resources to access any health services the children required. It was understood that training and support groups led by supervising social workers addressed cultural and religious needs regarding health care. This would then ensure that carers would be confident in supporting children and liaising with birth families whose needs or believes were different from their own.

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EVIDENCE:

Foster carers were expected to attend the child or young person’s reviews to provide information regarding the child’s health needs and to contribute to the planning and reviewing process.

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EVIDENCE:

A health professional had been appointed as a member of the panel. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 11 A carer said that when she asked for specialist training, to help her support a baby with drug addition withdrawal symptoms, it could not be provided. This was discussed with the managers. They were taking steps to find a suitable trainer for the future. They also said that no such placement would be taken now, unless they were satisfied that appropriate training could be offered to the carer involved. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 12

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The intended outcomes 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, and 15 the key

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

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JUDGEMENT – The intended outcomes for these Standards are

We looked at outcomes for standard(s): 3, 6, 8, 9, 15, 30

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JUDGEMENT – The intended outcomes for these Standards are

Children, carers, staff and placing social workers considered that the agency promoted children’s welfare. Children were supported to raise concerns. There was a robust vetting process in place for carers and staff, which included the taking of statutory checks and references, although these had not yet been completed for all panel members. The fostering panel monitored the operation of the agency, particularly the assessment of carers and the matching process, thus playing an important role in safeguarding children.

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EVIDENCE:

Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 13 Tact continued to be, on the whole, very thorough in its approval procedures. This ensured carers who provided safe, healthy and nurturing environments for the foster children. The agency had a good record of stability of placements.

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EVIDENCE:

Tact had successfully liaised with those placing authorities who were failing in their duty to provide all the necessary information about children referred, thus potentially impairing the matching process and rendering the placement less safe. It was understood that while not yet solved, the incidence of inadequate information had diminished.

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EVIDENCE:

As well as its emphasis on proper matching, Tact aimed to protect each child from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and deprivation through appropriate vetting of carers and providing a high level of support and training.

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EVIDENCE:

The emphasis on enhancing participation and contact for children in their care, (as discussed above in the summary and below under the area entitled: ‘making a positive contribution’), were additional safeguards to ensure that children and young people had an influential voice and would be involved in the scrutiny of the service. Tact had recognised that a significant number of children, last year, had not seen a copy of the complaints’ procedure or of the children’s guide and had managed to improve this greatly. Tact was concerned that a high percentage of children were not given the opportunity by the placing authorities to talk to the reviewing officers. Tact was considering how to influence the authorities to expand such opportunity to more children.

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EVIDENCE:

Overall there were thorough recruitment and selection procedures to ensure the employment of appropriately qualified and experienced staff, vetted for their suitability to work with children. However, new panel members’ files did not yet have all the information required, although this was being sought at the time of inspection. (The requirement from last report is repeated).

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EVIDENCE:

The agency had received conflicting information regarding conducting criminal record bureau (CRB) checks on some members of staff, which had resulted in some inconsistencies about what checks could be sought. The agency assured that new CRB checks at an enhanced level would be sought in these cases, unless the forthcoming inspection by the Criminal Record Bureau, scheduled for December 2005, instructed them otherwise. It was agreed that the registered manager would contact CSCI (Southwark office) to discuss this after the CRB inspection. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 14 Carers provided safe and healthy environments. A comprehensive health and safety form was completed during the assessment process. It was understood that the previous recommendation (that more emphasis is given to writing clear descriptions of the rooms and space provided in new assessments) would

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EVIDENCE:

be acted upon. This is repeated for the time being as there had not been enough new assessments to properly follow this up. Placing social workers also commented on the too limited space provided for children in some cases.

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EVIDENCE:

Training was provided on promoting and safeguarding the welfare of the child during the ‘Skills to Foster’ course. There were also additional courses on health and safety, child protection and safe caring in the training programme. One of these sessions was observed during the inspection.

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EVIDENCE:

Supervising social workers would check documentation relating to the foster carer’s vehicles and household insurance.

