Chrysalis Consortium Ltd

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Consortium Ltd 1 Chrysalis Consortium Limited Chrysalis Consortium Limited 48 Wostenholm Road, Nether Edge, Sheffield S7 1LL Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Chrysalis Consortium Limited is a privately owned independent fostering agency. It was registered in November 2012. The agency provides long-term, short-term and respite foster placements. It currently supports 23 children in 29 fostering households, with 46 approved foster carers. The service provides therapeutic foster placements for children and young people who have experienced trauma and/or abuse and may have attachment difficulties.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Inspection dates: 27 November to 30 November 2018

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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good

The independent fostering agency is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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good

Date of last inspection: 15 January 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Three compliance notices were issued to the agency following the full inspection on 15 January 2018. A compliance visit was carried out on 8 March 2018 and found that the notices had been met. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Consortium Ltd 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This independent fostering agency requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Despite the extensive work to improve leadership and management oversight, weakness in management monitoring review and analysis have continued to miss opportunities to identify and address incidents of concern and practice issues in a timely manner.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Training on contextual safeguarding, such as county lines, criminal gang activity and ongoing social media threats, is not available to foster carers and agency staff. This limits the learning opportunities relating to the live issues currently impacting on children’s and young people’s lives.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The fostering agency has not ensured that safeguarding notifications are sent to Ofsted in a timely manner and that they contain consistent and accurate information.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Managers and staff have not routinely complied with the agency’s own allegations policy when a child or young person makes an allegation against a foster carer. Not all allegations against foster carers have been returned to the fostering panel to review the approval status of the carers involved in allegations against them.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager and management team have not always held to account foster carers, agency social workers and professionals quickly and effectively by challenging them when practice falls below expectations.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Not all information kept by the agency is up to date, accurate, available and promptly shared. Teething problems with the new electronic system are impacting on aspects of service delivery.

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Key findings from this inspection

The independent fostering agency’s strengths:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children and young people are living in foster homes that offer them the safety and security of a positive and happy family life. The children and young people are engaged in community activities and most are making good progress in all aspects of their lives.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The agency is good at consulting with children, young people and foster carers for their views on service developments.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Good educational support and the professional interface between the agency’s education lead and external education providers are helping most children and young people to achieve and meet their educational aspirations.

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Key findings from this inspection

 An annual awards ceremony hosted by the agency celebrates children’s and young people’s achievements. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Consortium Ltd 3  ‘Staying put’ arrangements champion positive and stable family life for young adults over the age of 18.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Most foster carers express very positive views about the support and the range of training from the agency. Specifically, the therapeutic training, support and guidance help them to meet children’s and young people’s complex needs.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The fostering panel provides good challenge and quality assurance to the agency.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The agency is well resourced. The managers and agency staff hold small caseloads ensuring that they have capacity to carry out their role.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The ability of leaders and managers to reflect and learn lessons from weakness is a strength. This reflection is helping them to consider the inspection findings and improve practice. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Consortium Ltd 4

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Statutory requirements

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

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the welfare of children placed or to be placed with foster parents is safeguarded and promoted at all times. (Regulation 11(a)) 31/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that no child placed with a foster parent is subject to any measure of control, restraint or discipline which is excessive or unreasonable, and restraint is only used on a child where it is necessary to prevent injury to the child or other persons, or serious damage to property. (Regulation 13(2)(b)(c)) 31/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

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, as 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(3)) 31/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the registered person maintains a system for monitoring 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)) 31/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that if any of the events in column 1 of the table in Schedule 7 takes place in relation to a fostering agency, the registered person without delay notifies the persons or bodies indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table. (Regulation 36(1)) 31/01/2019 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Consortium Ltd 5

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Recommendations

 Where a child goes missing and there is concern for their welfare, or at the request of a child who has been missing, the fostering service arranges a meeting in private between the child and the responsible authority to consider the reasons for their going missing. The fostering service considers with the responsible authority and foster carer what action should be taken to prevent the child going missing in future. Any concerns arising about the foster carer or the placement are addressed, as far as is possible, in conjunction with the responsible authority. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’, 5.9)

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Recommendations

 Prior to the placement of each child, the foster carer is provided with all the information held by the fostering service that they need to carry out their role effectively. The information is provided in a clear, comprehensive written form and includes the support that will be available to the foster carer. The fostering service follows up with the responsible authority any gaps in the information provided to them on the child or the child’s family, which may hinder the foster carer in providing a safe caring environment that meets the child’s needs and enables them to keep the child, other children in the fostering household and the foster carer him/herself safe. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’, 15.2)

