The Together Trust Fostering Service

The Together Trust Fostering Service Inspection report for independent fostering agency

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Unique reference number SC031288 Inspection date 06/08/2015 Inspectors Lynn O'Driscoll and Jackie Line Type of inspection Full Provision subtype

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Setting address The Together Trust Centre, Schools Hill, Cheadle, Cheshire, SK8 1JE

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Telephone number 0161 283 4800 Email gary.williams@togethertrust.org.uk Registered person The Together Trust Registered manager Mr Garry Williams Responsible individual Mrs Jill Sheldrake Date of last inspection 14/01/2013 Website: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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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 independent fostering agency is part of a larger registered charity which also provides residential care, education services, community support and consultancy services. The fostering service offers a range of placements including: emergency; short and long term; and: specific placements for children and young people with physical disabilities and learning difficulties; parent and child placements; and, respite for parents and carers. Currently there are 83 fostered children and young people of all ages, including those on continuing care beyond 18 years of age.

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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 safeguarded

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

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 agency demonstrates an exceptionally strong commitment to developing children and young people’s individual potential. A high proportion benefit from long term, stable placements with their siblings. They are an integral part of the fostering family and have formed particularly strong, trusting attachments.

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Overall effectiveness

Consequently, they are all very happy, safe and secure and their experiences, outcomes and progress are outstanding from their individual starting points.

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Overall effectiveness

Children and young people's wishes and feelings are central to their day-to-day care and their individual needs are exceptionally well met. Ongoing consultation opportunities and participation events is a key strength of this service. Many also influence strategic planning and service development and some are involved in government enquiries. However, few contribute to the annual appraisals of supervising social workers and support workers.

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Overall effectiveness

This agency has a particularly good retention rate so children and young people are very well cared for by highly experienced carers. In turn, carers receive excellent support to help them to meet the unique and highly complex needs and personal preferences of the children and young people. However, 14 carers have not completed the Training, Support and Development Standards within 12 months of approval. Moreover, a number have not completed or renewed mandatory courses in a timely manner.

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Overall effectiveness

Carers feel valued as a fundamental part of the professional team working with each child. Effective partnership working with relevant agencies is firmly established to safeguard and protect the children and young people living in foster placements. However, carers are not always equipped with all the information about the children and young people prior to placement to ensure they are providing appropriate care at all times in line with up-to-date care plans. For some, this includes the lack of clarity about delegated authority.

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Overall effectiveness

While shortfalls are identified these are not widespread and have not, to date, had any negative impact upon the welfare of children and young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Moreover, this is a particularly open and transparent agency who have acknowledged the shortfalls and have already put an appropriate improvement plan in place to immediately address them.

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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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Requirement Due date

ensure all carers are provided with such training and timely renewals as is necessary, in the interests of the children placed with them. (Regulation 17(1)) 30/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

ensure, in relation to every child placed with a foster carer, the carer is given such information, which is kept up to date, as to 31/10/2015 enable them to provide appropriate care for the child, and in particular that each carer is provided with copy of the most recent version of the child’s care plan and agreed delegated authority. (Regulation 17(3))

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Requirement Due date

ensure the manager’s written report on the quality of care provided by the agency includes an evaluation of consultations with carers and placing authorities and is forwarded to Ofsted in a timely manner. (Regulation 35 (2) and (3)) 30/09/2015

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

demonstrate that supervising social workers ensure that every carer they supervise is informed in writing of, and accepts, understands and operates within, all Regulations and standards and with policies and guidance agreed by the fostering service as set out in the foster carer agreement (NMS 21.9)

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Recommendations

ensure efficient and robust administrative systems demonstrate the timely receipt of up-to-date care plans, delegated authority and medical consent for all children and young people placed and the completion of mandatory training by carers within the required timescales (NMS 27.1) ensure that staff appraisals include the views of children and young people they are working with (NMS 24.6)

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Recommendations

demonstrate that all records kept by the service are closely monitored by the manager to ensure consistent high quality and immediate action is taken to address any shortfalls and in particular; accurate training records, up to date care plans, detailed matching, exemptions and staff appraisals forms; and, child friendly welcome booklets. (NMS 25.2)

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and young people

Collation of feedback from children and young people throughout 2014 by this agency confirmed that 98% were happy and settled in their current placement. The remaining two were twins who took each other’s toys.

