New Leaf Adoption

Inspection report for voluntary adoption agency - New Leaf Adoption 1 New Leaf Adoption New Leaf Adoption Ltd 2a Railway Street, Pocklington, YORK YO42 2QZ Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this voluntary adoption agency

New Leaf adoption agency was registered on 20 January 2014. It is a small, non-faith- based, stand-alone voluntary adoption agency. It recruits, prepares, assesses, approves and supports adopters for domestic adoption only, and works with local authorities to place children who need an adoptive family.

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Information about this voluntary adoption agency

In the year 1 April 2016 - 31 March 2017, the agency approved eight adoptive families and placed 16 children with its approved adopters. From 1 April 2017 to the time of this inspection, the agency placed seven children with its adopters and approved four adoptive families. At the time of the inspection, three adoptive families were waiting for placements.

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Information about this voluntary adoption agency

Inspection dates: 20 to 24 November 2017

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and parents are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The voluntary adoption agency is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of previous inspection: 20 February 2017

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Two compliance notices have been issued since the last full inspection in February 2017. One related to ensuring that satisfactory recruitment checks are obtained for all people Inspection report for voluntary adoption agency - New Leaf Adoption 2 working for the purposes of the agency. The second notice related to ensuring that all stage one checks are carried out prior to the commencement of stage two. A monitoring visit was carried out on 27 June 2017. The monitoring visit found that both compliance notices had been met.

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Key findings from this inspection

This voluntary adoption agency requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The responsible individual has failed to recognise the shortfalls in practice. He has, until recently, been leading and managing the service without support since the last inspection, and that has left the agency vulnerable. A lack of oversight, ineffective monitoring and poor decision-making have characterised the agency’s operation.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Record-keeping is poor and has not been improved, despite a recommendation to do this from the last inspection. As a result, there is not a clear and accurate record of the agency’s work with an adoptive family.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Adopter assessments, although showing signs of improvement, still need to be more analytical and questioning of self-reported information. Without this approach, the agency cannot be assured that the adopter assessments fully consider the adopters’ capacity to meet the needs of adopted children.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Matching is not robust. There is little evidence of an analysis of children’s needs, and how the particular adopters can meet them. This could have a negative impact on placement stability.

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Key findings from this inspection

 There are still some shortfalls in the operation of the adoption panel. The panel adviser is not appropriately qualified, the minutes require improvement, and on one occasion the panel was inquorate.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff have not undertaken training in the more recent developments in safeguarding practice. This limits their effectiveness in providing advice and support to adoptive families.

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Key findings from this inspection

The voluntary adoption agency’s strengths:

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Key findings from this inspection

 There have been many improvements since the last inspection, and there is a commitment to continue to address the deficits in service provision.

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Key findings from this inspection

 All children are making good progress in their adoptive families, and they are protected from harm. Children are developing positive attachments with their primary care givers, and they are thriving.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The agency has recently recruited an adoption manager, who has been in post for just over two months. The manager is experienced and knowledgeable in the field of Inspection report for voluntary adoption agency - New Leaf Adoption 3 adoption and management, and she is determined to improve the service.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The staff are committed to developing their skills and knowledge. They are positive about the impact the new manager has already had on improving the service. For example, she understands the regulatory framework that underpins adoption, and she is sharing this knowledge to develop the staff’s practice. She is providing reflective supervision and support to assist staff with decision making.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Despite the identified shortfalls in the operation of the adoption panel, it has provided an effective quality assurance mechanism by deferring an assessment that had incomplete information. This contributes towards making the service safer. Inspection report for voluntary adoption agency - New Leaf Adoption 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the Voluntary Adoption Agencies and the Adoption Agencies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2003, the Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005 or any other relevant legislation, and the national minimum standards. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The adoption agency must review the approval of each prospective adopter in accordance with this regulation, unless— (b) in any other case, a child is placed for adoption with the prospective adopter or the agency is considering placing a child with the prospective adopter in accordance with regulations 31 to 33. (2) A review must take place whenever the adoption agency considers it necessary but otherwise not more than one year after approval and thereafter at intervals of not more than one year. (‘Adoption agencies (miscellaneous amendments) regulations’, 2013, Regulation 30D (1)(2)) 26/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

