National Fostering Agency

National Fostering Agency Inspection report for independent fostering agency

p.1

Unique reference number SC038843 Inspection date 04/08/2011 Inspector Clive Lucas / Kristen Judd Type of inspection Social Care Inspection

p.1

Setting address National Fostering Agency, 2 Quay View Business Park, Barnards Way, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 2HD

p.1

Telephone number 01502 588349 Email Registered person National Fostering Agency Limited Registered manager Paul Kent Responsible individual Iain Anderson Date of last inspection 16/11/2007 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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

p.2

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

p.2

About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.3

About this inspection

This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and the relevant National Minimum Standards for the service.

p.3

The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

p.3

Brief description of the service

This registered service is a branch of the National Fostering Agency, which operates across England, Scotland and Wales. This registered office is based in Lowestoft with a sub office in Bromsgrove. It covers an area consisting of East Anglia, the Midlands and the North East. All support social workers are home based.

p.4

Brief description of the service

The agency works with local authorities to provide foster placements for children who, for a range of different reasons, have been assessed as requiring foster care. They offer placements for unaccompanied asylum seeking children, mothers and babies, sibling groups and children who need to be placed alone.

p.4

Summary

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

p.4

Summary

Overall the service provides a good standard of care for young people, with some areas being outstanding. Carers are very positive about the agency, and young people are very happy with their care. Many commented upon feeling part of the foster family. There are particularly good relationships between young people and carers. Supporting social workers provide a high level of support to carers and there is very good matching of carers and young people. This all helps to provide stable placements. The agency is particularly good at consulting with young people. Overall the process on assessing carers, taking them to panel and making decisions on their suitability is sound. However, there are some shortfalls, such as ensuring the quality of all reports that go to panel.

p.4

Summary

Supporting social workers provide a good level of supervision for carers, but not all carers get regular unannounced visits. There are some strengths in the quality assurance processes in the organisation, but also some areas that are not working as well as they could. Notifications of significant events are made, but sometimes they are delayed. The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Services are child centred and identify and meet individual young people's needs well. There are some good levels of support for young people who do not speak English well, but the children's guide is not routinely translated for them.

p.4

Improvements since the last inspection

Following the previous inspection requirements and recommendations were made relating to employment checks, information for carers, training and records.

p.4

Improvements since the last inspection

Employment checks were looked at as part of a concurrent inspection of another registered office in the organisation, where all recruitment records are kept. These records show that appropriate recruitment checks take place to help safeguard young people from contact with adults who may pose a risk to them. Carers get appropriate information about young people whenever the agency have that information. The agency will actively try to get this information if it is not forthcoming. Support social workers make sure that carers are aware of the purpose of placements. This clarity for carers helps to ensure that placements can meet young people's needs. Agency staff receive a good level of training to help them in their role. Both they and carers are clear about processes for keeping, checking and storing records, so that information on young people is accurate and confidential.

p.4

Helping children to be healthy

Young people using the fostering service have their needs clearly identified and well met by the agency and by carers, so that their health is promoted. They are all registered with basic health services such as doctors, opticians and dentists. In addition, when young people need additional, more specific health services these are sought, so that they have access to the services they need. Carers provide support for young people to promote their health through practice and discussions, as is consistent with family life.

p.5

Helping children to be healthy

The suitability of foster homes is considered during the assessment process and is routinely checked to ensure that young people have suitable accommodation to meet their needs. Carers encourage young people to take part in activities and interests that are appropriate to their age and needs. These range from family activities to organised group activities and clubs. This provides young people with opportunities to develop physically and emotionally.

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The vast majority of young people said that they are always well cared for. One young person said: 'I feel safe and happy with this family because I feel I am part of the family and they always help me.' Another said: 'I always feel safe when I am around my carers.' Carers and agency staff have a good understanding of safeguarding issues relating to the young people who they are looking after, especially if they have specific needs or vulnerabilities. This helps to safeguard young people. Carers and young people have positive relationships, which help to develop a culture of openness. Consequently, potential risks to young people are more likely to be indentified and it is easier for young people to discuss them with carers. There is a clear and comprehensive policy to inform carers and agency staff what they should do if a young person is missing. As a result of this, people know how to act appropriately to safeguard young people who are missing from care while they are

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people have very positive relationships with foster carers. This forms a sound basis for carers to provide an environment and culture that promotes and supports positive behaviour for young people. Carers have training in managing positive behaviours so that they can be effective in promoting this in young people. Supporting social workers have very regular conversations with carers about any issues relating to young people in placement. Young people made comments such as, 'I am very happy where I am and never want to be anywhere else', and were extremely positive about their carers. One young person said: 'I want to say that everyone here has been really supportive.' One carer said: 'It is a privilege to be part of (this agency) as all children come first.' Carers say that they get the information available to the fostering service about young people's circumstances, so that they can understand and predict the young people's behaviours.

