Futures for Children

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Futures for Children 1 Futures for Children Futures for Children Limited 8 Lumley Court, Drum Industrial Estate, Chester Le Street, County Durham DH2 1AN Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Futures for Children is an independent fostering agency that is part of an organisation with a number of registered branches. The agency provides foster care services for children who have a range of needs. Placements are available on a long- term, short-term and emergency basis and include the provision of parent and child fostering placements. At the time of the inspection, the agency had 23 children and young people living with 14 foster families. The agency’s staff team comprises the manager, one full-time and one part-time supervising social worker, a part-time reviewing officer as well as administrative support staff. There was one full-time social worker vacancy at the time of inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

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

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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good

The independent fostering 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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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Futures for Children 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This independent fostering agency requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Poor matching decisions have resulted in children and young people being placed at risk of harm and have resulted in the breakdown of placements for some young people.  The children’s and young people’s progress and achievement is not sufficiently monitored, resulting in the agency being unable to demonstrate that it makes good progress as a result of their placements.  There are significant gaps in the records kept by the agency. These result in care being based on incomplete information that may be insufficient to meet the needs of children and young people.  Inadequate leadership and management have resulted in a high staff turnover. Staff have not been adequately supported by regular supervision and timely guidance. This has had an impact on the consistency of support received by foster carers.

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Key findings from this inspection

The independent fostering agency’s strengths:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered provider has recognised the weaknesses in the management of the agency. They have taken appropriate measures to address these and prevent recurrence.  All safeguarding concerns have been followed up by senior management. Matching decisions are now being made with a clear focus on the needs of the children and young people to be placed and those already living at the home. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Futures for Children 3

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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, Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and the national minimum standards. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the fostering service provider must ensure that the fostering service is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 3(5)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person in respect of an independent fostering agency must ensure that the welfare of children placed or to be placed with foster parents is safeguarded and promoted at all times. (Regulation 11(a)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must promote the educational achievement of children placed with foster parents.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the fostering service provider must implement a procedure for monitoring the educational achievement, progress and school attendance of children placed with foster parents. (Regulation 16(2)(a)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must ensure that, in relation to any child placed or to be placed with a foster parent, the foster parent is given such information, which is kept up to date, as to enable them to provide appropriate care for the child, and in particular that each foster parent is provided with a copy of the most recent version of the child’s care plan provided to the fostering service provider under regulation 6(3)(d) of the Care Planning Regulations. (Regulation 17(3))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the agency escalates requests for the necessary documentation with the responsible authority in cases when it is not forthcoming. 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain a system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at appropriate intervals, and improving the quality of foster care provided by the fostering agency.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide the Chief Inspector with 01/02/2019 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Futures for Children 4 a written report in respect of any review conducted for the purposes of paragraph (1) and, on request, to any local authority.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (1) must provide for consultation with foster parents, children placed with foster parents, and their placing authority (unless, in the case of a fostering agency which is a voluntary organisation, it is also the placing authority). (Regulation 35(1)(a)(b)(2)(3))

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Recommendations

 The fostering service only suggests foster carers to local authorities as a potential match for a child if the foster carer can reasonably be expected to meet the child’s assessed needs and the impact of the placement on existing household members has been considered. Where gaps are identified, the fostering service should work with the responsible authority to ensure the placement plan sets out any additional training, resource or support required. (Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards, paragraph 15.1, page 32)  The manager exercises effective leadership of the staff and operation, such that the fostering service is organised, managed and staffed in a manner that delivers the best possible child care that meets the individual needs of each fostered child and of foster carers. (Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards, paragraph 17.5, page 35)  Staff have access to support and advice, and are provided with regular

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Recommendations

supervision by appropriately qualified and experienced staff. (Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards, paragraph 24.4, page 49)  Information about the child is recorded clearly and in a way which will be helpful to the child when they access their files and in the future. (Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards, paragraph 26.6, page 52) Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Futures for Children 5

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improvement to be good

This agency is in the process of merging with a sister company and will be applying to HMCI for voluntary cancellation of its registration imminently.

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improvement to be good

The majority of the children and young people are in stable placements where they appear to be making progress. However, due to the lack of tracking by the agency in terms of educational attainment, health and well-being, the staff are unable to adequately measure the achievements and progress of the children and young people against their starting points. Agency social workers undertake visits to carers in line with statutory requirements, and carers complete recording logs. However, information from these logs is not collated in such a way as to inform staff about the journey of the children and young people.

