Voice Fostering Ltd

Voice Fostering Ltd Inspection report for independent fostering agency

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Unique reference number SC451077 Inspection date 06/02/2014 Inspector Suzanne Young Type of inspection Full Provision subtype

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Setting address 481 Streetsbrook Road, SOLIHULL, West Midlands, B91 1LA

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Telephone number 07976 588074 Email voicefostering@virginmedia.com Registered person Voice Fostering Limited Registered manager Samantha Sally Staite Responsible individual Ian John Staite Date of last inspection 01/08/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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

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Brief description of the service

This is a new independent fostering agency operated by a limited company. The two directors own and run the service.

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Brief description of the service

They offer long term placements for children and young people. They currently have five approved foster carers with seven children placed.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : An agency demonstrating and exceeding the characteristics of a good judgement where children and young people are making significantly better progress and achieving more than was expected in all areas of their lives. Good : An agency where children and young people, including those with the most complex needs, have their individual needs met and their welfare safeguarded and promoted. They make good progress and receive effective services so they achieve as well as they can in all areas of their lives. Requires improvement : An agency that may be compliant with regulations and observing the national minimum standards but is not yet demonstrating the characteristics of a good judgement. It therefore requires improvement to be good. There may be failures to meet all regulations or national minimum standards but these are not widespread or serious; all children’s and young people’s welfare is

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

safeguarded and promoted. Inadequate : An agency where there are widespread or serious failures which result in children and young people not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Overall effectiveness

This is the agency’s first inspection since registration in August 2012. The agency is very small with low occupancy rates. Children and young people live in stable placements where they are able to develop safe and secure relationships. They are having their individual needs very well met and are making excellent progress in their placements.

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Overall effectiveness

Participation with young people and foster carers is a particular strength of the agency. Children and young people are able to influence their day-to-day care and the running of the agency. They work closely with foster carers completing life skills programmes that run from the age of five to adulthood. This contributes significantly to their progress in such areas as education, confidence, self-esteem and independent living skills. Young people also chair and participate in a youth panel which works alongside the agency’s fostering panel. Foster carers feel they are part of a team working with the children and young people they have placed with them. They are assessed, supported and trained to ensure they can effectively meet their needs.

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Overall effectiveness

The agency has robust systems in place to ensure children and young people are kept safe. Monitoring of the agency’s activities is also robust. Managers monitor and evaluate the quality of care provided to identify patterns and trends. As a result, they are able to demonstrate continuous improvement of the agency.

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Overall effectiveness

One requirement and one recommendation has been made relating to the children’s guide and recording. These are minor and do not impact on the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.

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

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2011) ensure the children's guide includes a summary of the agency's complaints procedure(Regulation 3(b)) 31/03/2014

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure the agency decision maker considers Hofstetter v LB Barnett when reaching a decision or qualifying determination. (Fostering Services Statutory Guidance Volume 4)

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Experiences and progress of, and outcomes for, children and young people

Children and young people are making extremely good progress and are having excellent experiences with their foster families. This is because there is a very strong focus within the agency on the children placed with foster carers. Children and young people feel safe and are developing secure attachments to their carers. As a result, they are able to progress and develop in confidence and self-esteem. Children and young people live together with their brothers and sisters in stable and secure permanent placements. This helps them to feel safe and settled. The agency place children and young people with the expectation they can remain with their carers for as long as they need their carers’ support. They make strong and positive relationships and feel valued within their foster family. This is because the agency ensures careful matching of children to their foster carers. This also helps ensure children can settle so they can make significant levels of progress in the placement.

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Experiences and progress of, and outcomes for, children and young people

Children and young people experience a wide range of opportunities and interests supported by their carers and the agency. They complete a life skills programme with the help of their carers which provides an excellent opportunity for them to achieve the best possible outcomes and to develop successfully into adulthood. Children and young people develop in confidence as the life skills programme gives them the opportunity to be heard and to develop skills in communication. As a result, their self-esteem and ability significantly improves. Foster carers and other professionals state they have seen ‘dramatic changes’ in children and young people since they have been placed with the agency.

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Experiences and progress of, and outcomes for, children and young people

Children and young people make exceptional educational progress with foster carers. This is because the agency ensures they receive support in their placements which compliments the work they are doing in school. There are strong links with education. All children and young people have an education folder that tracks their progress in school and helps them achieve the targets set in their individual education plans. This ensures they are able to fulfil their educational potential and make progress over and above their expected targets. For example, one young person has progressed from a reading age of 3 years behind their age to a year ahead in a short period of time. Children and young people receive individual sessions focusing on their educational needs and interests. This helps engage children and young people to achieve. As a result, young people are receiving excellent experiences. For example, one young person interested in journalism was

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Experiences and progress of, and outcomes for, children and young people

invited to London to join a Young Editors team. Another young person has been able to become involved in a local radio station. One placing social worker stated, ‘They have been exceptional… Couldn’t ask for more link work support for the children placed with them.’

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Experiences and progress of, and outcomes for, children and young people

Children and young people make strong progress in their health and development. They are all in good health and are having their health needs very well met. This is because they are supported to access the health resources they require, including specialist health professionals. Children and young people maintain a healthy lifestyle as all foster carers sign up for the Change4Life programme and work with them to ensure they are aware of the importance of living healthily. They receive training in first aid, dental care and e-safety. As a result children and young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing. Children and young people also attend a wide range of social and physical activities outside of school. This ensures they are able to enjoy the same levels of social integration as their peers.

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Experiences and progress of, and outcomes for, children and young people

Children and young people actively participate in all aspects of their care and in the running of the agency. They are able to fully express their wishes and feelings and influence their day-to-day care. They participate in a youth panel which runs alongside the main fostering panel and is instrumental in the recruitment of prospective foster carers. As a result, children and young people feel valued and their views are taken very seriously. One young person commented, ‘I enjoyed asking questions because I felt that what I was doing was important and I was being listened to.’ This is a clear strength of the agency.

