Resolution Fostering Service

Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Resolution Fostering Service 1 Resolution Fostering Services

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355 Wilmslow Road, Manchester M14 6XU Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The agency was registered in October 2016. It provides long-term, short-term and emergency foster care placements for children and young people from birth up to the age of 17.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Date of previous inspection: 7 March 2018

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This monitoring visit

This independent fostering agency was judged inadequate at its first full inspection on 27 and 28 November 2017. As a result, Ofsted issued six compliance notices under Regulations 8, 11, 20, 21, 30 and 35.

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This monitoring visit

Monitoring visits took place on 13 February and 7 March 2018. The focus of these visits was to monitor the actions taken by the provider to comply with the six notices. None of the notices have been met.

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This monitoring visit

On 13 April 2018, Ofsted issued the provider with a 28-day notice of proposal to cancel the agency’s registration.

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This monitoring visit

The focus of this visit was to monitor any developments within the agency.

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This monitoring visit

A new manager has been recruited and her start date is 18 May 2018. She has already provided some support to the service, including helping with staff and panel member recruitment and providing some staff and the acting manager with independent, professional supervision and annual appraisal.

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This monitoring visit

Although there is some improvement in the agency’s recruitment practice, the vetting of staff and panel members is still not robust. For example, shortfalls remain in obtaining and verifying all references, exploring gaps in employment history, clearly recording information Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Resolution Fostering Service 2 from Disclosure and Barring Service checks and checking and recording register checks with the Health and Care Professions Council. There were also discrepancies in the dates and signatures provided on some recruitment records. Recruitment practice does not ensure that persons working for the agency are rigorously vetted and approved to work with children.

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This monitoring visit

All staff have now been issued with job descriptions which outline their responsibilities. Staff have been issued with an employee handbook and have signed to show that they have received an offer of employment. Dates of such signatures do not always make sense. For example, an offer of employment issued on 24 November 2017 and signed for on 1 December 2017 was sent, on behalf of the agency, from an administrative member of staff who did not commence employment with the agency until February 2018. The administrator confirmed that she had designed the form. She had not signed the letter sent in her name, so it is not clear on whose authority the letter was sent. The validity of this document is questionable due to the signature being falsely dated.

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This monitoring visit

Similar discrepancies in dates on documents are evident in a number of other documents. For example, the interview record of a member of staff shows that she was interviewed on 20 November 2017 by the supervising social worker (who is now the acting manager) and by a relative of the provider. She was asked during the interview about the outcome of the Ofsted inspection. As this inspection took place after the date of this interview, the validity of this document is also questionable.

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This monitoring visit

The recorded start date for a member of staff is 1 December 2017, yet she was an established member of staff at the time of the inspection on 27 November 2017. Her application for employment, dated 30 July 2016, which was previously held on her staff file, is no longer held. It has been replaced with an application dated 11 November 2017. There is no explanation about this and no indication on the new application or on her staff file that the member of staff has been working for the agency for many months. This means that the agency’s documents cannot be relied upon to openly and transparently reflect its operation.

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This monitoring visit

When questioned, a member of staff explained that some documents were falsely dated in order to satisfy Ofsted that recruitment processes meet the regulations. This is unacceptable practice and demonstrates a lack of honesty and integrity as well as a poor understanding of the importance of maintaining true and accurate records. The responsible individual was able to offer no explanation for the discrepancy.

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This monitoring visit

Newly appointed staff have begun to have probationary review meetings with the prospective manager but have not had a formal induction to the agency. It is not clear that their understanding of the agency’s work, policies and procedures is being routinely assessed.

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This monitoring visit

In the two months since the last monitoring visit, most, but not all, staff have received one formal supervision session focusing on their performance and an annual appraisal of their work. While this is a clear improvement, the arrangements are still not adequate. For example, one member of staff, who is still in her probation period, is not receiving monthly supervision in line with the company’s policy. Indeed, records show that she has received formal supervision only once in the three months that she has worked for the agency. Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Resolution Fostering Service 3 Although responsible for staff recruitment, she has not yet received training in safer recruitment practice. This failure to provide the member of staff with adequate and timely supervision and training has hindered the agency’s progress in addressing the regulation in relation to fitness of workers.

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This monitoring visit

Similarly, the acting manager has received only one formal supervision session since January 2018. This focused on her role as a supervising social worker and not on her role as acting manager. Meetings between the responsible individual, the acting manager and the prospective manager are not recorded. Consequently, the quality of advice and guidance to the acting manager cannot be assessed. Current practice does not ensure that staff competence for their roles is being regularly assessed. Nor does it evidence that they receive suitable support and guidance in their work.

