ISP Whitstable

Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: ISP Whitstable 1 ISP Whitstable

p.1

Regent Street, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1JD Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this independent fostering agency

ISP is an independent fostering agency run by Partnerships in Childcare Services Limited. ISP has centres in Kent, Buckinghamshire, Sussex and London. ISP Whitstable was registered with Ofsted in September 2017. The agency provides family-based childcare services for children referred by local authorities.

p.1

Information about this independent fostering agency

Date of previous inspection: 16 July 2018

p.1

This monitoring visit

A full inspection of the agency was undertaken between 16 and 20 July 2018. The agency was judged to be inadequate due to widespread shortfalls across several areas of practice. In particular, it was identified that the agency was failing to safeguard and promote the welfare of children at all times and that the arrangements for protecting children from harm were weak. Two compliance notices were issued on 6 August 2018. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 7 September 2018 to assess whether the steps in these compliance notices had been met. It was judged that three steps in one compliance notice had not been met and one step had not been met in the second notice. The notices were therefore reissued on 1 October 2018 with a revised date for meeting the steps that had not been completed. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to judge whether the steps outlined in the reissued compliance notices have been met.

p.1

This monitoring visit

A compliance notice was issued on 1 October 2018 under Regulation 11 (a) requiring action to be taken to ensure that the welfare of children placed, or to be placed, with foster parents is safeguarded and promoted at all times. The steps in the compliance notice specified that action should be taken: to identify children assessed as being at high risk and review their risk assessments; to review the personal development plans of leaders and managers and identify steps to be taken that will ensure that they have sufficient knowledge and skills to lead on the improvement of safeguarding and child protection practice; and to identify weaknesses in the agency’s system for monitoring child protection practice and report on how these will Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: ISP Whitstable 2 be rectified. The deadline for meeting these steps was 2 November 2018.

p.1

This monitoring visit

A small team of leaders and managers worked together to ensure that an effective approach was taken to meeting the steps in the compliance notice.

p.2

This monitoring visit

This team set the criteria for identifying children and young people at risk of harm.

p.2

This monitoring visit

A detailed analysis of the children and young people placed with the agency was undertaken and those meeting the criteria for being at risk of harm were identified. The risk assessments for these children and young people have been reviewed and amended. The risk assessments now contain relevant background information and clear strategies for minimising the potential for these children and young people to come to harm. The risk assessments are updated following serious events and new information is being analysed closely to determine what steps can be taken to keep the child or young person safe.

p.2

This monitoring visit

This step in the compliance notice has been met.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The agency has developed a new format for managers’ and staff’s personal development plans. The process now requires the individual to complete a self- assessment of their performance and learning needs. The personal development plans for the leaders and managers have been completed to a high standard. Leaders and managers have reflected on the underlying causes for the poor practice that resulted in the agency being judged inadequate in July 2018. They have identified shortfalls in their own performance and highlighted where changes in the culture and working practices of the agency will enhance the prospect of continuous improvement. The personal development plans for leaders and managers now contain clear strategies for identifying gaps in skills and knowledge and contain steps for ensuring professional development is prioritised and ongoing.

p.2

This monitoring visit

This step in the compliance notice has been met.

p.2

This monitoring visit

A full review of the monitoring systems pertaining to child protection and safeguarding practice has been undertaken. This review has effectively identified weaknesses in the systems that were in place at the time of the inspection in July 2018. The weaknesses identified include poor communication between staff and a lack of professional curiosity among agency social workers. A comprehensive action plan has been developed to ensure that monitoring systems remain fit for purpose, so that shortfalls in the standard of child protection practice are quickly identified and remedial action taken. The actions include the implementation of an auditing process to ensure that foster carers’ training remains up to date. This addresses an area of practice that was a significant factor in the agency being judged inadequate in July 2018.

p.2

This monitoring visit

This step in the compliance notice has been met.

p.2

This monitoring visit

A compliance notice was issued on 1 October 2018 under Regulation 12 Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: ISP Whitstable 3 (1)(a)(b)(3)(a) requiring action to be taken to ensure that the arrangements for the protection of children are fit for purpose. The step in the compliance notice specified that a management review of practice monitoring systems should establish why senior managers failed to identify poor safeguarding practice at the agency. Leaders and managers were required to produce an action plan to address shortfalls and to improve practice. The deadline for meeting this step was 2 November 2018.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The agency’s new head of safeguarding has conducted a comprehensive review of the quality of care monitoring systems in place at the time of the inspection in July 2018. The review identified a series of management failings that resulted in poor safeguarding and child protection practice not being identified and addressed. The review report analyses the impact that this had on the standard of care being provided to children and young people.