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Quality of service

The agency and foster carers have a strong focus on children and recruit foster carers who can provide permanence for children and young people.

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Quality of service

The agency recruit, train and support foster carers effectively. This enables them to meet the needs of the children they have placed with them. The preparation and assessment of prospective foster carers are rigorous. One foster carer stated, ‘The assessment and approval process is very thorough and focuses on the needs of the child.’ Foster carer assessments are detailed and analytical and cover the whole family and their support networks in the process. For example, birth children and grandparents are fully involved in the preparation and post approval training. A good post approval training programme has been developed for foster carers to support them to meet children’s needs. Carers have either completed the Children's Workforce Development Standards (CWDC) or are currently undertaking the Training Development Standards, which has replaced the CWDC.

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Quality of service

Foster carers feel well supported. They receive good quality support and supervision. They are clear about the areas where decision making has been delegated to them. This ensures children and young people are able to have normal childhood experiences such as sleep-overs at friends.

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Quality of service

Fostering panel is robust and promotes safe and stable placements. It provides a good scrutiny and oversight of the quality of assessments. Panel members take into account recommendations made by the young people’s panel when making a decision about the suitability of applicants. The fostering panel membership reflects a good balance in terms of gender and experience. The agency and panel chair is aware of the need to develop a balance on panel in terms of ethnicity and is proactively addressing this through targeted recruitment. The agency decision maker makes good quality decisions regarding the suitability and approval of foster carers. The reasons why she has made the decision to approve them, however, is not fully evidenced.

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Quality of service

The agency provides effective matching. This is because children and young people are carefully matched to their foster placements ensuring their individual needs are met. Children and young people are welcomed into the foster home in a planned and sensitive manner. Considered introductions are conducted prior to placements. Children and young people are given information and photographs of their prospective carers and their families. On placement they are given individual handmade memory boxes consisting of the children’s guide and other age appropriate items. This helps children and young people to feel welcome and valued when they first arrive in their placement.

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Quality of service

Participation with foster carers is a clear strength of the agency. Foster carers are considered very much part of a team around the child and feel they are treated as professionals. There is highly individualised partnership working between foster carers, the agency and other professionals to ensure everyone is working together to meet children’s needs. Foster carers work together with the agency, schools and placing social workers to support the educational, emotional and health needs of the children they care for through the completion of the life skills programme.

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Quality of service

Foster carers actively engage with the agency by helping to develop and improve the life skills programme. They participate in preparation training for prospective foster carers and evaluate information and resources for foster carers in consultation groups. As a result, foster carers feel very well supported and valued by the agency.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There is a strong focus of safeguarding within the agency which is embedded in the recruitment, assessment and supervision of foster carers. Foster carers and staff are committed to developing positive relationships with children and young people to generate a culture of openness and trust. As a result, children and young people feel safe and secure in their foster placements. They know how to complain and are supported to take age appropriate risks. Children and young people are helped to develop an understanding of how to protect themselves and develop in confidence through work with their foster carers in the life skills programme. As a result, they develop the skills to ensure they are safeguarded and able to grow into independent adults.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Safe caring plans and risk assessments are individual to each child and young person. These identify where there are any areas of concern and highlight the actions required to protect and support children and young people in their placements. Unannounced visits and health and safety risk assessments are completed regularly each foster home to ensure the standard of accommodation is safe for children and young people to live in.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are no instances of safeguarding concerns and the levels of children and young people going missing are very low. This has only happened on one occasion and for a very short period of time. Foster carers receive a range of safeguarding training including children who go missing and are at risk of sexual exploitation. This makes sure that they are fully aware of the actions to take to protect and support children and young people in their care.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Recruitment and vetting procedures are in place for staff, foster carers and panel members. These are thorough and robust. This helps to safeguard children and young people by helping to prevent unsuitable people from living and working with them.

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Leadership and management

The fostering service is managed effectively and efficiently. It delivers a service that meets the needs of its users and is improving the outcomes for children and young people. This is the first inspection since registration in August 2012.

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Leadership and management

Although the agency is currently very small they are financially viable. Their recruitment strategy ensures future growth is maintained at a slow but steady rate to maintain good practice and outcomes for children and young people. The agency does not currently employ any social work staff. At present the Registered Manager performs both managerial and social work duties. She is supervised by an external professional to ensure accountability. The panel chair and social work members are professionally qualified with a proven track record in fostering. This helps ensure the development of the agency positively impacts on children and young people’s lives.

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Leadership and management

The agency has developed good working relationships with placing authorities and other professionals. One social worker commented, ‘I am very happy with the communication I receive from the agency…They are very supportive in network meetings with other agencies.’

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Leadership and management

The agency has a Statement of Purpose and children’s guide that accurately reflects its operation. These ensure staff, foster carers, placing social workers and children and young people understand the aims and objectives of the service. The children’s guide, however, does not explicitly set out the agency’s complaints procedures. This does not significantly affect children and young people’s welfare as the agency ensures they are fully aware of how to complain should they have a concern. They are provided with the contact details of their placing social workers, independent reviewing officers and the Children’s Rights Director when they are first placed.

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Leadership and management

Monitoring is regular and robust. There are a wide range of quality assurance processes in place which monitor the effectiveness of the agency. Managers actively monitor the education and health progress of children and young people to improve and develop outcomes. The Registered Manager also reviews service annually to identify the patterns and trends which drive continuous improvement.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards and to support services to improve.

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About this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the inspection framework and the evaluation schedule for the inspection of independent fostering agencies.

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