East Sussex Link Service Fostering Scheme

East Sussex Link Service Fostering Scheme Inspection report for la fostering agency

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SC062798 Unique reference number 5 December 2007 Inspection date Lindy Latreille Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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Sorrel Drive Children's Resource Centre Address 29-41 Sorrel Drive EASTBOURNE East Sussex BN23 8BH 01323 741527 Telephone number beverley.moores@eastsussexcc.gov.uk Email East Sussex County Council Registered person Beverley Moores Registered manager Helen Davies Responsible individual 4 December 2006 Date of last inspection .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children's Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Cripins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is strong Good: this aspect of the provision is sound Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Inadequate: 3 of 9 Inspection Report: East Sussex Link Service Fostering Scheme, 5 December 2007

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Brief description of the service

The Short Break Fostering Service is sited at the Resource Centre, Sorrel Drive, Eastbourne, in the Disability Team. At the time of the inspection a total of 50 young people with complex disabilities were placed in 51 fostering households through the East Sussex Short Break Service for respite care; also including permanent care for nine young people. The service employs a Practice Manager, two social workers, one social work assistant and one administrative assistant. The Short Break Fostering Service is responsible for the assessment, supervision, training and support of carers fostering young people with disabilities. It has good links with the main fostering service, who assist in the recruitment, preparation and training of foster carers. The fostering panel is responsible for recommending the approval of foster carers, changes to their approved status and standards of care. The panel chair is the Head of Safeguarding.

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Summary

The short-term break fostering service was inspected over one day by one Inspector. Consultation took place with all the staff and a group of foster carers; the Inspector was available for telephone contact. All documentation was fully facilitated and staff gave an overview of the service since the last inspection. The overall quality rating is outstanding. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

All notifications in Schedule 8 have been reported as appropriate since the last inspection.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. The young people who access the Short Break Fostering Service (SBFS) have their health needs met with their family or guardians' general practitioners (GPs) as well as other health professionals to meet their complex needs. All the full time foster carers have registered their young people locally. The Joint Area Review (JAR) report of the local authority recognises that the inter agency working with the children and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) is providing an improved service for the young people with a disability. The JAR report also finds that parents and foster carers whose children have a learning difficulty or disability 'receive good advice and support in keeping their children healthy'. The Short Break service works closely with the community nurses who provide training to foster carers and staff in respect of specific medical procedures. Pre-school children accessing the fostering service are also

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Helping children to be healthy

supported by Kites, providing Link childminders. There is a wide range of in-house training available to staff and foster carers, many of these are joint sessions, appreciated by all. The annual foster carers' reviews consider all aspects since the last review and there is an expectation that all foster carers maintain their competency with short courses or a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ). Many foster carers have a good relationship with birth families and schools so supporting the exchange of current information to meet the young person's needs. The Family Intensive Support Service (FISS) attend staff meetings and provide strategies to manage complex behaviours. A paediatric occupational therapist is able to support birth and fostering households with equipment. Some parents become foster carers, as their home is able to offer 4 of 9 Inspection Report: East Sussex Link Service Fostering Scheme, 5 December 2007

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Helping children to be healthy

an appropriate environment to a young person with a disability. There is documentation to support parental consent for medication and emergency treatment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. The registered manager is qualified and experienced to coordinate the Short Break Fostering Service. She meets with the acting manager of the fostering service to consider the constraints on the service, share good practice and liaise about training. Recruitment of foster carers is often by word of mouth or from the small group of people who also work within the education or health disability services. The Short Break service does attend recruitment events with the local authority's fostering service to maintain a presence at such events. A group of foster carers consulted during the inspection, providing Short Break and full time fostering to young people with a complex disability, were positive in their comments about their assessment, training and support from the service. They are knowledgeable concerning the young people that they foster and find staff informative and accessible to meet their needs. They confirm

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

that staff are vigilant to ensure that fostering households are safe for the young people. This is considered at foster carers' monthly supervision. The Short Break service has reduced the number of young people waiting for a service by being creative with the use of day care, outreach services, Kites, residential, direct payments and community projects. There are 20 young people on the waiting list and these families are reviewed each six months to check need and service availability. The stability of placements is a testament to the thoughtful matching that takes place. Feedback from birth families is overwhelmingly 'excellent' in their judgement about the care that their young people receive from the fostering service. The JAR report confirms that the service works well to safeguard young people. Training is available to staff and foster carers. Many fulfil their need through training in their other employment. Safe caring

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

guidelines are developed by each household during their assessment training and there is guidance contained within the foster carers' handbook. The fostering service staff are in the process of developing customised safe caring guidelines with their carers. The fostering service is developing a library of toys and books, to support diversity, for loan to foster carers. The recruitment process is recognised in the JAR report as good, but there are some inconsistencies in the record keeping at County Hall. The fostering panel is chaired by the local authority's Head of Safeguarding. The panel is formulated as required by regulations and has a social worker from the disability team to provide a specialised focus. Verbatim minutes are kept and the recommendations are transparent. Standards of care are taken to panel and debated with the professional involved. Foster cares are invited to panel but not all are able to attend. At

