Setting

X10029.doc Version 1.40 Page 1 FOSTERING SERVICE

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HR4 9NA

Lead Inspector Jacqueline Dunster Announced Inspection 6th March 2006 10:00 Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 2 The Commission for Social Care Inspection aims to:

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HR4 9NA

• Put the people who use social care first • Improve services and stamp out bad practice • Be an expert voice on social care • Practise what we preach in our own organisation

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HR4 9NA

Reader Information Document Purpose Inspection Report Author CSCI Audience General Public Further copies from 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Copyright This report is copyright Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and may only be used in its entirety. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the express permission of CSCI Internet address www.csci.org.uk Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 3 This is a report of an inspection to assess whether services are meeting the needs of people who use them. The legal basis for conducting inspections is the Care Standards Act 2000 and the relevant National Minimum Standards for this establishment are those for Fostering Services. They can be found at www.dh.gov.uk or obtained from The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Crispins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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HR4 9NA

Every Child Matters, outlined the government’s vision for children’s services and formed the basis of the Children Act 2004. It provides a framework for inspection so that children’s services should be judged on their contribution to the outcomes considered essential to wellbeing in childhood and later life. Those outcomes are: • Being healthy • Staying safe • Enjoying and achieving • Making a contribution; and • Achieving economic wellbeing.

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HR4 9NA

In response, the Commission for Social Care Inspection has re-ordered the national minimum standards for children’s services under the five outcomes, for reporting purposes. A further section has been created under ‘Management’ to cover those issues that will potentially impact on all the outcomes above.

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HR4 9NA

Copies of Every Child Matters and The Children Act 2004 are available from The Stationery Office as above This report is a public document. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the prior permission of the Commission for Social Care Inspection. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 4

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Name of service

Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service

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Name of service

Address Children`s Resource Team Moor House Widemarsh Common Hereford Herefordshire HR4 9NA Telephone number 01432 262830

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manager (if applicable)

Type of registration Local Auth Fostering Service

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of places

Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 5

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Conditions of registration:

Date of last inspection 10th February 2005

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Brief Description of the Service:

Herefordshire Council operates a Children’s Resource Team comprising adoption and fostering services. The Children’s Service Manager (Resources) is responsible for the overall management of this Resource Team. The Fostering Team Manager is responsible for the fostering service and carries responsibilities in relation to the adoption team in the absence of its manager.

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Brief Description of the Service:

The family placement social workers who comprise the two teams may carry both fostering and adoption caseloads with the equivalent of 6 full time workers being allocated to the fostering service.

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Brief Description of the Service:

The service’s statement of purpose states that the service provides a range of placement types including emergency contract care, short term and long-term foster care, kinship, shared and respite care, middle years and teenage placement schemes.

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Brief Description of the Service:

The service undertakes recruitment, assessment, support and training of carers. It is involved in the provision of a wide range of services for children looked after by Herefordshire Council.

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Brief Description of the Service:

At present the fostering service supports 109 fostering households with 122 children and young people in placement. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 6

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SUMMARY

This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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SUMMARY

The fostering service’s policies and procedures were examined during the inspection. The fostering manager completed a self-assessment form and a pre-inspection questionnaire. Questionnaires were returned from 46 fostering households, 26 from children in placement and 62 from social workers responsible for children placed by the service.

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SUMMARY

Four fostering households were visited with carers and children in placement being interviewed. Discussion was held with a large group of carers, the fostering social workers, the fostering manager and the children’s services manager (Resources), the Education Liaison Support Service team and the manager with first line responsibility for the shared care scheme.

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SUMMARY

The inspection focussed on the assessment of key standards, standards where requirements and recommendations had been made in the previous inspection and standards where the minimum had not been fully met in the last inspection. Standards which were not directly assessed were fully met at the last inspection.

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What the service does well:

Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service has put in place sound procedures and practice on safer caring. These ensure safer care policies remain relevant and constructive throughout placements.

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What the service does well:

The fostering service, in cooperation with the Education Liaison Support Service (ELSS), offers quality support and advice on education matters.