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and young people

81% of children and young people benefit from the stability of long term placements which is 50% higher than national comparators. Six young adults have made a positive decision to remain in placement beyond their 18th birthday until they feel ready to move on to independence. One young person is now 23 years old, still lives with his carers and is employed by this organisation. Four young people have changed their surnames to that of their respective carers. Several call them mum and dad. This all demonstrates an exceptionally strong sense of belonging.

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and young people

82.5% of all placements are sibling groups which is particularly high. This includes seven sibling groups of three and one sibling group of five. The placing social worker for these five children said, ‘These carers are extremely pro-active with the care planning process. They demonstrate a comprehensive and impressive understanding of each child’s individual needs and ensure they all get one to one time. They are fully integrated and immersed in all aspects of family life and are provided with a warm and loving environment. They are thriving and all their achievements are celebrated.’

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and young people

Comments from children and young people include, ‘I have lived here for seven years with my brother and sister. I like being part of this family because they love me, give me a nice home and make lovely meals which I help to cook. I got a very good school report which made my carers, who I call mum and dad, very proud’, ‘My foster family love me with all their hearts’ and, ‘My foster family are caring and loving and I am very happy. We all enjoy doing activities and going on holiday together. I make good curries for all the family’ and, ‘I don’t feel like I am in care. It’s home to me. I am part of the family, they treat me like a son and we do everything together.’

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and young people

They all benefit from highly individualised care which bests meets their unique needs and personal preferences. This enables them to reach their full potential.

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and young people

A key strength of this service is the ample opportunities for children and young people to express their wishes and feelings about their day-to day care. They also influence strategic planning within the agency, and Government policy through the Care Enquiry and Passport to Parliament. A care leaver’s forum, joint fostering and residential forum, girls group and boys group are all well established. Young people loved their trip to Parliament which has empowered them to write to their local members of Parliament about the needs of care leavers. One young person has given an interview to a national paper about her experiences. A care leaver’s forum, joint fostering and residential forum, girls group and boys group are all well established. They are also involved in carer’s training and interviewing staff. Members of the young people’s forum have met with the fostering panel to find out more about the

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and young people

assessment and matching processes. All these opportunities have significantly increased their confidence and developed their negotiation and decision making skills.

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and young people

Children and young people exercise a genuine choice about contact arrangements with their birth families in line with any legal directions, which is actively promoted and facilitated by their foster carers. One young person said, ‘My foster carer did not give up until I got my wish to have an overnight stay with my sister.’ This helps them to understand their backgrounds and maintain their sense of identity.

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and young people

Carers provide children and young people with a welcome brochure about their particular foster family prior to admission. This helps them prepare for their move and gain an understanding of their future placement, so they can settle quicker. As this is a relatively new development the service have produced guidance on how to produce them in a child friendly way. New applicants produce one for scrutiny at panel to ensure consistently good quality documents.

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and young people

All the children and young people accessing this service are receiving appropriate education that best meets their assessed needs and their attendance is excellent. Consequently, many are making outstanding progress from their individual starting points. For example, one young person achieved five GCSE’s grade C and above, making him one of only 15% of looked after children in the country. Another young person who had not been attending school prior to admission, progressed to 100% attendance, exceeded his targets in national examinations which secured a college placement. One young person is taking national examinations a year early. Another said, ‘I am in the top sets for all my subjects and was praised for my progress in French. I am now helping others pupils.’ One young person took additional lessons in English and maths at weekends and has now achieved the desired level. He said, ‘I got an award for reading 54 books in one term.’

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and young people

Extracts from school reports read, ‘This pupil shows excellent effort, is enthusiastic and hardworking’, ‘She has made outstanding progress and has an excellent attitude to learning’, ‘He works fantastically and is always eager to answer questions. I’m extremely pleased with his progress’ and, ‘She has been a joy to teach. Her dedication to learning is just fantastic. Hence, she has made wonderful progress in all areas of the curriculum.’

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and young people

Children and young people’s health and well-being is actively promoted. They are all registered with health professionals and benefit from routine checks and annual health assessments. One carer successfully advocated for one child to have timely dental work so her confidence and self-esteem would not be affected. This agency also ensures specialist services are provided in a timely manner to meet more complex needs.

