Mulberry Foster Care Ltd

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Mulberry Foster Care Ltd 1 Mulberry Foster Care Ltd Office 42, Rural Enterprise Centre, Vincent Carey Road, Hereford HR2 6FE Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Mulberry Foster Care Ltd is a small, independent fostering agency in the early stages of development. It was registered with Ofsted on 31 October 2016. The office is based in Hereford, Herefordshire. It provides a range of fostering services, including respite, short-term, long-term and emergency care. There are plans to provide parent and baby placements soon.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The agency’s mission as outlined in the statement of purpose is ‘To provide the highest standard of family-based care for vulnerable children and young people across the West Midlands and Welsh regions. To secure the immediate safety and welfare of the children and young people it fosters and to achieve positive outcomes and provide a caring environment, which will allow them to develop as individuals and reach their full potential.’

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Currently, there are five children accessing the fostering service and three fostering households .

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The independent fostering agency provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: this is the agency’s first Ofsted inspection since being registered

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Mulberry Foster Care Ltd 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This independent fostering agency is good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children make good progress in all areas of their development.  Children’s well-being is at the heart of the care that they receive from their foster families.  Foster carers feel that a key strength of this agency is the support that they receive from the registered manager and responsible individual.  Foster carers receive training that is tailored to help them to meet the specific needs of children.  Partnership work with other agencies is proactive and child focused.  The interim fostering panel provides a good level of independent challenge.  The responsible individual and registered manager are working to a clear plan to develop and expand the agency.

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Key findings from this inspection

The independent fostering agency’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Written records do not always capture or reflect the positive practice of foster carers and the resulting good progress of children.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the foster carer understands the important supporting role they play in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their history. The child, subject to age and understanding, is encouraged to keep appropriate memorabilia (including photographs) of their time in placement. The fostering service makes this role clear to their foster carers and ensures they can record, and help children make a record of (subject to age and understanding), significant life events. (Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards, page 53, paragraph 26.7) Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Mulberry Foster Care Ltd 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children report that they are happy and secure in their placements and are positive about the care that they receive. Foster carers state that they are well informed, receive stimulating training and are excellently supported by the registered manager and responsible individual.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Assessments of foster carers are detailed and analytical. They focus strongly on the needs of children looked after, and also the understanding and needs of foster carers’ own children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The preparation and training of prospective foster carers enable them to have an insightful understanding of the complexities surrounding the fostering task.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is clear matching, with considered thinking about the needs of both children looked after and foster carers’ children, and also the foster carers’ skills. This ensures that well-matched, safe placements are made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers build positive, nurturing relationships with children. They are strong advocates and set high aspirations for children. They work closely in partnership with other professionals, such as teachers, social workers and therapists. As a result, children experience significant achievements and make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s attendance at school is outstanding and their educational attainment is improving. Children are integral members of their foster families. They are positive role models for other children in the family, and experience family holidays, both in this country and abroad. Children are active in their local communities. They are members of clubs such as the Scouts and cadets. Their active involvement and inclusion in the foster family and their local and wider community increase their confidence and self-esteem and help to develop their sense of self.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children lead healthy lifestyles. Their health needs are proactively addressed by their foster carers, whose care and vigilance result in positive outcomes being achieved. Children learn how to keep healthy and, where appropriate, are encouraged to take responsibility for their own health. For example, one child has stopped smoking since moving into her foster home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children maintain family links and sustain relationships which are important to them. Foster carers help them to understand their past and develop their own identity. They promote the birth family and proactively facilitate contact. Children have positive friendships, which their foster carers encourage through visits and activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The voice of the child is paramount to the agency. Children have direct conversations with the registered manager and responsible individual. They continue to research and develop ways to gather children’s views to ensure their active involvement in the direction and development of the agency. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Mulberry Foster Care Ltd 4

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The agency ensures that the safety and well-being of children are paramount. This is embedded in foster carers’ assessment, approval, training, supervision and regular support visits. Training for all family members includes understanding radicalisation, child sexual exploitation, internet safety and child sexual abuse. This ensures that they have the skills to keep themselves and children safe. It also gives them the knowledge and confidence to educate children to ensure their personal safety.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The agency adopts a very thorough matching process. As a result, children’s safety is prioritised when they move in with foster carers. A detailed risk assessment is also completed. This helps to identify any risks, and the actions required to reduce them.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Arrangements for safeguarding and child protection are good. The agency has had no incidents of children going missing from care. Challenging behaviour is sensitively addressed, and children are emotionally supported by well-informed foster carers. Where a child is struggling with a high-risk behaviour, a disruption meeting is convened. This ensures that there is a plan in place to support the child and foster carers.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Child protection concerns are handled carefully and promptly. The responsible individual and registered manager liaise closely with all relevant professionals and share information appropriately. Where there is a shortfall in practice by a foster carer, it is quickly and thoroughly investigated. Appropriate actions are taken to promote the safety of the child.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Systems in place to recruit and vet staff are safe. Consequently, children are supported by appropriate adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose and children’s guides are clear and accessible. As a result, everyone is clear about the aims and objectives of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The responsible individual and registered manager are currently the only two permanent members of staff in the agency. The registered manager is currently the supervising social worker for the three approved foster carers. They both have the necessary depth and breadth of skills and experience to drive the business forward and achieve the objectives set out in the business plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The responsible individual and registered manager maintain excellent oversight of the functions of the agency due to their high level of involvement and good-quality assurance systems. As a result, they are aware of all children’s progress. They also have a clear understanding of the strengths of the agency and areas for development. For example, children’s progress trackers are not capturing all their achievements from when they first moved into their foster placement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency currently uses another independent fostering agency’s well-established Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Mulberry Foster Care Ltd 5 fostering panel. This is an interim measure while it looks to recruit and establish its own panel.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This panel is insightful and challenging. It makes timely, child-centred recommendations and is robust in its scrutiny of assessments. The panel chair is experienced and knowledgeable. Members are diverse and fully aware of the values and ethos of this agency. It is supported by sound administrative systems. It is well constituted, with a wide range of appropriately qualified and experienced professionals, who provide a good level of independent scrutiny.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency’s registered manager oversees effectively the independent social workers undertaking form F assessments. They feel well supported in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The responsible individual and registered manager work effectively in partnership with other professionals. When necessary, they actively challenge other professionals to make sure that children receive the care and services that they need to grow and develop. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Mulberry Foster Care Ltd 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the independent fostering agency knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and the national minimum standards. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Mulberry Foster Care Ltd 7

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Mulberry Foster Care Ltd

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: GWAS Limited, Suite 2, Unit 14, 1st floor Platts Eyot, Lower Sunbury Road, Hampton, Middlesex TW12 2HF

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Inspector

Dawn Bennett, social care inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Mulberry Foster Care Ltd 8 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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