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What the service does well:

The service engenders a positive ethos about the value of maintaining contact which has enabled carers to support demanding levels of contact with good spirit and understanding.

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What the service does well:

Through the Voices project children and young people in foster care have been offered purposeful consultation processes. Young people and children report a good degree of satisfaction with consultation.

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What the service does well:

Foster carers receive a high level of support and commitment from their family placement social workers. Carers reported that, despite staff shortages, they have received a good level of support in the fostering task.

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What the service does well:

The service has a committed and effective manager, dedicated and able social work practitioners and foster carers who display motivation and skill. The service is well delivered and effective.

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What the service does well:

Good quality foster carer reviews are achieved. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 7

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The LAC paperwork which constitutes the foster placement agreement is now routinely in place at the start of placement. It is completed more effectively by the children’s social workers. Virtually all carers responding to questionnaires report that they have adequate information at the outset of placement.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Fostering social workers and children’s social workers work increasingly well as a team, to the benefit of foster carers and children placed.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The service has addressed almost the entire action plan arising from the last inspection indicating a positive response to regulation and an ability to drive change.

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What they could do better:

The shared care scheme must operate in accordance with all the standards and regulations in the same manner as the rest of the fostering provision.

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What they could do better:

The service must ensure that information regarding consent to medical treatment is clear and adequately recorded. Carers should hold a written health record for each child in their care.

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What they could do better:

The fostering service should fill staff vacancies as soon as possible. The council should give urgent attention to the appointment of an assistant team manager for the fostering service.

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What they could do better:

Risk assessments should be fully integrated with the matching and safer caring processes and be fully evidenced.

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What they could do better:

Please contact the provider for advice of actions taken in response to this inspection. The report of this inspection is available from enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk or by contacting your local CSCI office. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 8

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CONTENTS

Statutory Requirements Identified During the Inspection Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 9

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The intended outcome for this Standard is:

• The fostering service promotes the health and development of children.(NMS 12)

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The Commission considers Standard 12 the key standard to be

inspected at least once during a 12 month period.

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12

Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service understands the importance of promoting the health and development of children. Outcomes for children have been positive. Ensuring carers hold a written health record for each child and are aware of the arrangements for medical consents could further enhance them.

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EVIDENCE:

The health needs of children are addressed in the matching process and detailed in the foster placement agreement.

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EVIDENCE:

Foster carers are given detailed advice on health matters in the Foster Carers’ Handbook and the DFES booklet, “Healthy Care”. They undertake training on health and safety and first aid. In addition they are able to access training on specific areas of health management such as drug awareness and sex education.

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EVIDENCE:

An agency medical advisor leads the coordination and development of health services for looked after children in Herefordshire. A full time health visitor holds responsibility for looked after children through health promotion, advice to carers and staff, direct work with young people and ensuring statutory timescales for health are met.

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EVIDENCE:

All children are registered with a G.P., remaining with their own when possible.

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EVIDENCE:

Case tracking evidenced the good work which is being undertaken by carers in meeting specific and complex medical needs of children. Children’s health has improved beyond initial expectations and poorly children were seen to thrive Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 10 with skilled and caring work by their carers. 13 children stated that they are encouraged to eat healthily by their carers.

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EVIDENCE:

Foster carers were able to detail the support which they had received in accessing appropriate health provision for children and young people. In one instance a young child was benefiting from play therapy.

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EVIDENCE:

The health needs of children are addressed in support and supervision sessions. At present carers do not hold a written health record for each child. Carers agreed that such a record would facilitate clarity and continuity on health interventions. It is recommended that the service develop the use of such a record.

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EVIDENCE:

Not all records included arrangements for consent to medical treatment. The service must ensure that this element of the LAC paperwork is always completed to minimise confusion about the extent of consent. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 11

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The intended outcomes for these Standards are:

• Any persons carrying on or managing the service are suitable. (NMS 3) • The fostering service provides suitable foster carers.(NMS 6) • The service matches children to carers appropriately.(NMS 8) • The fostering service protects each child or young person from abuse and neglect.(NMS 9) • The people who work in or for the fostering service are suitable to work with children and young people.(NMS 15) • Fostering panels are organised efficiently and effectively.(NMS 30)

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The Commission considers Standards 3, 6, 8, 9, 15 and 30 the key

standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period.