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Recommendations

 As soon as possible after an investigation into a foster carer is concluded, their approval as suitable to foster is reviewed. There is a clear policy framework which outlines the circumstances in which a foster carer should be removed as one of the fostering service provider’s approved foster carers, in the interests of the safety or welfare of children. This is available to foster carers. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimal Standards’, 22.8)

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Recommendations

 Investigations into allegations or suspicions of harm are handled fairly, quickly, and consistently in a way that provides effective protection for the child, and at the same time supports the person who is the subject of the allegation. Fostering services follow the framework for managing cases of allegations of abuse against people who work with children as set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimal Standards’, 22.9)

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Recommendations

 The learning and development programme is evaluated for effectiveness at least annually and is updated where necessary. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’, 23.2)

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Recommendations

Specifically, provide training on county lines, criminal gangs and social media threats.

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Recommendations

 The registered person takes action to address any issues of concern that they identify, or which are raised with them. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’, 25.8)

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Recommendations

Specifically, place the needs of the child at the centre of the fostering task and Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Consortium Ltd 6 support agency staff to develop a free-flowing and accurate understanding of the children’s and young people’s needs. The registered manager and management team should confidently and without fear or favour challenge foster carers, agency staff and professionals when their practice falls below the expected standards.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff, volunteers, panel members and fostering households understand the nature of records maintained and follow the service’s policy for the keeping and retention of files, managing confidential information and access to files (including files removed from the premises). There is a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping and take action when needed. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’, 26.2) Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Consortium Ltd 7

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improvement to be good

Children’s and young people’s experiences and progress are mixed, which has been influenced by aspects of continued weakness in management oversight.

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improvement to be good

A number of children and young people make good progress and thrive in settled, secure and loving foster homes, although some placements have deteriorated rapidly when the complex needs of children and young people can no longer be met. Therefore, outcomes have not been as good for children and young people experiencing these types of endings, particularly when they have been moved quickly when it is in their best interests to do so. The agency works hard to keep such placement endings to a minimum, and when they are necessary they are planned to ensure that the right placements can be found and existing placements are ended positively. Placement endings and end-of-placement synopses help the agency to celebrate good practice and learn lessons.

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improvement to be good

Overall, children and young people are well matched with their foster carers. However, not all the placements are formalised and supported by written matching considerations that make the rationale for the placement clear. In one fostering household, the needs of a child were matched with the foster carer, but not the existing child in the placement. This match led to regressive behaviour for the existing child for reasons linked to their own history. Not all foster carers report having up-to-date information from the agency to endorse their care of the children and young people.

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improvement to be good

Children and young people have access to primary and specialist health services that meet their individual health needs. The agency has its own therapeutic team and trained agency staff who can provide emotional and well-being support to children, young people and foster carers. This supports placement stability.

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improvement to be good

Most children and young people have appropriate education placements. They are making good progress, which is maximising their opportunities to reach their goals and improve their life chances. Foster carers are ambitious for the children’s and young people’s success. The carers speak positively about the progress the children and young people are making. The support provided by the education consultant from the agency ensures that children and young people can access a suitable education provision that meets their complex and diverse learning needs.

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improvement to be good

Children’s and young people’s access to social and leisure activities, both at home and further afield, broadens their social skills and life experiences. The importance of contact is reinforced by the agency and helps the children and young people to maintain important bonds and a sense of identity.

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improvement to be good

Children’s and young people’s participation in the annual achievement awards with their foster carers and the agency staff recognises the accomplishments of children Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Consortium Ltd 8 and young people and gives them a sense of pride. The opportunity for children and young people to complain and express their views values their voice and makes them feel heard.

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improvement to be good

Children and young people speak positively about living with their foster carers. They feel well cared for, listened to and protected. This helps them to develop a positive sense of belonging and to feel part of the family. The agency’s commitment to older young people, by promoting the ‘staying put’ arrangements, offers them continued stability and support networks in foster homes beyond the age of 18 years old.

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improvement to be good

Not all children and young people have benefited from consistently good help and protection. A contributing factor is the weakness in the management oversight which has resulted in missed opportunities to quickly identify and address some safeguarding concerns.

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improvement to be good

Children and young people have individual risk assessments. Not all of the assessments are updated promptly nor do they include all the risks, particularly when risky behaviours come to light. The prevention strategies to minimise risk and offer sufficient protection to keep children and young people consistently safe are not strong enough. This means that the extent of the risks to children’s and young people’s vulnerabilities is not always understood and responded to quickly. This has delayed helping children and young people to take appropriate risks and to protect themselves.