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

present there is no mechanism for attendees at panel to provide feedback regarding their experience.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Relevant information about faith and belief is captured in the care plan for each young person, but some of this is unclear. Where paper records do not support a birth family's wishes the supervising social worker (SSW) is able to explain and fully clarify the present situation; there is some overlap by electronic and paper systems. Some fostering families have taken their young people abroad to experience their cultural heritage. The fostering staff are aware that religious and cultural beliefs are valued by families. The SSWs have effective contact with the schools that the young people attend. The schools are frequently the setting for young people's reviews, 5 of 9 Inspection Report: East Sussex Link Service Fostering Scheme, 5 December 2007 aiding communication and attendance by foster carers who are also teaching assistants. The fostering service does experience some difficulty in obtaining personal education plans (PEPs)

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and some seen are out of date. The staff confirm that they do request missing documentation, but do not always evidence it. The Short Break service contributes to young people being able to remain in their family homes and communities. Support to birth families is through respite placements with skilled foster carers who liaise and coordinate with them.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Arrangements for contact where young people with complex needs are maintained in full time foster placements is well managed and documented. The service is supporting Special Guardian Orders (SGOs) and permanence where this meets the needs of the young people. All applications for SGOs attend panel ensuring robust scrutiny. The local authority supports these arrangements with a 'no detriment' policy until the young person reaches 18 years. The requirement by law is a two year package of support. Parents are at the heart of the Short Break service and all arrangements for the young people are coordinated with them. There is evidence of feedback from the young people assimilated for foster carers' reviews. Given the complexity of many of the young people accessing the Short Break service this is time consuming and difficult. Social workers' observations note verbal and body language and form a very positive portfolio. The

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Helping children make a positive contribution

JAR report confirms that young people, parents and foster carers 'are listened to and their opinions are routinely taken into account through a range of consultation mechanisms'. Also an advocacy service meets regularly with the young people and 'highlights any concerns', and that the service offers 'good support to young people with a disability, especially in transition'.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The statement of purpose has been amended in September 2007. It does not mention the service's management of their waiting list or diversity. There are guides that can be shown, and read, to the young people to inform them of the Short Break service and one of these is presented in widget form. Foster carers are clear as to their commitment to the service with on-going training and development. They confirm that SSWs have a good working relationship with the placing social worker (PSW) for the child. The Head of Service confirms that an annual audit is presented by fostering agencies, with significant East Sussex placements, to confirm how they monitor each placement. The Short Break service consists of a small team of one operations manager for disability, one practice manager, two SSW, an experienced support worker and an administrator. Both managers have completed recent professional qualifications

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Organisation

and staff are constantly updating to provide preparation training for newly recruited foster carers. Staff confirm that they are resourced to take training opportunities and receive regular supervision and annual appraisals. Foster carers confirm that they are encouraged to commit to training, and development is discussed at their monthly supervision. Unannounced visits to fostering households are recorded. Though there is a need for more foster carers only those who satisfy the vigorous assessment process are presented to panel. Those consulted during the inspection confirm that they are well supported by the fostering staff and that they have good links with health and education services to support their foster child. A support group 6 of 9 Inspection Report: East Sussex Link Service Fostering Scheme, 5 December 2007 for carers within the disability service has recently been set up in response to identified need.

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Organisation

Records are stored securely at fostering households and in the service much record keeping is now electronic. Not all files have a photograph of the young people in placement. The administrator has developed a spreadsheet to monitor events against dates and this is continuing to develop to meet renewal dates, such as criminal record checks (CRBs) and unannounced visits. The team work closely to ensure effective record keeping. Quality monitoring by the practice manager is presented as a report to the Corporate Parenting Panel of the local authority. Kinship placements are considered at an early stage and parents involve the service in their informal arrangements, when they want a friend to be considered as a short-term foster carer. All arrangements follow the prescribed procedure thereby ensuring good outcomes for the young people placed.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, The Fostering Services Regulations 2005 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider must comply with the given timescales.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • have a current photograph on file for each young person placed. NMS 24 • show in the statement of purpose the service's commitment to recognising and supporting diversity and the management of the waiting list. NMS 1 • evidence that missing documentation is requested. NMS 13 • provide a system that allows attendees at panel to provide feedback. NMS 30 • ensure that all fostering households have safe caring guidelines to meet the individual needs of the young people placed. NMS 9 7 of 9 Inspection Report: East Sussex Link Service Fostering Scheme, 5 December 2007

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The intended outcomes for these standards are:

• the fostering service promotes the health and development of children (NMS 12). Ofsted considers 12 the key standard to be inspected.

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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) Ofsted considers 3, 6, 8, 9, 15 and 30 the key standards to be inspected.

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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) Ofsted considers 7, 13 and 31 the key standards to be inspected.

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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) Ofsted considers 10 and 11 the key standards to be inspected.

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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) Ofsted considers none of the above to be key standards to be inspected.

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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) 8 of 9 Inspection Report: East Sussex Link Service Fostering Scheme, 5 December 2007

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Annex A

• 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) • 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)

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Annex A

• local authority fostering services recognise the contribution made by family and friends as carers (NMS 32) Ofsted considers 1, 16, 17, 21, 24, 25 and 32 the key standards to be inspected. 9 of 9 Inspection Report: East Sussex Link Service Fostering Scheme, 5 December 2007

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