p.3

This monitoring visit

The head of safeguarding has identified several actions that need to be taken in the short and long term to ensure that leaders and managers are consistently effective at driving up standards of child protection and safeguarding practice. These actions are being implemented in a coordinated and timely way.

p.3

This monitoring visit

This step in the compliance notice has been met.

p.3

This monitoring visit

Since the last monitoring visit on 7 September 2018, senior managers have taken a planned approach to meeting the remaining steps in the compliance notices. This has proved effective and all the steps have now been met to a high standard. There is evidence of good and improving practice in relation to child protection and safeguarding practice.

p.3

This monitoring visit

Progress towards meeting the requirements and recommendation set at the inspection in July 2018 was not examined during this monitoring visit. The requirements and recommendation in that report are therefore repeated. Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: ISP Whitstable 4

p.3

Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and the national minimum standards. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered provider and the registered manager must, having regard to— (a) the size of the fostering agency, its statement of purpose, and the numbers and needs of the children placed by the fostering agency, and (b) the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children placed by the fostering agency, carry on or manage the fostering agency (as the case may be) with sufficient care, competence and skill. (Regulation 8 (1)(a)(b)) Specifically, ensure that contingency plans to cover staff shortages are made promptly, that the registered manager escalates concerns to placing authorities in a timely way and that the registered individual manages the performance of the registered manager effectively, make full use of the resources available to the agency and maintain accurate foster carer training records. 02/11/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person in respect of an independent fostering agency must ensure that the welfare of children placed or to be placed with foster parents is safeguarded and promoted at all times. (Regulation 11 (a)) Specifically, ensure that individual risk assessments and safety plans are kept up to date and contain all relevant information and strategies for keeping children safe, that effective action is taken when children are known to be at risk of harm and that foster carers have the skills and knowledge to protect children from harm. 02/11/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must prepare and implement a written policy which— is intended to safeguard children placed with foster parents from abuse or neglect, and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of any 02/11/2018 Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: ISP Whitstable 5 allegation of abuse or neglect. The procedure under paragraph (1)(b) must, subject to paragraph (4), provide in particular for— liaison and co-operation with any local authority which is, or may be, making child protection enquiries in relation to any child placed by the fostering service provider. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(b)(3)(a)) Specifically, ensure that the agency’s policy to safeguard and promote the welfare of children is fully implemented in practice. The fostering service provider must prepare and implement a written policy on acceptable measures of control, restraint and discipline of children placed with foster parents.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)) Specifically, ensure that the agency’s behaviour management policy is fully implemented in practice and children’s plans contain effective guidance and strategies for de-escalating challenging behaviour and minimising the potential for children to engage in unsafe behaviour. 02/11/2018

p.5

Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must provide foster parents with such training, advice, information and support, including support outside office hours, as appears necessary in the interests of children placed with them. The fostering service provider must take all reasonable steps to ensure that foster parents are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the policies established in accordance with Regulations 12 (1) and 13 (1) and (3). The fostering service provider must ensure that, in relation to any child placed or to be placed with a foster parent, the foster parent is given such information, which is kept up to date, and to enable him to provide appropriate care for the child, and in particular that each foster parent is provided with a copy of the most recent version of the child’s care plan provided to the fostering service provider under Regulation 6 (3)(d) of the Care Planning Regulations. (Regulation 17 (1)(2)(3))

p.5

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that there is a clear audit trail of the decision-making process when matching children with foster carers, provide foster carers with sufficient training so that they can meet the needs of children placed with them and ensure that all foster carers receive a copy of the child’s local authority care plan. 02/11/2018 Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: ISP Whitstable 6 The fostering service provider must ensure that all persons employed by them— receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 21 (4)(a)) Specifically, ensure that the registered manager receives effective supervision that identifies support needs and areas for development. 02/11/2018

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain a system for— monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at appropriate intervals, and improving the quality of foster care provided by the fostering agency. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b)) Specifically, ensure that quality of care monitoring systems are fit for purpose, enabling prompt identification of weakness and remedial action to be taken. 02/11/2018

p.6

Recommendations

 Children have access to a range of educational resources to support their learning and have opportunities beyond the school day to engage in activities which promote learning. (National minimum standards 8.2) Specifically, ensure that action is taken to identify children’s educational needs promptly so that there is a clear plan for securing access to the educational resources that they need at the earliest opportunity.

p.6

Information about this inspection

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

p.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: ISP Whitstable 7

p.6

Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Partnerships in Childcare Services Limited, Wavendon Tower, Ortensia Drive, Wavendon, Milton Keynes MK17 8LX

p.7

Inspector(s)

Stephen Collett: social care inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: ISP Whitstable 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.

p.7

Inspector(s)

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector(s)

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector(s)

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8