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6, 8, 9 and 15

The service works to safeguard the welfare of children. Policies and procedures reflect the need to protect children from abuse and neglect.

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6, 8, 9 and 15

The service is managed and staffed by suitable persons and provides carers who are suitable to work with children and young people. The service should ensure that the full CRB transcript is retained until a CSCI inspector has seen it.

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6, 8, 9 and 15

Children are consistently matched to carers who can meet their needs. The service has worked hard to improve matching so that no children have been placed through exemption in the past year. The documentary process should more explicitly demonstrate how this is achieved and how gaps in matching are to be met.

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6, 8, 9 and 15

The fostering service should identify the circumstances in which will require a risk assessment to be undertaken and what it should contain. This would consolidate some very good work which has been achieved in this area.

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6, 8, 9 and 15

Guidance on smoking should be re-visited with carers through training and supervision. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 12

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EVIDENCE:

Foster Carer homes were found to be very comfortable and welcoming. Annual, unannounced and health and safety visits are undertaken to homes and audited by the fostering manager prior to the carers’ annual reviews. Children and young people were observed to be comfortable with the carers. Medications and hazardous materials were stored safely.

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EVIDENCE:

Foster carers undertake health and safety training. Written guidelines on these issues are contained in the Carers’ Handbook.

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EVIDENCE:

Several placing officers raised issues about the smoking practices of carers. The service is advised that the importance of smoking guidelines should be revisited with carers through supervision and training.

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EVIDENCE:

Relevant documents on insurances etc are maintained on record and regularly checked.

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EVIDENCE:

The fostering duty worker or the team manager takes internal referrals. A Child Checklist and Matching Form is completed in discussion with the child’s social worker. The information is used to identify appropriate foster carers. Foster carers expressed satisfaction with the effectiveness of the matching process. Case tracking demonstrated that children and young people are consistently matched to carers who can meet their needs, leading to stability in placements. Carers were also able to outline ways in which gaps in matching had been addressed to ensure the placements could meet children’s needs as well as possible. The service has been able to place all children over the last year without resorting to exemptions.

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EVIDENCE:

The manager states that carer numbers aligned to falling numbers of children entering the looked after system in Hereford has offered greater flexibility in matching. Careful initial matching has been possible when permanency was likely. The DFES has commended the stability of placement record of the service and sought advice as how stability has been achieved.

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EVIDENCE:

The current matching form could be further developed to provide better documentary evidence of the decision making process in matching. It should demonstrate why a specific carer will meet the needs of a child and how gaps in that match are to be met during the placement. Good standards of matching are being achieved by the service but they should be recorded in a way which achieves transparency, good matching and comprehensive information. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 13 The service has successfully used risk assessment to protect carers and children within placements. This process needs to be developed to become an integral part of the matching process. The service should also define circumstances which can arise during placements which would necessitate the assessment of risk and develop a tool which reflects this process.

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EVIDENCE:

The foster placement agreement is comprised of a combination of LAC documents. There has been a significant improvement in the quality and fullness of the information in these documents. They are now routinely available at the outset of the placement. This has been the result of a collaborative effort by the fostering manager and the children’s team management to raise the quality of this work and to routinely audit performance. 89% of respondents to the foster carers’ questionnaire reported that they have adequate information at the outset of the placement.

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EVIDENCE:

Where possible, the service provides planned placements with introductions. This was observed to be used to good effect in the establishment of respite placements. The carers have information on the content and purpose of these introductions.

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EVIDENCE:

The fostering service has clear and comprehensive policies and procedures on child protection. Staff and carers were able to demonstrate knowledge of the processes and understand how to address allegations, complaints, absconding and bullying.

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EVIDENCE:

There are management systems to monitor and evaluate information on allegations of neglect and abuse. This information informs carers’ reviews and supervision sessions. Carers have been advised of improved measures for support after an allegation including the provision of an Independent Advice and Conciliation worker.