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Carers are very supportive of young people in helping them to develop and pursue leisure activities and interests. They will provide suggestions, support and opportunities for young people to try different activities, so that they can find interests which they enjoy. The agency also encourages involvement in activities that help young people to develop confidence and self-esteem. An example of this is a cookery project which included opportunities to work with a celebrity chef at a large London hotel. This project will result in the production of a cookery book, sales of which will fund identified charities. This also provides young people with opportunities to become aware of and involved in charitable work and fund raising.

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Carers and the agency provide very good support for young people to do well and achieve their educational potential. This is recognised by placing social workers, one of whom commented as part of a carer review that the carers had shown great commitment to motivating and supporting the young person in education. Carers help young people to think about their educational choices including further education such as college and university. Young people who begin in placement with limited English get tailored support to help ensure that they can achieve their potential. Other young people who have definite career paths in mind are helped to identify areas that they need support in and they receive this, for example, through their carers. One young person commented, 'I feel supported in sixth form and school', and another, 'I am helped with college applications'.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are very positive about the amount they are consulted and listened to. They made comments such as: 'My carer always listens and helps me', and, 'me and my foster carer always have conversations about my opinions'. Young people's views are sought by carers, supporting social workers and the wider agency. This is a strength of the agency. There are consultation groups for young people, and foster carers are also widely consulted. The agency involves young people in other areas such as a book review group. Articles for this appear in the in-house magazine for young people. The agency has introduced a direct email address that young people can use to get their views directly into the organisation. Young people are well aware of how to make a complaint. This all helps young people to develop communication and negotiation skills as well as ensuring their views are taken seriously and can inform the practice of the agency.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

The care that young people receive meets their needs well. It takes account of their individuality and any particular needs. Supporting social workers have a thorough knowledge of the young people in placement and regularly discuss with carers how they are meeting their needs. The agency has a number of unaccompanied asylum seekers in placement. They are proactive in providing them with support and in providing carers with advice and support to help ensure that they can meet the young people's needs. Training is available for carers to help young people develop resilience, which will help them as they move to independence.

p.7

Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are welcomed into the foster home, and whenever possible, moves from the home are managed in a sensitive and planned way. Placing authorities were particularly positive about the agency's practice around matching placements and moves. They said that the agency identifies and tells them about placements that are becoming unstable. This means that additional support can be provided to stabilise the placement and alternative plans can be considered should a move be necessary. This all helps to increase young people's feeling of self-worth and helps to avoid some of the upset and trauma of moving from where they live. Young people feel fully included in the families where they live. One young person said: 'I have been living here just over seven years and I am part of the family', and another said, 'I am part of the family and they always help me'. Carers maintain links with some young people after they have left the placement; this can range from telephone calls and

p.7

Helping children make a positive contribution

visits to coming back to stay. This provides important support and a safety line for young people as they move into adulthood.

p.7

Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people are prepared well for adulthood, so that they can achieve their potential. One said: 'I am getting help with my independence skills for when I leave my foster placement.' Overall, young people were very positive about the help they get to think about their futures. The agency supports carers in providing ongoing support for young people. They even do this when it means they may lose a foster placement if carers move to provide supportive lodgings for young people, or apply for adoption. When this is appropriate it helps to provide the best outcomes for young people and puts their needs first. Carers proactively support young people to learn important practical independence skills, prepare for further education, and develop positive and appropriate social and sexual relationships. The agency has introduced an effective scheme to ensure that young people have bank accounts and savings to help them when they leave care. Carers are given clear guidance on

p.7

Organisation

The agency recruits a range of carers based on the areas of need identified by local authorities. This helps to ensure that there are a range of carers suitable to meet the needs of children who require a foster home. Recruitment and assessment of carers are undertaken in a timely way, and carers report that it is robust, but handled sensitively. All appropriate checks required by The Fostering Services Regulations 2011 are undertaken. This provides an important safeguard to help prevent young people being placed with unsuitable or unsafe carers. The fostering panel reports on the quality of assessments. Some are of a very good standard and others have shortfalls which the panel identifies. There is a clear quality assurance system for foster carer assessments, but it is not always effective in practice. Consequently, the panel does not always have the best possible information to make decisions about

p.8

Organisation

carers and their ability to provide good homes for young people. The suitability of carers is regularly reviewed to ensure that they continue to be suitable to look after young people and to identify any areas of development or need, so that they can provide good quality placements. These reviews take into account the views of fostered young people, carers' own children and placing social workers as well as the supporting social worker and the carers themselves. This helps to ensure an effective process.