No business may be conducted by an adoption panel unless at least the following meet as the panel— (a) either the person appointed to chair the panel or one of the vice chairs, (b) one person falling within regulation 3(1)(a), (c) three, or in the case of an adoption panel established under regulation 4(3) four, other members and where the chair is not present and the vice chair is not an independent person, at least one other panel member must be an independent person. (‘Adoption agencies and independent review of determinations (amendment) regulations’, 2011, regulation 6(1)) 26/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

The agency adviser must be a social worker and have at least five years’ relevant post-qualification experience and, in the opinion of the adoption agency, relevant management experience. (‘Adoption agencies and independent review of determinations (amendment) regulations’, 2011, regulation 8(2)) 26/01/2018

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the wishes, feelings and views of children are taken into account by the adoption agency and adoption support agency in monitoring and developing its service. (Adoption: national minimum standards, standard 1.6, page 10)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that adoption agencies and adoption support agencies work effectively with Inspection report for voluntary adoption agency - New Leaf Adoption 5 agencies concerned with child protection e.g. the responsible authority, schools, hospitals, general practitioners, etc. and do not work in isolation from them. (Adoption: national minimum standards, standard 4.3, page 14)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the prospective adopters are helped to fully understand the child’s background, health, emotional and developmental needs and the practical implications for parenting that child before they agree for the match to be passed to the adoption panel. (Adoption: national minimum standards, standard 13.7, page 30)

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Recommendations

 The panel chair ensures written minutes of panel meetings are accurate and clearly cover the key issues and views expressed by panel members and record the reasons for its recommendation. (Adoption: national minimum standards, standard 17.9, page 38)

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Recommendations

 There is a good quality learning and development programme which includes induction, post-qualifying and in-service training, that staff and volunteers are supported to undertake. The programme equips them with the skills required to meet the needs of the children and service users, keeps them up-to-date with professional, legal and practice developments and reflects the policies, legal obligations and business of the agency. (Adoption: national minimum standards, standard 23.1, page 50)

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Recommendations

 There are clear and effective procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the agency. This includes the financial viability of the service, any serious incidents, or allegations, or complaints about the service and ensuring quality of the agency. (Adoption: national minimum standards, standard 25.1, page 56)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that there is a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping and take action when needed. (Adoption: national minimum standards, standard 27.2, page 61)

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Recommendations

 Entries in records, decisions and reasons are legible, clearly expressed, non- stigmatising, distinguish between fact, opinion and third party information and are signed and dated. (Adoption: national minimum standards, standard 27.4, page 62) Inspection report for voluntary adoption agency - New Leaf Adoption 6

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improvement to be good

Adopters generally feel welcomed when they approach the agency. They receive information promptly, although the current information is rather basic and in the process of being developed further. The agency has improved its preparation and assessment process since the last inspection. This is now completed at a more realistic pace to enable both adopters and social workers to reflect on the information provided. However, this is still work in progress. Some assessments lack analysis, and there is an over-reliance on self-reporting. The manager has identified this as an area to improve. She is providing mentoring for staff, arranged for them to have external training and has improved the quality assurance of the work.

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improvement to be good

Most adopters appreciate the relationship they have with their adoption social worker. On the whole, children’s social workers also have positive relationships with the adoption social workers. One child’s social worker said: ‘The worker has been very supportive.’ However, a small number of adopters and children’s social workers have lost trust with the agency, and do not feel the relationship is effective. This may prevent them from accessing advice and support.

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improvement to be good

Adopters are usually matched to children promptly. Adopters take the main role in this process, using a variety of family-finding resources. It is unclear from the records the extent to which the adoption social workers help the adopters consider the needs of the children in detail. A child’s social worker commented: ‘I did wonder how much in-depth discussion there had been.’ The matching process would be made more robust if adoption social workers undertake a more detailed analysis of children’s reports and an assessment of their needs. This would provide a better focus for an in-depth discussion with the prospective adopters. On occasions, adopters have not had the support of their adoption social worker at important meetings such as life appreciation days and meetings with birth parents. Despite that, good matches have been made, although the input of the agency in this is unclear. One child’s social worker said: ‘I could not have anticipated

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improvement to be good

a better match.’ Adopters prepare helpful family books so that children have some information about their new family prior to moving in.