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and young people

An outstanding feature of this service is the additional support provided to children, young people and carers to maintain placements often with no guarantees of additional finance from placing authorities. Consequently, many have made significant progress in respect to their physical and emotional health needs from their baseline assessments. Examples include the cessation of strong habits such as drugs and smoking and improved eating and sleeping routines. For one young person good personal hygiene has meant she is no longer bullied at school and her self-esteem has rocketed. A reduction of invasive medications has given another young person much more freedom and independence. One child said, ‘I am well cared for and my health is better since I moved here.’

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and young people

Children and young people really enjoy taking part in a wide range of stimulating, challenging and meaningful activities. They are fully involved in all of the fostering family events and holidays and in a wide variety of clubs within the local community. This gives them a strong sense of belonging. Individual interests and talents are actively encouraged and supported which serves to further increase their competencies and confidence. Examples include drumming, football, cooking and rugby. One child practised for six months and was part of a young voices public concert with 7250 other children. She said, ‘It was the largest choir to sing together in the world.’ Another child spoke and sang at a Christmas concert. She attends numerous after school activities including rounders, swimming and dance which keeps her fit and active. She has a particular talent for athletics clubs and took part in an inter schools competition, which have all served to significantly boost her

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and young people

Many fostering families enjoy going on the annual holiday organised by the agency and all the activities are planned in consultation with carers and children and young people. The venue was changed this year as a direct result of young people’s feedback. Another particularly popular annual event is the cultural awareness day.

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and young people

Children and young people benefit from opportunities to develop age and ability appropriate life skills to prepare them for future successful independent living. One child said, ‘I can now change my own bed, tidy my room, sort out my washing and I make my own breakfast.’

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and young people

To their credit, young people are also sensitive and responsive to the needs of others less fortunate than themselves. Examples include organising an annual carol concert at the older people’s home; helping out at a local soup kitchen and, one young person is now signing for the hearing impaired at events all over the country.

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and young people

The continued support to young adults living independently is outstanding. A group of young adults regularly meet and are mutually supportive of each other and are now welcoming new members who are about to leave care. They are full of praise for the ongoing practical, emotional and financial support they receive from this agency and the support workers and registered manager in particular. Comments include, ‘They bought me a washer, dryer and television and we all get a food hamper every Christmas’, ‘‘It doesn’t matter how old we are, they don’t close the book on us and we can ring them anytime including weekends and bank holidays’ and, ‘I now live in a nice place near where my Nana lives and on the bus route to college thanks to this agency’. One worker said, ‘Management are very supportive of the initiative and very passionate about care leavers. therefore we are given the time and resources to help. As workers we feel listened to when we take things to

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and young people

Placing authorities are very impressed with the exceptional progress their children and young people are making in their current placements. Comments include, ‘This placement meets all her needs. It is a safe environment where she can grow and develop and is supported to understand her past and the circumstances surrounding her becoming looked after and she is now emotionally strong’, ‘These carers are very child centred and have established excellent routines and always promoted contact and have established excellent working relationships with schools. All their needs are being met to a high standard’, ‘The carers have shown a wonderful understanding of his needs and he has shown significant improvements in his all-round development. They are open and honest with him which he responds well to. He is developing socially and building and maintaining friendships. He has grown in confidence and continued contact strengthens his sense of identity’ and, ‘I have known one

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and young people

particular foster placement for several years, and the outcomes for the children have been remarkable. She has managed many significant events for the children and through her love and commitment has helped them to grow and mature. She is now continuing to support them into adulthood.’

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Quality of service

This service has a particularly good retention rate, so children and young people benefit from being very well cared for by highly experienced carers.

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Quality of service

This service ensures a sufficient number of carers with a wide range of skills and experiences to meet the unique needs of children and young people requiring foster placements. This includes caring for a significantly higher proportion of sibling groups and children with disabilities than other comparative agencies.

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Quality of service

Overall, there has been a 9% increase of carers in the last twelve months and they are actively recruiting to improve their ethnic diversity. They only have 5% of their carers from an ethnicity other than white British, which is below the UK census figures of 12.8%. That said, carers benefit greatly from the expertise of a cultural advisor. Also, placing authorities are impressed with the efforts carers have gone to in promoting children’s cultural heritage, dietary needs and religious preferences.