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This monitoring visit

Staff training needs have been identified through annual appraisal and some have attended training during March and April 2018, aimed at enhancing their practice. Further training is planned over the coming months.

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This monitoring visit

The frequency of team meetings has improved. Since the last monitoring visit in March 2018, the team members have met twice and this has provided them with the opportunity to reflect, share learning and make plans.

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This monitoring visit

The staff team has received training in using the agency’s electronic filing system. This has enabled improvements to children’s and carers’ records. Some shortfalls remain in both the content and the timeliness of records. For example, not all children’s records are kept up to date and accurately reflect children’s experiences and progress. A foster carer review sampled during this visit did not accurately reflect challenges faced by the foster family during the past year. Supervision visits to foster carers are not always recorded in a timely way. For example, one visit had not been recorded after approximately three weeks. This does not enable effective oversight and monitoring of the quality of work and children’s progress.

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This monitoring visit

Recommendations for re-approval of five foster families were made at a panel meeting on 23 April 2018. However, the minutes have not yet been verified by the panel chair or reviewed by the agency decision maker as required. Consequently, they are not yet recorded on foster carer files. This does not demonstrate that panel processes are conducted in a timely way.

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This monitoring visit

The agency has taken action to ensure that foster carers receive as much information as possible about children. For example, the acting manager has ensured that all known information has been shared with a foster carer as soon as possible after the emergency placement of a sibling group.

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This monitoring visit

Significant events have been notified to Ofsted and demonstrate that the agency has taken appropriate, responsive action to safeguard children. For the most part, children’s risk assessments and risk management plans have improved. Most, but not all, now provide better assessment of risk and more detailed and constructive guidance to foster carers about how to manage dangerous behaviour associated with known risks. However, such plans are Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Resolution Fostering Service 4 not kept up to date for all children.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager has begun to use an electronic monitoring tool to monitor children’s overall progress. There are shortfalls in the system as information that is not prompted by the system is not recorded, so the value of the tool is limited. In the example shared during this visit, the report did not provide a comprehensive and reliable overview of a child’s progress.

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This monitoring visit

The agency has commissioned a consultant social worker to guide the leadership team in developing an improvement action plan. While the acting manager said that the consultant has provided useful advice, the responsible individual was unclear about his role and could give no detail about what he had been commissioned to do. This reflects the responsible individual’s poor understanding of the service.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted has not yet received a written report on the quality of care, despite this being a matter of compliance, under Regulation 35. The provider confirmed that no such report has yet been written. Monthly monitoring reports have been introduced, but these do not comment on the financial state of the agency. Nor do they provide for consultation with foster parents, children and placing authorities.

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This monitoring visit

Two monthly monitoring reports have been completed. They demonstrate a minimal review of the operation of the service and children’s progress. The reports lack depth and analysis. They have been signed off by the responsible individual, but when speaking to inspectors he was unable to recall whether he had received any such reports. The reports do not comment on all matters listed in schedule six of the regulations. They do not provide a sufficiently broad and informative overview of work carried out and therefore do not constitute effective monitoring of the agency. From information in the monthly reports, the provider cannot be assured that the assessment and panel processes are operating effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, the responsible individual’s knowledge and understanding of the panel and agency decision maker’s roles and responsibilities are limited. As a result, he is unable to identify any concerning patterns or trends.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual acknowledges that he has not done enough to develop his knowledge and skills and once again stated his intention to do so. He has undertaken training to enable him to use the electronic recording system and thereby access the agency’s files. This is the only training that he has completed since the full inspection identified his lack of knowledge and skills. He said that he has printed off the national minimum standards for fostering services and, on the day of this visit, had begun to read them. This does not demonstrate that he has the necessary determination and drive to learn the skills that he needs to run the agency effectively.

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This monitoring visit

He said that learning how to use the electronic system has taught him a lot about his role and that he now understands how his previously poor recruitment practice could have put children at risk. In discussions about the panel processes and the role of the agency decision maker, it was clear that he has a poor understanding of these aspects of the agency’s work. For example, he was not aware that the agency has appointed an independent person to be the agency decision maker (ADM). His explanation of the ADM’s role showed that he does Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Resolution Fostering Service 5 not understand the decision-making and appeals process and is not familiar with the relevant legislation and statutory guidance.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual’s lack of urgency to increase his knowledge and skills and his inability to respond robustly and in good time to compliance notices mean that this agency continues to be poorly led and managed. Consequently, despite the improvements noted, the agency’s capacity to improve is severely limited.