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improvement to be good

Not all children and young people who have gone missing from home have received a well-coordinated response. In one instance, the foster carer had not checked the authenticity of an individual who was posing as the parent, agreeing to a sleepover arrangement at their home. Consequently, the foster carer did not know that the young person was not where they should be until the following day. A thorough and robust visible check on their well-being did not take place prior to their safe and well return which, under the circumstances, could have resulted in a detrimental outcome.

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improvement to be good

Return home interviews conducted by representatives from the placing authorities are not established by the agency, which does not afford children and young people opportunities to discuss their reasons for leaving foster homes with a person independent of the agency. Agency staff and foster carers have not received training on safeguarding, such as county lines, criminal gang activities and ongoing social media threats. This limits the capacity of individuals to have a coherent understanding of the wider implications that may impact on children’s and young people’s vulnerabilities.

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improvement to be good

Investigations into allegations or suspicions of harm are carried out in conjunction with the local authority’s designated officers and other professionals. When there has been a delay in escalating contacts with the local authority, the agency has not Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Consortium Ltd 9 consistently followed this up as a matter of urgency. When practice concerns have been identified as a result of an investigation, further actions, such as standards of care reviews, enable the agency to undertake a thorough investigation and make recommendations to improve practice and/or de-register foster carers. These actions ensure that children and young people live in safe foster homes.

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improvement to be good

Overall, children’s and young people’s relationships with their foster carers provide good levels of safeguarding because they talk to them about their activities and share concerns. Consequently, foster carers have acted on the information shared with them, which is helping children and young people to understand how to keep themselves safe. One young person is at risk of child sexual exploitation. An escalation to the relevant agencies is helping to monitor their safety and well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate. Some significant gaps in management monitoring, review and analysis remain, which has impeded the considerable service improvements made since the last inspection. Although leaders and managers understand the strengths of the agency and positively promote good practice and learning, they did not consistently understand the extent of the weaknesses in the agency until the inspectors raised them. This is not good enough.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager and management team have at times been ineffective in confidently challenging foster carers, agency staff and professionals when their practice has fallen below the expected standards. This has led to some mixed experiences and progress for children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

In summary, there have been a number of shortfalls in management oversight:

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

 Managers have not always placed the child at the centre of the fostering task and have not recognised the reliance by some agency staff on case notes rather than having sound and accurate knowledge of the children’s and young people’s current needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

 Managers have not recognised all the risks and checked that risk assessments and safety plans are robust, accurate and up to date. The monitoring of the risk management strategies does not clearly identify how the agency assures itself that the presenting risks to the children and young people are reducing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

 Managers have not followed the agency’s allegations procedure when one child made an allegation against a foster carer. The matter was not returned to the fostering panel to review the approval status of the carers involved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

 Managers have not recognised or challenged carers or agency social workers when physical intervention has been used outside of the legislative framework and was not recorded properly on at least one occasion. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Consortium Ltd 10  Managers have not identified the weaknesses in record-keeping and obtaining documentation in a timely manner so that foster carers have all the required information needed to care for children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

 Managers have continued to fail to ensure that safeguarding notifications are sent to Ofsted quickly and that they contain consistently accurate information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

 The absence of a backup system has delayed information of concern being picked up quickly when agency staff are not in work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The introduction of the new electronic recording system has led to some difficulties in retrieving information, and there are areas of ongoing development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The fostering panel members provide a diverse range of experience and skills. An experienced independent panel chair oversees panel business. This level of experience and skill provides good levels of scrutiny and quality assurance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Agency social workers speak positively about the support they receive from their managers. They hold small caseloads, which enables them to carry out their support and safeguarding roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Most foster carers express very positive views about the support and training from the agency. The carers understand the difference they are making to the lives of the children and young people, who they consider to be family members. At the time of the inspection, a small number of complaints made by foster carers were in the process of being responded to by the registered manager. The agency’s capacity to reflect on its practice and learn lessons to improve service delivery is a key strength of the agency. It has addressed the one requirement and good practice recommendation raised at the last inspection.

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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 differences 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: Chrysalis Consortium Ltd 11 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Consortium Ltd 12

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Chrysalis Consortium Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: 48 Wostenholm Road, Sheffield S7 1LL

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Independent fostering agency details

Email address: admin@chrysalisconsortium.co.uk

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Inspector(s)

Jacqueline Malcolm: social care inspector Parveen Hussain: regulatory inspection manager Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Consortium Ltd 13 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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

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