Setting

Fostering Outcomes Inspection report for la fostering agency

p.1

SC069007 Unique reference number 21 June 2007 Inspection date Peter Daniel Inspector Key Type of Inspection

p.1

42 Invicta Close Address CHISLEHURST Kent BR7 6SJ 020 83251122 Telephone number

p.1

Email

Fostering Outcomes Limited Registered person Robin Brennan Registered manager Martin Gilboy Responsible individual 1 January 1900 Date of last inspection .

p.1

Email

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.

p.2

Email

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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: Fostering Outcomes, 21 June 2007

p.3

Brief description of the service

Fostering Outcomes is an independent fostering agency providing a range of services for looked after children. The agency is based in Bromley, Kent and supports foster carers in the London area and in Hull and Newcastle.

p.4

Summary

Fostering Outcomes is delivering an effective service and meeting all the five outcomes to a good standard or above. The agency has scored outstanding in the outcomes 'Staying Safe' and 'Organisation' where it has particularly excelled. The overall quality rating is outstanding. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

p.4

Improvements since the last inspection

The previous inspection had recommended the following: more frequent formal supervision for staff, increased diversity of membership on the fostering panel and the development of the agency's matching system. There is now more frequent formal supervision of staff, there is increased diversity of membership on the fostering panel including three members, (30%), from diverse ethnic groups, one of whom is an ex-young person in care. The agency's matching system has developed and children’s views are sought over all issues affecting their daily life. The agency has systems for consultation including a website that has a feedback form. A young person is also invited to sit on the management group twice a year. This has improved the organisation of the provision and the outcomes for children and young people.

p.4

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Fostering Outcomes promotes the health and development of children in placement to a good standard. Each child and young person is receiving health care which meets their needs. Each child has an individual record that foster carers maintain. Records include medical information that confirms medical appointments, dental and optician's appointments have been arranged and immunisations are up to date. The health needs of children and young people are being addressed in formal supervision with the foster carer. Young people are referred for sex education and foster carers liaise with health visitors and hospitals. Review notes illustrate that a baby is thriving in placement. Foster carers are promoting healthy living through providing a healthy diet, helping young people lose weight where appropriate and encouraging young people to participate in regular activities. The agency was seen to be promoting health in other areas.

p.4

Helping children to be healthy

The agency's website has a virtual surgery and also gives advice on teenage health.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. The agency fully understands the task in respect of safeguarding children. The agency has comprehensive policies and procedures for protecting each child or young person from abuse and neglect. There are robust practices for the recruitment of staff and foster carers. Files and cases being tracked show that Criminal Record Bureau checks have been done and are up to date. The checks included partners and relatives of foster carers. Local Authority checks, 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Fostering Outcomes, 21 June 2007 references and medical checks have been done. Police checks are renewed every three years. The inspector noted a case where the agency has involved itself in extra duties in safeguarding a young person on behalf of the Local Authority. The agency has a rolling child protection training programme for its foster carers. The last course was in January. Foster carers interviewed

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

confirm that they had done child protection training. The fostering panel is discussed under Organisation below. The children's guide includes a summary of what the service sets out to do for children. The guide has information on the agency's complaints procedure and gives advice to children/young people on how to complain. It includes the telephone numbers of Childline and Voice. The agency's website, additionally, gives pages on children's rights, how to complain and links to Childline, Kidscape, NSPCC, Voice and Bullying Online. The agency ensures that foster carers provide a safe, healthy and nurturing environment. The foster homes visited by the inspector are suitably comfortable and homely to meet the needs of children. Health and safety checks are undertaken annually as part of each foster carer's annual review. The fostering panel was not inspected on this occasion. However the inspector attended the

p.5

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

panel during the last inspection and was satisfied that it was organised efficiently and operating effectively to provide a quality assurance function. The foster panel minutes were seen on this occasion. The agency's database has the means to record any incidents and notifications. It can provide summary reports which allows for monitoring. Incidents are also recorded in the carer handbook. Since the last inspection, there have been no child protection issues or notifiable incidents reported. There were two minor complaints and both have been satisfactorily dealt with and signed off.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The fostering agency promotes educational achievement and also supports each child in the development of skills in order to maximise their potential. Foster carers and in some cases, supervising social workers, liaise with the schools and colleges and attend parent evenings and meetings to discuss the progress of children and young people. Some have contributed to the establishment of the child's personal education plan. There are other examples of foster carers helping young people with their homework and enrolling them in after school clubs. Additionally, Fostering Outcomes is working with integrating young people in schools. The agency works in partnership with the National Teaching and Advisory Service (NTAS) in supporting children's educational needs. The fostering agency has contracted NTAS to provide support in achieving better educational outcomes for young people. The service functions at two levels: all standard

