About Children

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. About Children Inspection report for adoption support agency

p.1

Unique reference number SC431970 Inspection date 25/11/2015 Inspector Mandy Williams Type of inspection Full

p.1

Setting address Unit 10d, Lake District Business Park, Mint Bridge Road, KENDAL, Cumbria, LA9 6NH Telephone number 07891032793 Email lesleyritchie@aboutchildren.org.uk Registered person About Children Limited Registered manager Responsible individual Lesley Ritchie Date of last inspection 25/10/2012

p.1

Brief description of the service

About Children is a private limited company. The agency is small, with only the sole director of the company working full-time. It is an adoption support agency that provides therapeutic services to children. It provides a range of specialist support, including play, sand and art therapies to address difficulties resulting from trauma and loss, to children who have been adopted or placed with adoptive parents. Therapists undertake specific pieces of work for the agency but they remain self- employed. The agency also works with children who are not adopted, such as those in residential care, but this work was not considered as part of this inspection.

p.2

The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements Requires improvement : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

p.2

Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be requires improvement

p.2

Overall effectiveness

The quality of service that children receive from this agency is good. A range of therapy is available in order to meet the specific needs of each child. The therapists are experienced practitioners in their field of specialism and access their own specific advice and support, ensuring that the service they offer continues to be effective. Outcomes for children have improved as a result. They are better able to deal with their own emotions and improvements are evident in their relationships with their adoptive families.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

The agency has positive relationships with commissioners. They set clear objectives at the outset and parents are involved in the evaluation and review of therapy at regular intervals.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Weaknesses in the management of the agency have influenced the overall effectiveness judgement at this inspection. However, they have not had a negative impact on the service delivery. The sole director of the agency is in day-to-day control, as well as directly offering therapy to children. Although, she has recently appointed a part-time administrator to assist her, she has been unable to fulfil all the necessary administration and management functions to the required standard. In particular, management oversight to ensure continuity across the agency is weak, as well as staff recruitment processes. In addition, the manager has yet to obtain a management qualification.

p.2

Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, the Adoption Support Agencies (England) and Adoption Agencies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2005 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

p.3

Requirement Due date

ensure that the registration authority is notified of any revision to the statement of purpose and children's guide within 28 days of making the revision (Regulation 6(b)) 04/01/2016

p.3

Requirement Due date

ensure that full and satisfactory is available in relation to each person employed to work for the purposes of the agency, in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2. (Regulation 19(2)(d)) 04/01/2016

p.3

Recommendations

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

p.3

Recommendations

ensure that commissioning arrangements are underpinned by a written agreements (NMS 15.1) ensure that the registered manager has a qualification in management at least at level 4 (NMS 19.3) ensure that the agency's child protection procedures are submitted for consideration and comment to the Local Safeguarding Children's Board(LSCB) and to the Local Authority Designated Officer(LADO); to ensure their compatibility (NMS 22.4) ensure that a written record is kept by the agency detailing the time and date and length of each supervision held for each member of staff, including the registered person. The record is signed by the supervisor and the member of staff at the end of the supervision (NMS 24.5) ensure that the manager regularly monitors all records kept by the agency to ensure compliance with the agency's policies, to identify any concerns about specific incidents and to identify patterns and trends. Immediate action is taken to address

p.3

Recommendations

any issues raised by this monitoring (NMS 25.2) develop a Business Continuity Plan which includes the provision of premises; and how continuity will be ensured in the event of the registered individual being incapacitated. (NMS 28.3)

p.3

users

Families receiving a service from the agency talk positively about it. They are often in critical need of support, feeling isolated and desperate by the time that the service is identified. They appreciate the welcoming approach that they receive. Good quality initial assessments that include the family and other involved professionals, ensures that the most appropriate therapy is put in place for the child.

p.4

users

Service users are clear about the desired outcomes. Adoptive families also appreciate being kept up-to-date regarding how the work is progressing. They are included in the evaluation and review, which ensures that the therapy continues to be effective.

p.4

users

Those spoken to, during the inspection, feel that the agency has been influential in making positive change. They report that their children have a better understanding of how their past may have influenced how they react and that they are now learning to manage their emotions. For example, one parent commented. ‘My child is now more self-aware and has a willingness to explore issues from the past.’ Similarly, the therapist encourages parents to re-frame their child’s responses, helping them understanding and accept their behaviours. Consequently, life at home has become easier and relationships have improved. Parents feel better able to deal with the demands of parenting an adopted child and they are now more optimistic about their future together.

p.4

users

The agency seeks feedback from families on a regular basis and this helps with the development of the service.

