Foster Care Associates South Western

Foster Care Associates South Western Inspection report for independent fostering agency

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Unique reference number SC038012 Inspection date 17/10/2016 Inspector Paul Clark, Steve Lowe, Christina Maddison Type of inspection Full Provision subtype

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Setting address Suite 2, Forresters House, 41 Estover Close, Plymouth PL6 7PL

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Telephone number 0117 923 8383 Email Sherree.cole@thefca.co.uk

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Registered manager Mrs Sherree Cole Responsible individual Mr David Oldham Date of last inspection 14/10/2015 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. 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

Foster Care Associates (FCA) is a national independent fostering agency organised into individually registered regions throughout the UK. FCA South Western incorporates Devon, Bristol, Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire, Swindon, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, Torbay, and Cornwall. Integrated teams of social work staff, therapists, resource workers and education liaison workers support children and young people and provide three levels of service, ‘specialist’ which offers a comprehensive service by the provision of a range of professional expertise e.g. ‘team parenting’; ’bespoke’ which provides a specific service designed to meet the need of individual young people and; ‘standard’ which aims to meet the needs of young people aged under 11 years of age, and those over 11 years where the needs are not complex.

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Brief description of the service

Foster carers are offered a number of weeks respite each year and the service has developed a system of having available carers who are specifically approved to offer this service. Support is available to carers on a 24/7 basis which is provided by an out of hours service.

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Brief description of the service

The service operates in the south of the region from its Plymouth office, and there is also an office in Bodmin. It operates in the north of the region from its Bristol office and there is also an office in Gloucester. The Plymouth office serves as its central HQ.

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Brief description of the service

At the time of the inspection there were 165 fostering households who had 181 young people placed with them.

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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 who have 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 Website: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

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. 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 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

Although it is recommended that the audit of records requires greater scrutiny to avoid the rare inaccuracy seen by inspectors, the overall effectiveness of this independent fostering agency is good. This is achieved by:

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Overall effectiveness

 Children and young people who have complex needs living in stable placements in which they feel safe and secure  The recruitment and preparation of a broad range of carers who can offer placements to larger sibling groups, young people who have complex and challenging needs, and mother and baby placements  The completion of carers’ assessments and panel approval within required timescales, and good-quality preparation training, which informs carers about all aspects of the fostering task  Foster carers receiving good supervision and support, including free membership of fostering organisations, ‘buddying systems’, frequent carers’ support forums and good out-of-hours support  Children and young people benefiting from the agency’s own therapeutic and educational expertise  Good and collaborative working with partnership agencies that work together to safeguard children and young people  The leaders and managers meeting all of the requirements arising from the

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Overall effectiveness

previous inspection. Website: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Overall effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meet(s) the Care Standards Act 2000, Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and the national minimum standards. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

26: Records Ensure that information about the child is recorded clearly. Specifically, ensure that placement plans contain the correct status description of the young person. (National minimum standard 26.6) Website: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Recommendations

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and young people

The experiences and progress of, and the outcomes for, children and young people cared for by this independent fostering agency are good. This is achieved by:  placements being stable, and the numbers of unplanned endings being comparable with the national average;  provision for larger sibling groups;  the provision of child-friendly profiles of foster carer households;  a high number of young people ‘staying put’ after their 18th birthdays;  young people having access to a wide range of recreational and social activities;  good therapeutic and educational support; and  young people enjoying positive relationships with the agency’s staff and with their foster carers. The agency recruits and prepares foster carers who can meet a range of young people’s needs, including short-term and long-term care, provision for larger sibling groups and provision for children who have more complex needs. Children and young

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and young people

people are carefully matched with those carers who are able to best meet their needs. This is achieved by specialist members of staff liaising with placing authorities at an early stage, to ensure that young people’s assessed needs can be met by the carers. One commissioning officer from a placing authority commented, ‘Good communication. Open and honest. Good matching.’ Foster carers now produce child-friendly profiles of their households, and these enable young people to see detailed information about where they are going to live. This contributes to their staying with carers for a considerable length of time. Although this agency provides care for young people who may not be able to be accommodated within local authority fostering provision because of their complex and more challenging behaviours, the numbers of unplanned endings in this agency are relatively low and in line with the national average. The agency has successfully

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and young people

supported young people staying with their carers beyond their 18th birthdays under the ‘staying put’ scheme, and this gives them security and better preparation for independent living. The agency has a specialist team of professional therapists, including a clinical psychologist, a systemic family therapist and a play therapist, who offer support to Website: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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and young people

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. young people to develop their emotional well-being. The team works closely with placing authorities, schools, child and adolescent metal health services and other professionals. Young people’s educational progress is overseen by an operations manager who is a qualified teacher and who ensures that education is in place within 20 days of children and young people starting their stays. The overwhelming majority of young people are in full-time education or in further education. All children and young people have a personal education plan (PEP) or a pathway plan in place, and foster carers always attend PEP meetings. This means that foster carers have an active voice in how pupil premium monies are spent to best improve the educational opportunities of children

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and young people

who are looked after. Family support workers support carers when children and young people display behaviour that might otherwise lead to a breakdown in their relationship with their carers. They also support young people with their education work, should they be excluded from school. In addition to the social events for young people that are promoted by foster carers, family support workers arrange a broad range of recreational and leisure activities for young people. These include celebratory events, which acknowledge young people’s achievements, and this promotes their life experiences and sense of well-being.