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improvement to be good

Most adopters feel that they receive appropriate support from the adoption agency, although there are occasions when the geographical distance between the agency and the adopters causes difficulties. A child’s social worker said: ‘I felt the support from the agency could have been better.’ One adopter felt that communication was poor at times, and support was ‘hit and miss’. However, another adopter commented: ‘It has been good overall.’ Adopters express the view that the support has improved in recent months, and that communication has got better since the arrival of the manager. One adopter commented: ‘Things have changed dramatically since we have had our current social worker. He is easy to get hold of, and we feel supported.’ This demonstrates that the agency is now going in the right direction. Adopters are supported through their adoption social worker and the parenting support worker, but this is also an area that requires

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improvement to be good

further improvement. The manager is in the process of developing this, but it is in the Inspection report for voluntary adoption agency - New Leaf Adoption 7 very early stages.

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improvement to be good

Children are making good, and in some cases exceptional, progress within their adoptive families because adopters are very committed to the children, and they work hard to ensure that all their needs are met. A child’s social worker said: ‘He is doing fantastically well. He has made such progress, particularly with his speech, and he now has a secure attachment. The adopter is fantastic and has lots of patience and nurturing.’ Another social worker said of a child: ‘She has come on in leaps and bounds. She has attached really well and the adopters are really committed to her.’

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improvement to be good

Children are making positive attachments, and they are happy and settled. Most children are very young and are not of school age. However, adopters access nursery education for the children when this is appropriate. They also ensure that their social and emotional needs are met by engaging them in positive play experiences. Adopters register the children with all the primary health services, keep health appointments and access medical attention when required. This ensures that children are healthy and well stimulated.

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improvement to be good

Children are able to maintain links with their birth families through indirect contact arrangements. For some children, adopters also support direct contact with their brothers and sisters, when this is assessed as being in the children’s best interests. This enables them to have a positive sense of their identity and history.

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improvement to be good

Children have access to two children’s guides, aimed at different age groups, and this gives them information about adoption and where to go if they need further advice and support. However, there is no formal engagement of children in developing the service, and their views are not captured in a systematic way. This is an area for development.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, the agency has improved the help and protection afforded to children and young people. Staff and panel members are now recruited appropriately, and the agency can demonstrate that they are safe and suitable people to be involved with children and young people. In addition, the required checks and references on prospective adopters are now undertaken, and there is a better understanding of the importance of the accuracy of this information. However, on one occasion a significant piece of information was not explored in a timely way, resulting in the appropriate deferment of an assessment by the adoption panel.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding children. However, they have not had training in issues such as radicalisation, extremism, self- harm, sexual exploitation and e-safety. Consequently, their knowledge is limited in these areas and they are therefore not able to give up-to-date safeguarding guidance to their adoptive families. The impact of this shortfall is limited due to the age of the children in placement. Inspection report for voluntary adoption agency - New Leaf Adoption 8 Adopters comment that the training they have prepares them for understanding the impact of trauma, abuse and neglect on how children present and the behaviour they may exhibit. The initial preparation training is supplemented by additional courses on empathic parenting and attachment. The parenting support worker is also available to provide additional advice and support to enhance their knowledge and understanding,

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improvement to be good

and give them strategies to use. Adopters are therefore able to respond to the needs of their children in a way that promotes positive attachments.

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improvement to be good

There has been one complaint since the last inspection, and this is in the process of being investigated. The agency is demonstrating a willingness to learn from situations that have not gone as well as they should have. The manager is proactive in promoting a dialogue and investigating the issues raised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Despite some improvements in the operation of the service, there have been significant shortfalls in the leadership and management of this agency. There are currently no governors or trustees to provide the full range of skills and expertise required, offer an additional layer of oversight, and act as a critical friend. Therefore, the burden of responsibility for all aspects of the service has fallen on the responsible individual. This has limited the effectiveness of monitoring and it has resulted in conflicts of interest. For example, the responsible individual has been involved in the direct supervision of the work of the social workers, but has also been responsible for making the agency decision on the work submitted to the adoption panel.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