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Quality of service

Supervising social workers know their foster carers really well including their individual strengths and therefore make some good matches, based on sound judgements. There is robust gatekeeping and clear evidence that they consider the needs of children already in placement. This is highly effective demonstrated by the impressive longevity of placements. However, this good practice is not always reflected in the matching documentation.

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Quality of service

Carers describe some appropriately gradual and sensitive introductions to their home at the children’s pace and planning meetings to gain information to keep them safe. However, despite three monthly chase letters to the relevant placing authorities, they do not always receive all the required information about the child prior to placement to ensure they can provide appropriate care. A number are without up-to-date care plans and agreed delegated authority for all the children and young people. In response, during the course of this inspection, they have introduced a more robust three stage escalation policy but clearly the effectiveness of this could not be assessed.

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Quality of service

This agency supports it’s carers to a high standard. This has resulted in very good stability rates. Carers confirm good communication within the agency and are kept up to date with developments. They feel highly valued as an integral part of the professional team working with the child and are actively involved in care planning. They also confirm that the organisation listens to them as carers. As an example, they have recently included training events at support groups making full use of their day together rather than just coming in for a couple of hours. One carer said, ‘This is something that we asked for and it happened.’

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Quality of service

A significant development since the last inspection is a mentoring service provided by experienced carers to all new carers. They also benefit from the expertise of a clinical psychology team who have recently developed a five day attachment training programme and offer individual support and advice to carers to manage some extreme behaviours and successfully maintain placements.

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Quality of service

Comments from carers show these receive excellent support from all the teams within the fostering service. Examples include, ‘The support is very good. Someone is always on the end of a phone and will always come out to see you if needed’, ‘The admin staff are always refreshingly helpful and friendly whatever my query or their workload’, ‘Everyone knows each other so we get good peer support and the support workers do fun things with the children as well as specific pieces of work’, ‘This agency is interested in our well-being as well as that of the children. When we talk to out of hours, they always know the social workers and they always know our situation so we don’t have to repeat everything’ and ‘My supervising social worker is excellent. If I have any problems I can just phone her and she will provide me with different approaches that might help a certain situation so we can make our placements as successfully as they can possibly be’.

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Quality of service

The main shortfall arising from this inspection is that training records suggest there are still carers who have not completed all their mandatory courses in a timely manner. 14 have also not completed the Training, Support and Development Standards within 12 months of approval. Moreover, not all carers regularly attend support groups. In response the foster carer agreement has been strengthened during this inspection to clarify expectations in respect to, for example, continued personal development and record keeping.

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Quality of service

Maintaining carer’s training records is now the responsibility of the central training department, but the information is inaccurate. For example, individual sessions frequently take place with supervising social workers but these are not reflected in the training records. The scrutiny and monitoring of carer’s individual training needs, therefore, is not sufficiently robust.

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Quality of service

A key strength of this service is the robust panel with a particularly good skills mix. It is extremely well chaired by an independent and highly experienced individual who ensures all members fully contribute and can sensitively manage a full range of emotions. They benefit from a very efficient panel administrator who ensures all required timescales are strictly adhered to and access to good medical and legal advice. Panel papers are sent out in good time to ensure all members are fully prepared.

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Quality of service

This agency continually recruits to the central list specifically to improve the diversity of the panel. This includes a cultural advisor who is described as ‘A great addition. She really focuses our discussions’. Also, the referrals and admissions co-ordinator ensures an increased understanding of each carer’s individual strengths and weaknesses when considering the best match for a child. They are now actively looking to recruit more younger members. The input from a previously fostered child is particularly welcomed.

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Quality of service

Comments from panel members include, ‘ It is very beneficial to have the medical advisor attend the panel and explain any health issues in lay person’s terms and to answer any queries’, ‘We have a very good chair who puts everybody at ease and gives everyone the opportunity to contribute. He has an excellent knowledge base so we have confidence in his guidance’ ‘The panel administration is excellent’ and, ‘Good legal advice is always available and we receive excellent advice from the panel advisor.’

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Quality of service

Applicants find the assessment process appropriately robust yet supportive. One carer said, ‘It was initially daunting going through past experiences but the assessor made it as comfortable as possible and reminiscing about our childhoods has actually strengthened our relationship.’