p.8

Organisation

The fostering panel chair has considerable experience of fostering issues. Training is provided for the panel members to help ensure it is effective in making recommendations about carers which will affect the quality of care for young people. The panel makes a recommendation on approval that goes to the agency decision maker. In the vast majority of cases this process works appropriately, but in one case the decision maker was spoken to during the panel's deliberations and did not make the final decision based on the written minutes of the panel. Although this is very unusual, it does have the potential to jeopardise the efficacy of the decision making process.

p.8

Organisation

The agency is exceptionally good at matching carers and young people, to ensure appropriate and stable placements. Placing agencies commented very positively on the quality of matching and consequent stability of placements for young people. Foster carers are consulted on matching and are supported by the agency if they feel a placement is not suitable. This helps to ensure carers can meet the needs of young people already in placement as well as those who are being placed. Carers are given all information available to the agency to help them decide on the suitability of a placement and meet young people's needs. In emergencies, or when information is not immediately available, the agency takes steps to get this information.

p.8

Organisation

There is a Statement of Purpose which sets out the aims and objectives of the fostering service. There is also a children's guide available for young people. This provides them with clear information on the service and issues such as health, education, bullying (including cyber bullying) child protection and complaints. It does not include contact details for the Children's Rights Director, independent reviewing officers or how to secure access to an independent advocate. These are options young people may want or need to pursue. The children's guide is available in two formats so that it is appropriate to different ages. However, it is not routinely available in different languages for young people who speak little or no English. This limits their timely access to information.

p.8

Organisation

Foster carers receive training in a range of formats. They say that training is good; one carer described it as 'first class'. Training is routinely evaluated to make sure it is of a good quality. Carers are expected to attend a minimum of three training courses a year. Training is also available online, through support groups and as seminars for small groups of carers. This all helps carers to provide good care for young people. Training on child protection is provided for carers and this is supported by clear written guidance, so that they are aware of how to identify and respond to concerns about young people's safety. Child protection referrals are made appropriately. Carers are extremely positive about the high level of support they get from supervising social workers and through regular support groups.

p.9

Organisation

The agency provides good support for the placements of young people, increasing stability and avoiding breakdowns. All carers get monthly supervision visits and weekly telephone calls to support and monitor them in their care of young people. This helps to ensure good and stable placements for young people. There is some good practice in undertaking unannounced visits to carers so that the suitability and quality of placements can be checked. However, while most carers get unannounced visits, not all do, so young people in these placements are not provided with the same level of oversight.

p.9

Organisation

Agency staff have a thorough induction and a good range of training to help them in their role of supporting carers and foster placements. They also have regular supervision to identify areas of development and to monitor their practice, ensuring a good service for young people. The Registered Manager has a system of quality assurance that relies on him delegating areas of monitoring to his peers in other areas of the service. He monitors those in his geographical area. There are some strong areas of quality assurance to maintain and improve levels of care for young people. However, there are some other areas that are not so strong. Consequently, some areas where the agency has not been meeting the national minimum standards (as referred to in this report) have not been identified and addressed. However, there are also some very positive examples of quality assurance such as the agency signing up to a scheme to assess the quality of their care and developing an action

p.9

Organisation

There is a system for notifying Ofsted of events as set out in the Fostering Services Regulations 2011. This requires the notifications to go through identified routes before being sent out by the registered office. The system works in terms of ensuring the notifications are sent in, but some are delayed and not sent in without delay as required by the regulations. Consequently information on significant events relating to young people cannot be monitored by Ofsted in a timely way.

p.9

Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Young people's individual needs are clearly identified and meeting these needs is seen as of central importance by the agency. Carers are aware of the plans for young people and what they need to do to help ensure those plans are met.

p.10

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 (England) Regulations 2011 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider(s) must comply with the given timescales.

p.10

Reg Statutory Requirement Due date

25 (2011) obtain such information as the fostering panel considers necessary and send that information to the panel, and provide such other assistance as the fostering panel may request, so far as is reasonably practicable (Regulation 25(3)) 30/09/2011

p.10

Reg Statutory Requirement Due date

36 (2011) ensure that events listed in Schedule 7 of the Fostering Services Regulations 2011 are notified to the appropriate persons or bodies without delay. (Regulation 36(1)) 30/09/2011

p.10

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):  ensure that the recommendations of the fostering panel are passed to the decision maker by way of written minutes, and that they are not discussed between the panel and the decision maker (The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 4, paragraph 5.23)  ensure that the children's guide includes contact details for the Children's Rights Director, independent reviewing officers and how to secure access to an independent advocate, and is available, where appropriate, translated into other languages (NMS 16 (4) and 16 (6))  ensure that all approved foster carers receive at least one unannounced visit a year (NMS 21(8))  ensure that there are clear and effective procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the service. (NMS 25(1))

p.10