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EVIDENCE:

The agency tried very hard to appropriately match the children to the carers. Consideration would be given to the child’s racial, ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic needs, but there was recognition that these could not always be fully met by the carer. Tact said that when carers were unable to reflect some of these needs, additional training and support was given. This would be identified in the written foster placement agreement. With the exception of emergency placements, the agency ensured that there was a period of introduction between child and carer.

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EVIDENCE:

The panel’s membership included representatives with a range of diverse skills ad experiences, effectively chaired by a professional, but independent chair. The panel was thorough in its discussions. It provided an important quality assurance tool, monitoring the conduct of the service.

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EVIDENCE:

There were a couple of important issues, regarding the composition of the panel, that Tact was going to address at a forthcoming panel review day. One was about the role of the manager on the panel, as an advisor and not therefore as a voting member. The other was about the interpretation of the regulation regarding the responsible individual or one of the directors needing to be a member of the panel. Tact was constituted with a chief executive and trustees, as opposed to directors. This will be followed up with the agency after their review day. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 15

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The intended outcomes 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 – The intended outcomes for these Standards are

We looked at outcomes for standard(s): 7, 13

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JUDGEMENT – The intended outcomes for these Standards are

The agency strived to provide a service that valued diversity. There was evidence that supervising social workers saw this as an integral part of all aspects of their work. Their efforts and commitment might be impaired, however, from what they perceived as a lack of value for this by the management team.

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JUDGEMENT – The intended outcomes for these Standards are

Education was actively promoted. This would encourage young people to achieve to the best of their abilities.

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EVIDENCE:

Tact had continued their excellent work to improve and promote the educational achievements of the children placed. An education consultant was available to offer support to children and foster carers, with particular emphasis on school placements and exclusions. The issue of education was covered in supervising social workers visits. Tact conducted surveys on school attendance for children in their care and looked at the result to inform their deployment of resources, to improve outcomes overall and for individual children. Carers were clearly expected to support their foster child educationally. They would contribute to the assessment of the children’s educational needs and progress in the planning and review process. Reviews presented to panel would incorporate the education assessment of each child in placement.

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EVIDENCE:

It was difficult to properly assess, on this occasion, how effective Tact was in valuing and promoting diversity. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 16 There continued to be evidence of work to ensure that diversity and equality issues would be seen as integral to the training and recruitment of an ethnically and culturally diverse group of carers and staff. Tact’s policies promoted diversity and anti-discriminatory practice. There continued to be evidence of commitment to ensure that children were provided with a service that valued diversity. For example interpreters were used for children for whom English was not their first language; attempts had been made to establish links with relevant cultural centres. The agency had made efforts to recruit carers from racial groups and communities that reflected those of the actual or potential referrals. There had been joint training with staff and panel members around diversity

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EVIDENCE:

issues and more was planned for staff and carers.

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EVIDENCE:

However discussion with the supervising social workers, while giving evidence of their strong commitment to diversity, also gave evidence of concerns and even disillusionment with some aspects of management of the staff team, regarding diversity. While this might not have affected yet the service received by carers and children, it was a serious issue, which management would need to resolve.

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EVIDENCE:

Short-term breaks were not usually provided by the agency. (The ones provided were to give a break to existing carers and therefore would not be in the remit of standard 31). Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 17

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The intended outcomes 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 – The intended outcomes for these Standards are

We looked at outcomes for standard(s): 10, 11

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JUDGEMENT – The intended outcomes for these Standards are

The agency promoted contact and consultation. This was an important means to enhance protection and more responsive care arrangements, by ensuring that children and their birth families would have a voice and influence on the service.

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EVIDENCE:

Tact saw maintaining family contact as integral to the service it provided. Children, carers, families and placing authorities confirmed this. Sessions on the management and promotion of contact were provided in the carers’ training programme. Tact established links with churches or community groups to help children to follow their cultural tradition and speak their first language. This was seen as particularly important for children who had no significant family contacts in this country.

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EVIDENCE:

There was evidence on files that contact was addressed and recorded during the care planning process, at reviews, in the matching process and at foster panels. Efforts were made to ascertain the views and wishes of the child about contact with their family.