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EVIDENCE:

The fostering service has sound practices and policies in place on safer caring. Each household establishes its own safer care policy. This is done in collaboration with the entire household and the child’s social worker. These are reviewed on every placement to ensure they are relevant and effective across placements. Carers visited were able to describe the purpose of the safer care policies. They are increasingly able to balance the demands of safer caring with the desire to provide a “normal family life” for the children placed with them.

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EVIDENCE:

The fostering service undertakes the required checks into the suitability of staff. CRB checks are undertaken and telephone verification of references sought. Comprehensive personnel records are maintained. The service should ensure that the complete CRB transcript is retained until a CSCI inspector has seen it. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 14 Recruitment practices and policies are designed to achieve good staff and the processes are transparent. All staff are suitably qualified, have a good understanding of the fostering task, aligned to appropriate knowledge and skills. Staff are trained in assessment of applicants to foster. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 15

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The intended outcomes for these Standards are:

• The fostering service values diversity.(NMS 7) • The fostering service promotes educational achievement.(NMS 13) • When foster care is provided as a short-term break for a child, the arrangements recognise that the parents remain the main carers for the child.(NMS 31)

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The Commission considers Standards 7, 13, and 31 the key standards

to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period.

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7, 13 and 31

The service demonstrates a positive attitude to diversity, particularly in relation to disability. They are aware of their responsibilities to meet the cultural and identity needs of young people fostered.

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7, 13 and 31

Children and young people receive good quality support in education.

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7, 13 and 31

Provision and support of shared care does not meet the standards of the rest of the fostering service. A number of areas are required to be addressed including the completion of annual reviews, completion of unannounced visits, regular supervision by staff skilled in fostering and timely update of CRB checks.

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EVIDENCE:

Foster carers receive training on valuing diversity. Interviews with carers and children evidenced the efforts which are made to ensure that all children, regardless of background or disability, are able to participate and to achieve. Children responded that they were involved in a wide range of activities including horse riding, football, drama, swimming, dancing, I.C.T., pottery and skateboarding. Disabled children access a good range of activities and carers are assisted with any specific provision which might be required to facilitate this. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 16 A programme of training which reflects the needs of carers offering short breaks for children with disability has been developed. Elements of this training are contracted from a specialist Barnardos service and from a Paediatric Referral team.

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EVIDENCE:

Although, given the demography of Herefordshire, there are relatively few placements of children from ethnic minority backgrounds the service was seen to address the need of such children and young people to understand and internalise their own cultural heritage. Carers were seen to give opportunity to young people to explore these issues. The Children’s Resource team will be undertaking an Equality Impact Assessment exercise to ascertain whether services offered disadvantage some participants, intentionally or otherwise.

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EVIDENCE:

The educational outcomes for children are improved through provision of a specialist education service working in collaboration with carers and the fostering service.

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EVIDENCE:

Herefordshire Council address the educational needs of looked after children through the Educational Liaison Support Service (ELSS). This service provides a link between school and the foster placement. It is able to support children and carers from pre-school to GCSE stage. It offers advice and support to carers, direct work with children and young people, support for carers acting as advocates for education, individual support packages to children with identified, but not statemented, needs, information, resources and training. The service works with schools to develop ways of maximising the potential of looked after children in education. The family placement social workers work closely with the ELSS to address the educational needs of children in placement.

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EVIDENCE:

Where children are not in education ELSS will work with the child, carer, family placement social worker and the education department to identify appropriate educational provision.

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EVIDENCE:

Personal Education Plans were available on children’s files.

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EVIDENCE:

In case tracking carers and children evidence was seen of the positive work which some carers are undertaking with children and young people. Foster carers were maintaining excellent levels of communication with schools and supporting children through homework and tasks. These children had exceeded what was expected of them on entering placement. A young person spoke very positively of the importance of education and her intention to go on to higher education next year.