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Quality of service

The registered manager robustly quality assures all reports prior to panel. Many panel members highlight the continuous improvements to the assessment reports presented. In particular, they are more analytical and reflective. If there are any concerns, these are immediately raised by the chair to the agency and action taken to address it. However, there were no audit trails of these discussions nor is an evaluation of the quality or reports presented specifically detailed in the minutes. In response a pro-forma was introduced before the end of the inspection to capture panel members specific views on the quality of the documentation presented.

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Quality of service

The panel chair is happy with the ‘healthy’ relationship he has with this agency in that he can challenge them and they respond positively. The agency decision maker is pleased with the quality of assessments which she says, ‘Have continued to improve year on year’ and, ‘I have never needed to go against a recommendation made by the panel because they are extremely thorough.’

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Safeguarding children and young people

All the children and young people who contributed to this inspection confirmed that they feel very safe, happy and secure in their current placement and in their local communities. Comments include, ‘My carers are very nice and easy to talk to. They are supportive and offer solutions to my problems’, ‘I have a better life now’, ‘I feel safe and happy here and I am so glad that I can be with some of my siblings ‘and, ‘I love my carers very much. They are fun’.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Many carers are providing excellent care to children and young people with extremely complex needs. Some carers are effectively managing high levels of risk. This service demonstrates an excellent commitment to pooling resources from the wider organisation in order to meet these highly complex needs and supporting their carers, whilst maintaining the safety of others.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Some carers receive and welcome the fortnightly visits from a psychologist helping them to better understand behaviours, looking at strategies to try to prevent a re- occurrence and in helping them with their own feelings and anxieties about managing risk.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Two supervising social workers are now trained to provide managing behaviour courses to carers so they will specifically focus on fostering. This is in response to feedback from carers who felt the previous training had a bias towards the needs of residential staff. As a result some carers are effectively managing some highly challenging behaviours without resorting to physical interventions. The incidents of restraints are rare. During the course of this inspection, the service introduced a new form to ensure more in-depth recording of restraints.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The support workers in particular frequently work with children and young people to develop strategies to keep themselves safe when out in the community and online.

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Safeguarding children and young people

This agency has also established strong collaborative working with a range of safeguarding agencies. The local police have provided child sexual exploitation training. During every summer holidays this agency holds a fire and police awareness day for young people to improve their understanding of hate crime and how to keep themselves safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Consequently, for example, the risks of child sexual exploitation have demonstrably decreased and for others fire setting and bullying have ceased altogether.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The incidents of young people going missing have also significantly decreased and there have been none who have been missing overnight. Two young people, with a history of going missing have ceased altogether in their current placements. Effective protocols are in place with the local police and other relevant safeguarding agencies to protect the few who do.

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Safeguarding children and young people

This agency benefit from highly experienced carers with the competence and confidence to enable children and young people to take age-appropriate risks as part of their natural development into adulthood. Comments include, ‘I now really enjoy being allowed to go out to town with my friends and having sleep-overs.’ ‘I am now trusted to travel back independently from contact with my parents.’

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Safeguarding children and young people

Carers also appropriate nurture and empathy whilst not minimising behavioural concerns. They clearly see the child’s needs beyond the presenting behaviours yet are vigilant in respect to risks.

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Safeguarding children and young people

One parent said, ‘They are compassionate but sensible. They have experience of children with social and behavioural difficulties and aren't phased by my son’s behaviour. They are vigilant in situations where they need to be and treat him as a member of the family’.

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Safeguarding children and young people

A social worker wrote, ‘These carers are one of the best I have ever worked with. They have been able to run with an ever changing plan, manage the girls behaviour which on occasions has been very difficult and remained calm and available to approach all issues with a ‘let’s make this better attitude’’.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The responsible individual RI is the designated safeguarding lead for the organisation as a whole now sits on the local safeguarding children’s board where they ensure policies are compatible and current challenges and good practice are shared.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Another significant new development since the last inspection is the establishment of an internal safeguarding board comprised of designated officers across the organisation. All safeguarding concerns are scrutinised for patterns and trends and to explore any lessons learned seeking to constantly improve practice.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Children and young people know how to complain and a few have exercised that right. Records demonstrate that they were taken seriously, fully investigated and outcomes reached in a timely manner. This reinforces the fact that their opinions matter and are valued, which in turn increases their self-esteem and confidence.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Carers subject to allegations confirm good support from the agency during this anxious time and say they are always kept up to date with progress and offered independent support during the investigation. One carer said, ‘My confidence in the agency soared at the end of this ordeal.’ One carer’s confidence was initially knocked and was particularly appreciative of the support from a male supervising social worker and the men’s group where he could openly express his mixed emotions.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The recruitment and selection processes already in place meet regulatory requirements to ensure a safe and competent workforce. The pro-formas used have been further strengthened during this inspection. Young people were actively involved in the recruitment of the new chief executive and in his annual appraisal.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Supervising social workers have now completed recognised safer recruitment training which they have found helpful in terms of their role in recruiting carers.