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EVIDENCE:

There was evidence of a commitment to listening to children and encouraging their involvement in decisions affecting their lives. Children’s views were sought by supervising social workers and the aim was to see each child alone, on every third visit to carers. The children’s comments were recorded and incorporated in the carers’ annual reviews. The importance of this was addressed in carers’ training. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 18 Tact had a complaints’ policy and procedures that outlined the process and timescales. (Comments on this and the children’s guide are made above in the section entitled: ‘Staying Safe’).

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EVIDENCE:

There was a range of interesting projects planned or started to enhance participation by children. One of the senior managers had a lead role in this area. He and the registered manager discussed some imaginative methods they were developing to ensure that children and young people would have a central role and a high profile in all aspects of the conduct of the agency, including recruitment, preparation and training. This included the establishment of groups of looked after children and of children who fostered, meeting regularly, with independent facilitators and receiving the training and support they would need to make their role influential. Already a group of 3 or 4 children was being identified to host a carers’ event in April 2006; another was being involved in a conference on education run by a national organisation, in partnership with Tact. Tact envisaged that such children’s groups, in time, would provide

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EVIDENCE:

consultation and advice to the fostering service and would have a direct impact on practice, evaluation and change.

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EVIDENCE:

It was planned to produce the children’s guide in a video format and to make increased use of websites and other technology used by children and young people, to make exchange of information more effective and widen participation. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 19

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The intended outcomes 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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The Commission considers Standards 29 the key standard to be

inspected at least once during a 12 month period.

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JUDGEMENT – The intended outcomes for these Standards are

We looked at outcomes for standard(s): 14, 29

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JUDGEMENT – The intended outcomes for these Standards are

Tact prepared young people for independence by helping them to acquire practical skills and involving them in decisions regarding their future. Tact ensured that each carer received the correct allowance and agreed expenses as specified.

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EVIDENCE:

Comments from young people (either directly or as reported by carers or social workers) indicated that they were consulted and involved in decisions about their future.

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EVIDENCE:

Carers’ annual reviews considered preparation for independence as part of the competencies of caring. Tact had compiled a guide to young people leaving care. This included practical information on subjects like budgeting, housing, health and benefits. Carers had received training on helping young people to prepare for independence. Carers spoken with, who had teenagers placed with them, understood that they needed to provide young people with developmentally appropriate opportunities for learning independence skills.

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EVIDENCE:

Tact had a clear policy on carers’ allowances and expenses, which was reviewed on an annual basis. Carers said that the allowances continued to be paid promptly and on time and that it was an efficient payment system. Tact was consulting with carers, at the time of inspection, about how to streamline and simplify the system of allowances. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 20

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The intended outcomes 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 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, and 24 the key standards

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

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JUDGEMENT – The intended outcomes for these Standards are

We looked at outcomes for standard(s): 4, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25

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JUDGEMENT – The intended outcomes for these Standards are

Children benefited from an agency that was efficiently monitored. Carers benefited from excellent support. Attention needed to be given by management to ensuring appropriate support and valuing the work and diverse skills of the supervising social workers. This would be crucial for the agency to be able to continue to consistently promote children’s welfare.

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EVIDENCE:

Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 21 The registered manager and other senior managers were appropriately qualified. They had relevant professional child care experience. Lines of accountability were clear. Personnel files seen contained relevant job descriptions. There was evidence of clear and very thorough procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the fostering agency. This was done through the panel and through management information systems to ensure quality performance. The agency had completed a study of areas affecting the children in its care in a document entitled “Child care performance indicators”. This was the second year that such document had been compiled, following surveys. The indicators covered numbers of placement moves, education, health and after school activities. It was a very focused method of monitoring where improvements in

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EVIDENCE:

service should be targeted. It was particularly positive that a thorough assessment was done of what the statistics really meant. For example, when they showed a lower than expected incidence of bullying, it was followed up whether the way the figures had been collected reflected children’s perception.

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EVIDENCE:

The chief executive and the quality assurance manager were involved in a number of national working parties regarding services to looked after children; they kept staff informed on developments in good childcare practice.

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EVIDENCE:

Carers’ files contained the foster carers agreement form, which outlined the tasks and responsibilities of a carer’s role. Files were regularly audited and this included ensuring that visit notes would be child centred.