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improvement to be good

The most up-to-date care, education and health plans are missing from some of the children’s and young people’s files. This results in care being based on incomplete information that may be insufficient to meet the needs of children and young people. Delegated consent documentation is not always present. This could have safeguarding implications in respect of lack of medical consent documentation. Although the agency has challenged placing authorities, it has failed to escalate concerns when the information has continued to be incomplete. A requirement is raised in respect of this.

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improvement to be good

The education and health needs, including the sexual health of the children and young people, are generally looked after. However, this is because of the experience and initiative of carers. Agency staff do not have sufficient in-depth knowledge of the lives of all the children and young people. For example, a supervising social worker could not find out the exam results for a young person who had left school, and there are some young people who are not in education or training. A requirement is raised in respect of monitoring educational achievement and progress of children and young people.

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improvement to be good

Partnerships with responsible authorities and other agencies are not well developed. This results in missed opportunities to advance the progress of the children and young people. For example, delays in the coordination of professionals from different disciplines has resulted in a placement plan not being agreed.

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improvement to be good

The children and young people are able to build secure relationships with their carers. Those children and young people spoken with during the inspection very much felt part of the carer’s family. They are included in all aspects of family life, taking holidays with the family and enjoying positive relationships with the carer’s birth children. All carers are given the opportunity to take short breaks if they require but the take-up is low. Two young people are planning to continue to live with their carers under staying-put arrangements, and two young people are in the process of being adopted by their carer. This reflects the commitment of carers to Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Futures for Children 6 their foster children and the secure relationships that have formed.

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improvement to be good

When children and young people have particular cultural needs, carers show sensitivity and understanding. One foster couple source halal meat for their foster children and undertake extensive travel to enable them to attend a specific school.

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improvement to be good

There have been no complaints from carers or children and young people since the last inspection. The complaints procedure is clearly communicated to both, with guides for children and young people available in different formats to be used as appropriate for their age and understanding.

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improvement to be good

Carers recognise the significance that birth families have in the lives of the children and young people. They support the children and young people to have contact with their birth families, as directed by their care plans, through flexible supervision of visits and transport to contact meetings.

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improvement to be good

Those carers spoken with are appreciative of the support that they receive from agency staff, although they commented that they have had a number of different workers in a short space of time. This turnover of staff has had an impact on the consistency of the support that the carers receive. The agency offers a therapeutic service to help foster carers cope with the extra demands of fostering on their family life. Additionally, there is an education helpline to aid any children and young people who are experiencing issues at school. However, referrals to these resources have been low since the last inspection, reducing the assistance offered to foster carers.

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improvement to be good

No new foster carers have been recruited since the last inspection. This does not serve to widen the pool of carers available to meet the diverse needs of children and young people.

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improvement to be good

In some cases, poor matching decisions by the registered manager have had a negative impact on some of the children and young people, leading to exposure of some to the risk of harm and leading to the breakdown of one placement.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there have been serious deficits in the help and protection of children and young people which have placed young people at risk of harm. For example, two poor matching decisions have resulted in incidents of young people being placed at risk of harm. In another case, the agency has been slow to react to the risk of child sexual exploitation to one young person. A requirement is raised in relation to the agency’s duty to safeguard and promote at all times the welfare of children placed or to be placed with foster parents.

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improvement to be good

The registered provider recognised that practice had become unsafe and has taken to steps to address all the shortfalls. A senior manager has undertaken a review of all aspects of the service and is ensuring that the service is now delivered in such a way as to ensure the safeguarding of the children and young people. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Futures for Children 7 Individual risks to the children and young people are now being fully identified. Carers receive information about how to manage these, in the form of safe-care plans and risk assessments. The assessments include guidance on the procedures to be followed if a child or young person goes missing. Because of the particular challenges presented by a minority of the young people, there are regular episodes of missing from home incidents recorded by the agency. Carers demonstrate that they understand and follow the procedures, and that young people are reported to

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improvement to be good

the police appropriately. However, the staff fail to monitor that the young people are offered return home interviews by the responsible authority. This results in missed opportunities for the young people to disclose their feelings and prevent further episodes of going missing from home.