In addition, the responsible individual has exercised poor judgement, resulting in ineffective partnership working. He failed to share important information with the local authorities who have responsibility for children placed with the agency’s adopters. This has delayed children’s adoptions, caused distress and anxiety to adoptive parents, and increased the workload and expense for the local authorities concerned. The lack of information-sharing had the potential to place the children’s plans for permanence in jeopardy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The responsible individual has not demonstrated a good enough understanding of the regulatory framework that underpins the provision of a voluntary adoption agency, and he has therefore been unable to recognise fully the shortfalls in the service provision. For example, adopters who have been approved for over a year and do not have children placed with them have not had their approval reviewed. The correct procedures have not been followed when the agency decided not to progress adopter applications, both in stage one and stage two, and the quality assurance of a case presented to the adoption panel was extremely poor. This has resulted in unnecessary dissatisfaction and distress for the people concerned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Record-keeping remains poor despite a previous recommendation to improve this. Some of the recording is unprofessional in tone, and not all records are signed or dated. In addition, not all documents are maintained on the file. For example, an important letter sent to a local authority was not on the file and had to be requested. Archived files are incomplete. There is not an effective audit system to identify these shortfalls and improve Inspection report for voluntary adoption agency - New Leaf Adoption 9 the record-keeping. As a result, there is no clear and accurate record of the work undertaken with an adoptive family and child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There have been improvements in the operation of the adoption panel since the last inspection. The panel is now chaired by a professionally qualified social worker with extensive experience in adoption. A number of new panel members have been recruited, and they have a range of personal and professional experience of adoption. The adoption panel has also provided an improved and much-needed quality assurance function. For example, it has deferred applications when there have been clear deficits in the assessments that have not been recognised by the agency’s own quality assurance mechanisms. However, there are still some shortfalls. The agency panel advisor does not have the required length of relevant post-qualifying experience. On one occasion the panel was inquorate. In addition, the panel minutes do not state the reason for the recommendation clearly enough. This makes the decision-making process less robust.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The agency has recently recruited a manager who is very experienced and knowledgeable about adoption work. She has a very sound knowledge of the regulations and standards that underpin the work of an adoption agency. Although she has only been in post for just over two months, her positive impact can be seen already. Together with the business manager, she is improving the systems and processes to make them fully compliant with the regulations. There are many plans to develop the service further, but until a satisfactory baseline is established, she is not able to move as quickly as she would like in the direction she would like to go. For example, she plans to utilise the parenting support worker more so that he can establish more formalised and structured support for adoptive families. She would also like the agency to be a member of the regional adoption agency, as she recognises that the agency is currently working in

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

In addition to the manager and business manager, the agency employs two social workers and a family support worker. Until recently, the support they have received has not been sufficient to enable them to provide an effective adoption service. The new manager has already started to address this. Staff receive good-quality, reflective supervision that has addressed their training needs. The social workers accessed external training in adopter assessments. The staff are enthusiastic about these developments, as they feel they have not been as well supported as they would have liked in the last few months. They now feel well supported and safe. The manager provides a good role model, and she is accessible to answer any queries.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The quality of professional relationships is variable. Some local authorities have lost trust with the agency because of its previous lack of openness and transparency. However, individual relationships between children’s social workers and the adoption staff are generally positive. The manager is working hard to improve partnership working, although she has been prepared to challenge decisions when she feels they are not in a child’s best interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The agency positively promotes tolerance, equality and diversity. Prospective adopters are not discriminated against because of any specific, individual characteristics. For Inspection report for voluntary adoption agency - New Leaf Adoption 10 example, there are older adopters, single adopters and adopters in same-sex relationships.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the voluntary adoption agency knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Voluntary Adoption Agencies and the Adoption Agencies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2003, the Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005, any other relevant legislation, and the national minimum standards. Inspection report for voluntary adoption agency - New Leaf Adoption 11

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Voluntary adoption agency details

Registered provider: New Leaf Adoption Ltd

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Voluntary adoption agency details

Registered provider address: 2a Railway Street, Pocklington, York YO42 2QZ

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Voluntary adoption agency details

Email address: info@newleafadoption.co.uk

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Inspector:

Ros Chapman, social care inspector Inspection report for voluntary adoption agency - New Leaf Adoption 12 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

T: 0300 123 4234 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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