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Leadership and management

This service remains financially viable. In fact, the board of Trustees have agreed a financial commitment to the imminent plans to expand into new geographical areas and to ensure all staff have the skills to use the IT system more effectively.

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Leadership and management

This service benefits from a strong leadership team and robust governance. The senior manager responsible for fostering, reports directly to the board of trustees every month so they are fully up to date about ongoing developments and challenges.

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Leadership and management

The registered manager is a fully qualified, highly experienced and child focussed individual. He is genuinely passionate about improving children’s lives and leads by example so he is highly regarded by carers, his team and senior managers. Children and young people think he’s ‘great’.

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Leadership and management

Comments from staff include, ‘He is a very positive manager and has an open door policy. He has so much energy and is always buoyant, which is energising’, ‘The responsible individual is terrific and works well with the new chief executive who is very visible’ and, ‘The chair of the Trustees is also the vice chair of the fostering panel so has a fantastic understanding of our work and is an excellent link with the board.’

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Leadership and management

This comment from a carer is representative of many views, ‘This is an excellent organisation. The manager is always supportive and understanding. All the staff are accessible and accommodating whilst maintaining a professional image’.

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Leadership and management

One commissioner took the time to write to this agency to thank them for their hard work and dedication to their authority’s looked after children.

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Leadership and management

A panel member said, ‘I feel this service goes above and beyond its duties in relation to supporting the children and young people. There is a strong child centred ethos within the team and the wider organisation’.

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Leadership and management

This agency benefits from qualified, experienced and very enthusiastic staff. In turn, supervising social workers and support workers confirm high satisfaction with the range and quality of the training provided to continue to develop their individual skills and competencies. They also confirm regular, good quality supervision and ongoing support and confirm that senior managers are very accessible and approachable. The majority of children and young people positively contribute to their carers annual reviews but the system for gaining their views during the appraisals of their support workers and relevant supervising social workers is not yet firmly embedded.

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Leadership and management

The recent appointment of a placements officer is positive new development. One worker said, ‘There is now one central person for carers and placing authorities to talk about referrals which will ensure consistency’.

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Leadership and management

Under the previous evaluation schedule this service was judged to be outstanding in all areas and no requirements or recommendations were made.

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Leadership and management

This service have a range of effective monitoring systems in place to inform service development. In particular, outcomes monitoring is firmly established since the last inspection which clearly demonstrates young people’s sustained progress over a longer period of time and identifies any specific support required.

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Leadership and management

Annual quality and performance data is consistently promptly submitted to Ofsted providing relevant, clear and evaluative information.

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Leadership and management

The internal annual review report on the quality of service provision is clear and evaluative but it has not been forwarded to Ofsted in a timely manner. It includes the views of children and young people in placement but carers and stakeholder views are not reflected.

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Leadership and management

The statement of purpose accurately describes the aims and services provided by this agency. There are a good range of children’s guides to meet different needs so they know exactly what services are on offer. They have also reviewed the foster carers’ charter and the children’s pledge to ensure they remain relevant.

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Leadership and management

Supervision records, unannounced visits and home visits are all well documented. However, some records did not suggest stringent monitoring to ensure a consistently high standard. For example, staff appraisals do not include an evaluation by managers of individual strengths and areas to develop. Some matching forms demonstrate a very thorough process, but others have limited narrative. Some exemptions reports lacked key information and there was variable quality in respect to welcome booklets. Moreover, the monitoring of care plans, delegated authority and training records is not sufficiently robust.

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Leadership and management

Notifiable events are always forwarded to Ofsted in a timely manner. This service is also exceptionally good at providing relevant updates until a final outcome is reached. These demonstrate that appropriate action has been taken to safeguard and protect the welfare of children and young people in full collaboration with other relevant agencies.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to inform 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 and 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. inspection framework and the evaluation schedule for the inspection of independent fostering agencies.

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