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Quality of service

The quality of service that this independent fostering agency provides is good. This is achieved by:  clear care planning and assessments of young people’s needs, which are effectively reviewed in partnership with placing authority social workers and independent reviewing officers;  good-quality recruitment, preparation, training, support and supervision of carers;  having a broad range of carers who are able to meet different young people’s needs;  young people feeling that they are well cared for;  the effective ongoing training of carers; the provision of a ‘team parenting’ Website: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Quality of service

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. therapeutic model to support carers and young people; and  rigorous assessments of proposed carers, which are effectively overseen by the fostering panel. Placement plans are in place for each young person and clearly assess young people’s needs and how these are to be met. Plans are effectively reviewed in collaboration with placing authority social workers and independent reviewing officers. One independent reviewing officer commented, ‘They provide really good-quality reports for review meetings.’ The organisation has a central assessment manager who ensures that individuals who express an interest in fostering are visited promptly. The manager is also involved in carer recruitment, with particular responsibility for promoting a broad range of carers

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Quality of service

who can care for larger sibling groups and mothers and babies. The agency primarily uses external assessors who complete their foster carers’ assessments within five months. Assessments are signed off by the assessments manager before they are presented to panel. The external assessors’ work is overseen by the manager throughout the assessment process, and they attend necessary training events required by the agency. This has included training on how to best assess an applicant’s motivation to foster. This helps to ensure that fostering is only undertaken by individuals committed to the care and well-being of children and young people. There is one fostering panel and one central list. The panel meets regularly in both the north and the south of the region. It is chaired by an independent chair who has many years of experience in childcare practice and management at a senior level. The panel compositions include members with medical and educational expertise, and there are

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Quality of service

members with personal experience of fostering. The panel makes recommendations of approval to the agency decision-maker, who is also the registered manager, but who does not sign off assessments or attend panel. The panel now effectively reviews the approval of carers after there have been concerns about a carer’s practice. This helps to ensure that young people are cared for by suitable people. All potential carers attend effective training during the course of their assessment, which introduces them to the negative aspects, as well as the positive, of fostering, and this ensures that people who are not fully committed or unable to meet young people’s needs do not continue to the approval stage. There is regular and ongoing training for carers in the key areas of their role, which includes training on safeguarding children and attachment theory. The overwhelming majority of foster carers have the appropriate qualification, or are undertaking this award, which they

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Quality of service

must complete within their first year following approval. Foster carers have access to well-attended monthly support groups and say that they receive good support from supervising social workers. This support extends to the evenings and weekends. One Website: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Quality of service

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. carer commented, ‘Excellent out-of-hours support.’ Another carer described the support given by the agency as ‘Fantastic. Good out-of-hours support. So much training available.’ This means that young people are cared for by able and competent people who are well supervised and supported. Young people spoken with during the inspection told the inspectors that they like where they live. Various comments from young people’s questionnaire survey returns included, ‘They are my mum and dad, my rock to catch me when I fall. They are the reason I am still here to fill out stupid forms’, ‘They deserve medals’, and ‘Amazing’. This suggests that this agency provides carers who support and value young people

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Quality of service

and who are generally effective and of good quality.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The way that this independent fostering agency safeguards children and young people is good. This is achieved by:  the support systems around young people and the clear documentation given to young people, informing them where they can get help if needed, and if they want to make a complaint about their care;  the assessments of risk that are in place to safeguard individual young people;  the review of risk assessments with regard to young people who go missing;  the good relationships that exist between the agency and local authority safeguarding teams and designated officers;  the effective supervision and training of foster carers; and  the thorough recruitment and vetting procedures for carers, staff and panel members. Young people are regularly consulted about their view of the quality of their care and whether they feel safe and happy. This occurs at meetings with their placing authority social workers, young people’s forum meetings, care plan review meetings and

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Safeguarding children and young people

periodic surveys. The children’s guide is written in age-appropriate formats and gives clear information about where young people can go to get help, or if they wish to make a complaint about the service. There are two unannounced visits conducted on fostering households each year. Health and safety checks of fostering households are conducted annually and are part of the foster carer’s annual review by panel. One young person told the inspector, ‘I feel happy and safe here. They [the foster carers] Website: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Safeguarding children and young people