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EVIDENCE:

The service maintains a database of children’s educational achievements and celebrates success through awards and formal events. An educationalist sits on the fostering panel and is able to advise on educational matters. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 17 Herefordshire council offers short breaks to children with disability through its shared care service. The Children with Disabilities team manage this at an operational level. The line of accountability for the service now includes the fostering service manager. However the performance of this element of care is not consistent with that of the rest of the fostering service. It has suffered from lack of fostering management oversight in the past and a shortage of staff over the last year. Shared care foster carers accounted for almost all the reported dissatisfaction within questionnaires. A social worker has now been

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EVIDENCE:

recruited to post which should aid rapid development of the service to meet minimum standards.

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EVIDENCE:

Shared care carers have not been receiving regular, planned support and supervision since September 2005. This must be established and offered by those with sufficient fostering experience and knowledge. Unannounced visits have not been undertaken as required and must be re-established. All CRBs must be audited and updated where necessary as some have been allowed to pass three years without being re-submitted. Reviews have not been timely and must be carried out. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 18

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The intended outcomes for these Standards are:

• The fostering service promotes contact arrangements for the child or young person. (NMS 10) • The fostering service promotes consultation.(NMS 11)

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The Commission considers Standards 10 and 11 the key standards to

be inspected at least once during a 12 month period.

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10 and 11

The service promotes a very positive attitude to contact.

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10 and 11

The service has developed very good consultative practices. A high regard is placed on listening to children and actively involving them in the development of service provision.

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EVIDENCE:

Contact forms part of the matching and placement agreement processes. Carers receive training and written policies on contact.

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EVIDENCE:

The fostering service has engendered a very positive ethos about the benefits of contact. Carers sustain extremely high levels of contact recognising the value of it for children. In one case the exceptional way in which carers managed contact was assessed as contributing to the successful rehabilitation of children to their birth parents. Carers take on significant responsibility for contact and are supported in the task by fostering social workers and the children’s social workers. The latter take responsibility for signing off carers’ records on children and are therefore able to ensure that they are adequately informed about the progress of contact.

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EVIDENCE:

Herefordshire Council have in place a participation initiative which focuses its work on looked after children. Over the past year children and young people have been involved in focus groups, developed packs for children coming into or leaving care, participated in consultation with local councillors and national Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 19 MPs, appeared in written media and participated in celebration events. Young people were trained in interviewing techniques and took an active role in the interview of an after care team manager. Children who are fostered described to us their participation in this initiative and the difference they had been able to make through consultation and involvement.

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EVIDENCE:

Children who are fostered complete a questionnaire to contribute to foster carers’ annual reviews. They are encouraged to attend their own reviews and to contribute their opinions through the “It’s Your Meeting” questionnaire. They complete consultation documents after the review. Children placed can access a children’s rights and advocacy worker and carers are informed, through the handbook, of how this can be achieved.

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EVIDENCE:

25 of the 26 children who responded to questionnaires stated that carers often or sometimes asked their opinions. 50% recalled being asked about the fostering service. 22 indicated that they knew how to make a complaint. Children who were interviewed said they knew how to make a complaint.

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EVIDENCE:

Fostering staff spoke of children with respect and placed value on the importance of children’s views. Through working with children in placements and the Voices project, children’s views in Herefordshire appear to have resulted in dynamic change which is relevant to users. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 20

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The intended outcomes for these Standards are:

• The fostering service prepares young people for adulthood.(NMS 14) • The fostering service pays carers an allowance and agreed expenses as specified.(NMS 29)

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The Commission considers Standards 29 the key standard to be

inspected at least once during a 12 month period.

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14 and 29

The service’s carers take an active role in preparing young people for adulthood.

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14 and 29

The agency’s payments to carers are accurate and timely.

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EVIDENCE:

Most young people who are approaching care-leaving age will be in placements with teenage placement scheme carers and will be aided by support workers attached to the scheme. They are allocated an aftercare worker from the Herefordshire Aftercare Team who will work with them to produce a Pathway Plan.