p.4

Quality of service provision

Families receive a timely response to their request for assistance. Adoptive parents often experience delay in getting the funding agreed by the local authority, so appreciate that the agency are able to start work quickly when this is agreed. The agency do draw up contracts of agreement between the parties concerned. However, these are frequently not agreed and signed prior to commencing work. While this avoids delay, it could potentially result in a misunderstanding that would be difficult to rectify later. Commissioners speak positively about the service. They report communication to be effective and are positive about the agency’s understanding of the complex dynamics that often exist in adoptive families.

p.4

Quality of service provision

In addition, agreements are drawn up between the agency and the families concerned. This includes a specific child friendly version that is agreed between the therapist and the child. This ensures that everyone involved understands the nature of the therapy and share agreed objectives. The therapy provided is subject to regular review and evaluation. Families contribute to this. This helps the agency monitor the progress that the child is making and make any necessary adaptations to ensure that it continues to be effective. Commissioners receive periodic review reports so they are able to monitor the success of the intervention.

p.4

Quality of service provision

The sole director is the main point of contact for the agency. She has day-to-day management responsibility. She commissions the appropriate therapeutic support from a range of self-employed individuals with specific skills and specialisms. This includes drama, art and play therapists. The agency ensures that these individuals have the necessary qualifications, experience, training and support to be enable them to provide an effective service. These individuals demonstrate that they have a good understanding of adoption related issues.

p.5

Quality of service provision

As well as providing therapeutic support to children, the agency provides advice and guidance to their adoptive parents. This helps them gain a better understanding of their child’s behaviours and helps them cope with these. One parent said, ‘We receive regular visits which is really helpful. We have learnt how to reframe some of our child’s negative behaviours and this has really helped us.’ Staff will also liaise with children’s schools when it is thought a shared approach to a particular behaviour would be beneficial.

p.5

families

The agency has a safeguarding procedure. Individuals working for the purposes of the agency are familiar with this. However, the procedures have not been submitted to the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) or the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). Hence, it is not clear if the agency’s practice in line with locally agreed protocols. The agency ensures that staff complete safeguarding training at regular intervals and that they are alert to indicators of abuse.

p.5

families

The agency has an appropriate complaints policy. However, there have been no complaints, or indeed allegations, made since the last inspection.

p.5

families

The agency’s recruitment processes are not currently robust. Although attempts have been made to improve recruitment records since the last inspection, weaknesses remain evident. Areas of concern include; no exploration regarding gaps in employment; failure to contact the individual’s most recent employer; no verification calls being made to referees; and failure to seek criminal records history for individuals who have lived overseas. Although, no concerns have become evident since individuals have commenced employment, the current procedure is not sufficiently robust to ensure the integrity of those employed.

p.5

Leadership and management

Judgement outcome: requires improvement The agency has a Statement of Purpose that clearly outlines their aims and objectives. It is subject to regular review. Similarly, the agency’s children’s guide explains the purpose of the agency and includes contact details about how to contact an independent individual should the child wish to do so. However, neither document has been forwarded to Ofsted, despite changes being made to these documents.

p.5

Leadership and management

There has been a change in leadership since the last inspection. The agency now has a sole director, who is currently in the process of applying for formal registration as manager, with Ofsted. She has been the responsible individual since the agency was originally registered, but she does not have an appropriate management qualification. Action was taken to address this during the inspection, by enrolling on an appropriate course.

p.6

Leadership and management

The agency has a targeted business plan. This is subject to annual review and helps to drive forward improvements. Action has already been taken to address a number of the objectives. For example, a part-time administrator is now in employment and the agency has increased its office space but they have yet to develop a business continuity plan. Hence, it is unclear how the agency would be able to continue to operate in the event of unforeseen circumstances. They have taken action to ensure the back up of electronic records.

p.6

Leadership and management

At the last inspection of the agency in October 2012, three requirements and six recommendations were made. The agency have taken action to address the majority of the issues raised. For example, the quality of case records has significantly improved and policies and procedures have been subject to review and amendments. However, concerns remain regarding some issues, such as staff recruitment and business continuity.

p.6

Leadership and management

Therapists are employed on a self-employed basis. However, the agency ensures that they receive regular casework supervision by the manager. In addition, they receive professional supervision in their particular area of expertise although there is no agreed format for recording the content of supervision and no agreed record of discussion that is agreed by both parties, hence, there is potential for misunderstandings. Staff who have worked for the agency for over 12 months have benefitted from an annual performance appraisal.

p.6

Leadership and management

The strategic monitoring of records and practices in the agency is not robust. There is a significant variance in the type and quantity of records that are maintained, as no clear recording policy exists to manage this. While file audits are completed, it is not clear when issues have been identified, or what action has been taken as a result. Similarly, management monitoring did not raise any concerns regarding gaps in recruitment information.

p.6

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 and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

p.6

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 adoption support agencies.

p.7