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. help me with everything.’ Placement plans are clearly written and contain effective assessments of areas where young people may be at risk, or put themselves at risk. These assessments are appropriately reviewed by supervising social workers and updated following any incidents that may occur. Supervising social workers ensure that foster carers are aware of any changes made to young people’s risk assessments. Although there is a protocol in place to be followed when young people go missing, there have been occasions when young people continue to go missing. The agency calls disruption meetings and gives notice to placing authorities if they feel that they are unable to ensure that a young person can be kept safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Foster carers, supervising social workers and panel members receive training on safeguarding children, which is regularly updated, and there are good relationships with local authority designated officers. No recent or current safeguarding concerns have been identified by the local authority designated officers who were contacted as part of this inspection. As previously stated, any concerns about fosters carers’ practice have been reported to local authority designated officers appropriately, young people removed and the carer’s approval status reviewed by panel. Vetting and recruitment practice for carers, staff and panel members is appropriate and complies with statutory requirements. This helps to prevent unsuitable people from having the opportunity to harm children and young people.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of this independent fostering agency are good. This is achieved by:  the registered manager being appropriately qualified and experienced;  effective working relationships with placing authorities;  the regular monitoring of individual young people’s life experiences and developmental progress;  the regular monitoring of the quality of service and the development of service improvements;  the continuing review of the statement of purpose and children’s guide; Website: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Leadership and management

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.  foster carers, staff and panel members being appropriately recruited, trained, supervised and supported;  the notification of events to the regulatory body; and  the effective action taken in response to the requirements of the previous inspection. The registered manager is an experienced and appropriately qualified practitioner and manager and acts as the agency decision-maker. Because the geographic area covered is large, areas of management responsibility are delegated to two operations managers. However, the registered manager has now put systems in place to ensure that they have day-to-day oversight of overall agency function. There are good working relationships with placing authorities. One local authority commissioning

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Leadership and management

officer commented, ‘We have a positive working relationship with them.’ An independent reviewing officer commented, ‘Communication is good.’ The manager liaises well with placing authority safeguarding teams and local authority designated officers, and puts into effect any necessary changes recommended by them. One local authority designated officer commented, ‘ We are happy that they have noted recommended changes in the reports. We are happy with the current arrangements in place.’ The manager conducts a quarterly review of the quality of care in consultation with foster carers, young people and stakeholders. These reviews make recommendations for service improvements, which have been seen to have been put into effect. The statement of purpose clearly identifies the aims and objectives of the agency and gives a comprehensive description of its organisation and function. The statement is reviewed annually. Children’s guides are available in age-appropriate formats and

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Leadership and management

these give young people full information about the service, including the contact details of helping agencies, and details about how they can raise complaints if they are unhappy with their care. The leaders and managers conduct audits of records, including young people’s case files. Although these are generally well ordered, the inspectors did notice one discrepancy, with one young person’s placement plan wrongly describing their care status. The training and support available to foster carers are extensive. Foster carers feel that the preparation training prepares them well for the fostering task and that the ongoing training is good. Newly appointed carers are given free membership of the Fostering Network, and there is a ‘buddying link’ to an experienced carer from whom they can get informal advice and support. There are monthly carers’ support groups. The majority of carers have completed the appropriate training award, which they have

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Leadership and management

to complete within the year following their approval. Foster carers feel well supported by supervising social workers who, they say, visit regularly and are always available to them. There is good out-of-hours support. These measures help to ensure that young Website: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Leadership and management

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. people receive good-quality care. Supervising social workers are all professionally qualified and are members of the appropriate professional body. Systems are in place to ensure that supervising social workers receive training in all key areas of their roles, for example safeguarding children and attachment theory, and that this training is regularly updated. They receive monthly supervision, and there are regular team meetings. Consultative advice is also regularly available from the agency’s therapeutic team. All managers, staff and panel members undertake an annual appraisal, which identifies their training and development needs. This training and supervision means that young people receive

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Leadership and management

good-quality care. The agency has implemented the requirements of the previous inspection report. Notifications to the regulatory body now clearly identify the significant event occurring and updates follow-up actions taken by the agency in regard to them. The registered manager has set up systems, which allow them access to information about the notifications more rapidly. Foster carers who are the subject of allegations, or whose practice is of concern, now have their approval status reviewed by panel before children and young people live with them. Foster carers now produce child-friendly profiles of their households, which better inform young people about where it is proposed that they are going to live. Assessing social workers and panel members have now been trained in assessing applicants’ motivations to foster. All foster carers, staff and panel members now receive training in appropriate forms of discipline for

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Leadership and management

young people, and in what disciplinary methods are unacceptable. Website: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Leadership and management

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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.

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