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EVIDENCE:

Carers have guidance and advice in their handbook on assisting young people towards this transition and undertake training in preparation for independence, covering the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 duties as well as practical advice on helping young people prepare for independence. Carers interviewed were clear about their role in helping young people prepare for leaving care while striving to ensure that the young person felt secure about their placement. They had been involved in the assessment process of the young person’s skills and areas for development.

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EVIDENCE:

Carers were largely satisfied that their allowances were paid promptly. Clearer information is now available to carers on the payment advice document although the manager acknowledges that the overly complex system needs Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 21 further simplification. Carers described how they would access funding for young people and children to participate in various activities. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 22

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The intended outcomes for these Standards are:

• There is a clear statement of the aims and objectives of the fostering service and the fostering service ensures that they meet those aims and objectives.(NMS 1) • The fostering service is managed by those with the appropriate skills and experience. (NMS 2) • The fostering service is monitored and controlled as specified. (NMS 4) • The fostering service is managed effectively and efficiently.(NMS 5) • Staff are organised and managed effectively.(NMS 16) • The fostering service has an adequate number of sufficiently experienced and qualified staff.(NMS 17) • The fostering service is a fair and competent employer.(NMS 18) • There is a good quality training programme. (NMS 19) • All staff are properly accountable and supported.(NMS 20) • The fostering service has a clear strategy for working with and supporting carers.(NMS 21) • Foster carers are provided with supervision and support.(NMS 22) • Foster carers are appropriately trained.(NMS 23)

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The intended outcomes for these Standards are:

• Case records for children are comprehensive.(NMS 24) • The administrative records are maintained as required.(NMS 25) • The premises used as offices by the fostering service are suitable for the purpose.(NMS 26) • The fostering service is financially viable. (NMS 27) • The fostering service has robust financial processes. (NMS 28) • Local Authority fostering services recognise the contribution made by family and friends as carers.(NMS 32)

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The Commission considers Standards 17, 21, and 24 the key standards

to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period.

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JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s):

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16, 17, 21 and 24

Staff within the service are organised and managed effectively.

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16, 17, 21 and 24

The service needs to fill vacancies in the fostering team. The equivalent of an assistant team manager should be appointed to facilitate continuing consolidation and improvement of the service.

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16, 17, 21 and 24

The service has a clear strategy for working with and supporting carers. The staff team adhere to the strategy and provide a high level of support to carers.

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16, 17, 21 and 24

Children’s records are well maintained, accessible and comprehensive.

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16, 17, 21 and 24

Carer’s records are well maintained and monitored.

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16, 17, 21 and 24

Standard 23 was not fully assessed but training plans and feedback from carers indicate that a comprehensive and relevant programme will be offered to carers this year.

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EVIDENCE:

Staff roles are clearly defined by the service and lines of accountability understood. Staff are supervised and managed by a manager with appropriate skills and experience and are provided with a suitably wide range of training. Fostering staff described the supportive manner in which the manager works enabling them to share concerns and face challenges. There is evidence through recording and feedback from children’s social workers of an increasingly collaborative and constructive relationship with family placement social workers.

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EVIDENCE:

Arrangements for the use of external placements are clear and robust and have been changed to reflect all the demands of the last inspection.

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EVIDENCE:

Foster carers report high levels of satisfaction with the quality and quantity of support and supervision provided to them. They understand that this is in large part due to the determination of the fostering team to maintain good practice in this area despite being short staffed. The service understands that it is imperative that this shortage is addressed if this good level of social work function is to be maintained and is aiming to recruit to vacancies as soon as possible. The service understands that if they are not able to find a suitable candidate to appoint contingency plans will need to be operated. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 24 The fostering manager offers a very good skills mix to the fostering service. Management functions are understood and carried out effectively. However the fostering service places high demands on a single manager in terms of the

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EVIDENCE:

breadth and depth of the role. The fostering service has continued to develop positively in the last few years. If it is to consolidate this achievement and participate in challenging, developmental work the service will need to appoint the equivalent of an assistant team manager to the fostering service.