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EVIDENCE:

Financial systems were well organised and there were regular financial audits. The agency provided information regarding the charges for each of its fostering services, which were clear and detailed and which were available to purchasers of the services.

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EVIDENCE:

Carers felt well supported. They gave examples to illustrate how such support had enabled to maintain children in placement through some difficult times. Carers made very positive comments about the supervising social workers; it was evident that their work had been effective and very much appreciated.

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EVIDENCE:

The supervising social workers were proud of the support they had been able to give carers. Such support was extended to the children, particularly when the placing authorities’ support had not been regular. The supervising social workers and the team managers were clear of the appropriate boundaries of their involvement with children and of the different roles of the agency and of the placing authority. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 22 There was a clear strategy for working with and supporting carers and ongoing support groups for carers’ children. There was a comprehensive training programme for carers. Local carer support groups met regularly and a support group specifically for carers with children with challenging behaviour had been introduced.

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EVIDENCE:

Observation of a carers’ support group raised some doubts about the purpose and the benefit of the group. However, as this area was otherwise considered excellent, this will be followed up at future occasions. It would then be more apparent whether what was observed was significant, or just an isolated occurrence. The effectiveness of support and supervision of carers in North London, who had just been reallocated, would also need to be followed up at a future occasion; the previous recommendation is repeated. The guidance to supervising social workers regarding unannounced visits needed to be clarified, as it had caused some misunderstandings. (The manager, at the end of the inspection, said that this had been done, so no requirement is imposed). It was raised during the inspection whether some carers needed more guidance or training in letting go of children to whom they may have become very attached, so as to better help the children in their moves to independence

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EVIDENCE:

or to permanency. (From discussion with carers or children and from a comment by a placing authority).

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EVIDENCE:

Carers’ allowances were paid promptly and reviewed on an annual basis. Tact had clear arrangements for foster carers’ annual reviews.

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EVIDENCE:

Dissatisfactions and concerns were raised by the supervising social workers regarding aspects of the support they received from their managers. Some detailed feedback about the dissatisfactions was given to the registered manager at the end of the inspection. Other specific comments are made above in the summary and also in the body of the report, when discussing diversity. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 23

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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 3 Standard No Score 14 3 STAYING SAFE 29 3 Standard No Score 3 3 MANAGEMENT 6 3 Standard No Score 8 3 1 x 9 3 2 x 15 2 4 4 30 3 5 x 16 x ENJOYING AND ACHIEVING 17 3 Standard No Score 18 x 7 2 19 x 13 4 20 2 31 N/A 21 4 22 4 MAKING A POSITIVE 23 3 CONTRIBUTION 24 3 Standard No Score 25 3 10 3 26 x 11 4 27 x 28 x 32 N/A Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 24 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? Yes

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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 1 FS15 20. (1) (2) (3) The registered provider must ensure that all statutory checks are carried out on members of the fostering panel. To this end existing files must be reviewed and any gaps in the recruitment process rectified.

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

(Previous timescale of 31.05.05 not met, but action to comply had started). 01/02/06

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

2 FS7FS20 21. (4) (a) The registered provider must consult the supervising social workers regarding the dissatisfactions and concerns they have about aspects of their management and support. Having considered the issues, appropriate action must be taken to address the concerns. This must be in the context of offering appropriate support and re-building an effective and confident team, whose professionalism and diversity is valued. 01/03/06 Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 25

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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

1 FS6 That clear descriptions are written of the rooms and space provided in new assessments of carers.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

2 FS22 That the agency monitors that good support and supervision can be provided to carers in North London, including unannounced visits. This should take into account that such carers are geographically scattered, the time it takes to travel there, the workloads and the particular issues or challenges that such work needs to address.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

3 FS22FS23 That the agency monitors whether some carers need more guidance or training in letting go of children to whom they may have become very attached, so as to better help the children in their moves to independence or to permanency. Adolescent and Children`s Trust DS0000034000.V254141.R01.S.doc Version 5.0 Page 26

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Commission for Social Care Inspection

SE London Area Office Ground Floor 46 Loman Street Southwark SE1 0EH

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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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