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improvement to be good

All carers undertake training in ways to manage behaviour and de-escalate conflict. There have been two recorded incidents of restraint since the last inspection. Restraint is only used if it is part of a child’s agreed care plan. Carers’ agreements make it clear that any form of corporal punishment is not permitted.

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improvement to be good

All carers receive training on online safety, which helps them to put appropriate safeguards in place. One young person proudly said that he is the internet safety champion at school.

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improvement to be good

The agency staff complete unannounced visits annually, and the children and young people are regularly provided with opportunities to speak to them alone. Appropriate action is taken to follow up allegations and concerns from the children and young people and, when needed, carers have been de-registered. This prevents unsuitable care practice continuing.

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improvement to be good

The employment of a reviewing officer has resulted in the annual review system being strengthened, with detailed reports and action plans helping the quality of placements to be monitored more effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager of this agency is retiring and the service is being merged with a sister company.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A high turnover of staff since the last inspection has resulted in the agency failing to be appropriately resourced at times to meet the needs of the children and young people and the carers. While the carers value the support that they receive from the staff, they identified that there had been gaps in this because of staff vacancies. Children and young people have not been able to build up familiar relationships with supervising social workers. A recommendation regarding the resourcing of the agency is made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

New staff have not routinely received appropriate induction. Supervision has been infrequent. One member of staff commented, ‘We have had to hit the ground running.’ Some staff lack the skills needed to use the agency’s electronic recording Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Futures for Children 8 system effectively. This has led to poor performance around case management and recording. A recommendation is made regarding this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Case records do not adequately reflect the lives of children and young people, the work undertaken with them and their achievements. Consequently, the records do not increase children’s and young people’s understanding of their lives. The recommendations made at the last inspection in this area are not met, and a new recommendation is made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Insufficient steps are taken to understand the plans for the children and young people and to actively drive through improvements for them. Frequent changes in supervising social workers, and poor monitoring of children’s and young people’s progress and achievements, result in a reactive approach to placements, and opportunities for preventative work are missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager does not have adequate systems in place to actively monitor the quality of care provided. She does not gather feedback from children and young people, staff, carers and others to evaluate the quality of the service. This has resulted in insufficient recognition of the flaws in the performance of the agency and the actions needed to improve the service. A requirement is raised in respect of this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The agency does not undertake its service in line with all the statements made in its statement of purpose. For example, children and young people are not involved in any aspect of service delivery, and there is no annual education audit undertaken as stated. A requirement is raised in respect of this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The agency has an experienced and suitably qualified panel in place. The panel actively engages with the agency and promotes safe and secure placements through its scrutiny. The chair is experienced and challenges the quality of assessment or lack of information when he feels it is necessary. The panel members receive documentation in good time before meetings, which ensures that they are fully apprised of information before making their recommendations. Minutes are clear and record the reasons for decisions made. A recommendation to improve the quality of panel records made at the last inspection is met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The agency decision maker is also the responsible individual. He is appropriately qualified and experienced. There has been one referral to the independent review mechanism since the last inspection. The decision of the agency to de-register a carer was upheld.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Some matching decisions have been of poor quality, with a lack of risk assessment and no recording of the rationale behind the matching. This is unsafe practice and has led to placement breakdown and risks to children and young people. Senior management has now taken steps to rectify this. A recommendation is made in respect of this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The carers, staff and panel members are equipped for their roles through a comprehensive training programme offered by the agency. Courses ranging from Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Futures for Children 9 first aid, managing child sexual exploitation and radicalisation and dyslexia are undertaken by carers to help them meet the needs of children and young people. The carers commented that if they express the need for any training to help them meet their foster child’s needs, then the agency will source it. Carers have achieved the training, support and development standards required for foster carers within a year of approval.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The responsible individual has now recognised the shortfalls in leadership and management at this agency. A senior manager has put corrective measures in place and these are now securing the future safeguarding of the children and young people. The agency is in the process of merging with a sister agency and will be under new day-to-day management.

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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 independent fostering 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 Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and the national minimum standards. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Futures for Children 10

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Futures for Children Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: The Masters House, College Road, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6YQ

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Independent fostering agency details

Responsible individual: Nicholas Barnsby

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Independent fostering agency details

Email address: christineheaver@futures-for-children.org

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Inspector

Janet Black, social care inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Futures for Children 11 to 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

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