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

placements will have the option of NTAS providing assistance to the child in supporting their education e.g. training carers, liaising with placing authorities, creating personal education plans, identifying and placing a child in an appropriate school. All Outcomes Plus placements will have the full educational support package provided by NTAS. Young people are being helped with homework, mentoring, involvement in a buddy system, behaviour management and taking part in activities. All children placed by Fostering Outcomes are attending school. Children and young people have individual education plans and personal education plans as appropriate which set out their education targets. The fostering agency values diversity. Young people from abroad have been referred for English lessons and are being supported in practising their religious faith.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Fostering Outcomes, 21 June 2007 The fostering service makes sure that children and young people are encouraged to maintain and develop family contacts and friendships. The agency has guidance and policy on promoting and managing contact. It also includes guidance on indirect contact. The issue of contact is sorted out at placement agreement stage. Foster carers facilitate contact with relatives including escorting children to contact centres. The fostering service promotes consultation and ensures that the opinions and views of children are heard. Children and young people attend their looked after children review and are expected to complete a consultation form for the meeting. The agency has systems for consultation. Young people have the opportunity to give their opinions on feedback forms on the agency's website. They are able to do this anonymously. It

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

is not clear to what extent the young people are making use of this facility. The agency makes use of interpreters when appropriate. One young person is invited to sit on the management meeting twice a year. The fostering service ensures that children and young people know how to raise concerns or make a complaint. The children's guide has information on the agency's complaints procedure and gives advice to children and young people on how to complain. It includes the telephone numbers of Childline and Voice.

p.6

Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Fostering Outcomes encourages young people towards independence and foster carers prepare them for adulthood. For example, young people are helped with independent living skills including learning how to prepare meals, doing their own laundry and budgeting. Young people are helped to further their career prospects through being referred to Connexions for advice or attendance at college where they are learning skills to do a trade. Examples were seen on file of pocket money and clothing allowances being provided to young people. The rates of payment vary according to the age of the child or young person. The agency has a policy to help young people learn to save and also advises on opening bank accounts.

p.6

Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Fostering Outcomes has a clear Statement of Purpose setting out the agency's aims and objectives. The agency currently has 41 carers and 38 children placed. The agency is a fair and competent employer and adopts a rigorous recruitment policy. The two supervising social workers are qualified and have a Diploma In Social Work. They receive monthly supervision. Both confirmed that they are satisfied with the support given by the agency's management. Their staff files confirmed up to date Criminal Record Bureau checks, qualifications, General Social Care Council registration, job descriptions, terms and conditions of employment, application forms, interview notes, references, including previous employer references and copies of passport and birth certificate. Foster carers are provided with supervision and support and there is a good quality training programme whereby carers are appropriately trained. Visits

p.6

Organisation

and support to carer generally take place every four weeks and supervising social workers are in regular telephone contact. The latest trench of training has included child protection, supervising contact, child development, helping young people achieve a positive identity, stress management, promoting education and Special Guardianship. Foster carers had also done training in safeguarding children contact and first aid. A letter was sent to foster carers in April seeking consultation about training provision. It also reminded foster carers that their continued approval and competence depends on them attending a minimum number of courses per year. The wider picture is that Fostering Outcomes is looking at providing an NVQ/BTech programme 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Fostering Outcomes, 21 June 2007 for foster carers. The in-house courses attended will count as prior learning evidence. The agency has developed formal links with other independent fostering agencies to provide mutual

p.6

Organisation

training opportunities. Fostering Outcomes is being considered as one of the pilot independent fostering agencies by National Voice to establish focus on practice. The agency also supports its foster carers through running support groups. The inspector attended a support group. The attendance at the group was slightly disappointing with five foster carers present. Reasons given for poor attendance included a lack of creche facilities and being tied up with other commitments. It is recognised that the agency is doing its utmost to get foster carers to attend. The agency acknowledged that this had become more of a problem. The agency is considering refusing to approve foster carers who do not comply with training expectations and/or not make new placements. It was noted that support group dates have been set until January 2008. Overall, foster carers are very satisfied with the support they are receiving from the agency.

p.7

Organisation

The agency has an excellent record keeping and filing system which is completely electronic. It is also a secure system that maintains the confidentiality of information. The fostering service has effective systems for monitoring and controlling its workload. The agency undertakes carer's file audits so that information can be chased with the Local Authority. Annual reviews and annual health and safety checks are routinely carried out. The agency's fostering panel provides overall monitoring and this has already been referred to above under Safeguarding. The panel has a broad membership base covering social work, education and health. The panel has included an ex-young person in care. Panel minutes showed robust decision making. The agency also monitors staff through the portal IT system whereby all work, functions and records are on a network system. This promotes transparency and scrutiny within the agency. The

p.7

Organisation

fostering service is financially viable and this was confirmed by seeing the financial accounts. The agency's data base (CCMS) has the capability of suitably matching children to placements, taking in to account the child's needs. It provides evidence of all children's progress against the five outcomes and informs the agency how it is achieving against them. It will also help supervising social workers by highlighting for example the child's next looked after review, medical, personal education plan etc. The premises used by the fostering service are suitable for the purpose. Administrative records are maintained as required.

p.7

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.

p.7

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure a greater number of foster carers attend training and support groups 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Fostering Outcomes, 21 June 2007

p.7

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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: Fostering Outcomes, 21 June 2007

p.8

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)

p.9

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: Fostering Outcomes, 21 June 2007

p.9