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EVIDENCE:

Staff in the fostering service are qualified and experienced for the role. Carers are pleased with the service they offer. Assessments and reviews provided examples of a high standard of work. A number of carers commented on the thorough, professional and enabling way in which their assessments were carried out.

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EVIDENCE:

Carers understand the support they will receive from the fostering service. There is a clear strategy for working with foster carers which addresses all the demands of minimum standards.

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EVIDENCE:

Children’s social workers reported a good working relationship with the fostering service and are involved in the processes of fostering through signing off carers’ recordings and involvement in planning foster placement agreements. Most children’s social workers indicated that they are happy with the levels of consultation and cooperation achieved.

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EVIDENCE:

Annual reviews are competency based and completed to a good standard contributing to the on-going development of carers’ skills.

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EVIDENCE:

Carers’ and children’s records were well maintained and comprehensive. An effective auditing system is in place. The exchange of information between carers, family placement social workers and children’s social workers is effective. The introduction of the electronic social care record over the next year should afford further opportunities to integrate information about children who are fostered. Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 25

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SCORING OF OUTCOMES

This page summarises the assessment of the extent to which the National Minimum Standards for Fostering Services have been met and uses the following scale.

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SCORING OF OUTCOMES

4 Standard Exceeded (Commendable) 3 Standard Met (No Shortfalls) 2 Standard Almost Met (Minor Shortfalls) 1 Standard Not Met (Major Shortfalls) “X” in the standard met box denotes standard not assessed on this occasion “N/A” in the standard met box denotes standard not applicable

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SCORING OF OUTCOMES

BEING HEALTHY ACHIEVING ECONOMIC Standard No Score WELLBEING 12 3 Standard No Score 14 3 STAYING SAFE 29 3 Standard No Score 3 x MANAGEMENT 6 3 Standard No Score 8 3 1 x 9 3 2 x 15 3 4 x 30 x 5 x 16 3 ENJOYING AND ACHIEVING 17 2 Standard No Score 18 x 7 3 19 x 13 4 20 x 31 1 21 4 22 x MAKING A POSITIVE 23 x CONTRIBUTION 24 3 Standard No Score 25 x 10 4 26 x 11 4 27 x 28 x 32 x Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 26 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? No

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Fostering Services Regulations 2002 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action 1 FS12 17(3)b Foster carers should be provided with clear, documented information on arrangements for medical consent for every placement 30/04/06

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

2 FS31 29 Carers offering short breaks must be reviewed in line with regulatory requirements 30/04/06

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

3 FS31 11 Carers offering short breaks must receive annual, unannounced visits 30/04/06

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

4 FS31 19 Carers offering short breaks must be supervised by a social worker with appropriate skills and knowledge of fostering 30/04/06

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

5 FS31 17 Carers offering short breaks must be supervised in accordance with regulatory requirements 30/04/06

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STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

6 FS31 20, Sch 1 CRBs on all carers offering short breaks must be up to date 30/04/06 Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 27

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RECOMMENDATIONS

These recommendations relate to National Minimum Standards and are seen as good practice for the Registered Provider/s to consider carrying out.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

No. Refer to Standard Good Practice Recommendations

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RECOMMENDATIONS

1 FS12 Foster carers should be provided with and maintain a written health record for each placement 2 FS6 Issues regarding smoking should be revisited with carers through supervision and training 3 FS8 The documentary process should explicitly demonstrate how matches are achieved 4 FS8 Policy should be developed to indicate when risk assessments should be carried out and what they should involve. Explicit risk assessments should be integrated with the matching and safe caring processes 5 FS15 Full transcripts of CRBs should be retained until a CSCI inspector has had opportunity to inspect them Herefordshire Local Authority Fostering Service DS0000056304.V269489.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 28

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Commission for Social Care Inspection

Worcester Local Office Commission for Social Care Inspection The Coach House John Comyn Drive Perdiswell Park, Droitwich Road Worcester WR3 7NW

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Commission for Social Care Inspection

National Enquiry Line: 0845 015 0120 Email: enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk Web: www.csci.org.uk © This report is copyright Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and may only be used in its entirety. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the express permission of CSCI

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