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This monitoring visit

Although steps have been taken to address the compliance notices, it is of concern that none of the six compliance notices have been met. The agency is still not being run in accordance with regulation. It is not being monitored or managed effectively. Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Resolution Fostering Service 6

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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

The fostering service provider must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to the Chief Inspector and place a copy on their website (if they have one). 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 (2) (5)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must keep under review and, where appropriate, revise the statement of purpose and children’s guide, and notify the Chief Inspector of any such revision within 28 days. (Regulation 4 (a)(b)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

A person must not manage a fostering agency unless they are fit to do so. A person is not fit to manage a fostering agency unless that person, having regard to the size of the fostering agency, its statement of purpose and the numbers and needs of the children placed by it, has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for managing the fostering agency and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to that person in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 1. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(b)(i)(ii) (Schedule 1)) 11/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider and the registered manager must, having regard to— (a) the size of the fostering agency, its statement of purpose and the numbers and needs of the children placed by the fostering agency and (b) the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children placed by the fostering agency, carry on or manage the fostering agency (as the case may be) with sufficient care, competence and skill. (2) The registered provider must ensure that— (b) where the registered provider is an organisation, the responsible individual undertakes, from time to time, such training as is appropriate to ensure that they have the 11/02/2018 Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Resolution Fostering Service 7 experience and skills necessary for carrying on the fostering agency. (3) The registered manager must undertake from time to time such training as is appropriate to ensure that they have

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Requirement Due date

the experience and skills necessary for managing the fostering agency. (Regulation 8 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b) (3)) 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)) 11/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a written record is made of any complaint or representation, the action taken in response to it and the outcome of the investigation. (Regulation 18 (4)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must not employ a person to work for the purposes of the fostering service unless that person is fit to do so. For the purposes of paragraph (1), a person is not fit to work for the purposes of a fostering service unless that person has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the work they are to perform and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to that person in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 1. (Regulation 20 (1)(a) (3)(b) (Schedule 1)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must ensure that all permanent appointments are subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation and provide all employees with a job description outlining their responsibilities. The fostering service provider must ensure that all persons employed by them receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 21 (1)(a)(b) (4)(a)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

A fostering service provider must maintain a case record for each foster parent approved by them which must include copies of the documents specified in paragraph (2). The documents referred to in paragraph (1) are any recommendations made by the fostering panel, the foster care agreement and a record of each placement with the foster carer, including the name, age and sex of each child placed, the date on which the placement began and, if the placement has been terminated, the date and circumstances of the termination. (Regulation 30 (1) (2)(c)(d) (4)(a)) 11/02/2018

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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. The registered person must provide the 28/02/2018 Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Resolution Fostering Service 8 Chief Inspector with a written report in respect of any review conducted for the purposes of paragraph (1) and, on request, to any local authority. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2)) If any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 7 takes place in relation to a fostering agency, the registered person must without delay notify the persons or bodies indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table. (Regulation 36 (1) (Schedule 7)) 28/02/2018

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Recommendations

 Ensure that 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. (NMS 15.1) In particular, recording matching considerations and decisions.  Ensure that staff, panel members and fostering households understand the nature of records maintained and follow the service’s policy for the keeping and retention of files, managing confidential information and access to files (including files removed from the premises). There is a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping and take action when

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Recommendations

needed. (NMS 26.1) In particular, ensuring that all records are uploaded and stored on the agency’s recording system in a timely way.  Ensure that where there is an agency placement, the agency works with the responsible authority to ensure effective integration of information held in the agency’s case files and those of the responsible authority. (NMS 26.8) In particular, obtaining children’s care and placement plans, review documentation and all relevant information held by the responsible authority.  Ensure that the placement plan, which forms part of the child’s care plan, is drawn up before the child is placed, or if this is not possible, within five days of the start of the placement (Regulation 9(2) of the 2010 Regulations). The foster carers should play an active role in agreeing the contents of the child’s placement plan and must have a copy of the child’s placement plan (standard 31). An effective placement plan will ensure that the foster carer receives

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Recommendations

essential information about the child, including his/her health, education and emotional needs, how these may affect the child day to day, and appropriate strategies for responding to these needs. This will include information about any behaviour which was of a concern in a previous placement. (‘The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 4: Fostering Services’, page 15, paragraph 3.7) Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Resolution Fostering Service 9

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the independent fostering agency since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Resolution Fostering Service 10

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Resolution Fostering Services Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: 355 Wilmslow Road, Manchester M14 6XU

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Inspectors

Sharon Lloyd: social care inspector Marina Tully: social care inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Resolution Fostering Service 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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