Viola Fostering Services

Inspection report template for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Viola Fostering Services 1 Viola Fostering Services

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1st Floor East Suite, Waterfront, Salts Mill Road, Shipley BD17 7TD Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

This fostering agency is privately owned and was registered in July 2018. It provides foster placements for children and young people from birth to 18 years old. At the time of registration, the agency was based in Northampton but has since relocated to Bradford, West Yorkshire.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Date of previous inspection: 11 June 2019

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This monitoring visit

This agency was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 11–14 June 2019 (‗first visit‘). The inspection found that there were serious or widespread failures that leave children being harmed, at risk of harm or their welfare not being safeguarded. At the full inspection, three compliance notices were issued under regulations 8, 12 and 23, and several statutory requirements were raised.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to check that the agency had taken appropriate and sufficient action in line with the compliance notice in relation to regulation 12 (‗the protection of children standard‘), specifically, 12(1)(a)(b). The notice required the agency to ensure that all staff, foster carers and fostering panel members understand how to respond to any allegations against adults. This required the agency to ensure that its staff fully understand the allegations guidance, policy and procedures and have access to these documents. The compliance notice also requires the agency to ensure that allegations are escalated to the designated officer and, where appropriate, investigated internally.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual confirmed that she had undertaken online safeguarding training on 21 July 2019, on the same day as the compliance notice deadline. Despite completing safeguarding courses, the responsible individual was unable to articulate the role and responsibilities of the designated officer or the process and her responsibility within the section 47 process. This did not instil confidence in the Inspection report template for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Viola Fostering Services 2 credibility and effectiveness of the recent training undertaken by the responsible individual. The allegations flowchart was found to be confusing, and it did not provide all the relevant details. Furthermore, the allegations against foster carers policy and the safeguarding policy and procedures refer to statutory guidance on safeguarding children which is several years out of date. Inappropriate language

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This monitoring visit

that describes child sexual exploitation as ‗prostitution‘ has not been removed from the safeguarding documentation.

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This monitoring visit

After the monitoring inspection on 23 July 2019, the responsible individual contacted the Ofsted inspector by email. The responsible individual stated that she had forgotten to inform the inspector that she had shared a copy of the allegations flowchart and policy with all staff and panel members. The subsequent email trail shows that this was shared with panel members and staff while the inspectors were on site on 23 July 2019. This demonstrates a failure to comply with regulation 12(1)(a)(b) by the deadline of 21 July 2019. It is also concerning that the sharing of this information had not been carried out with sufficient haste or importance.

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This monitoring visit

The steps in the compliance notice relating to the agency providing missing from care support and guidance for foster carers is not met. The responsible individual confirmed that she did not have the information and that the interim manager, who was not available during the inspection, was in possession of the documents.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual had advised Ofsted that she has relinquished the role as designated safeguarding lead to the current interim manager. Neither the responsible individual nor the interim manager has identified that the safeguarding policies amended since the last inspection refer to ‗Working together to safeguard children‘ 2010 and 2013 and not the current version that was significantly revised and updated in 2018.

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This monitoring visit

In summary, the compliance notice is not met. Ofsted has no confidence in the current responsible individual or the designated safeguarding lead. Ofsted does not believe they have acted with sufficient haste or taken seriously the safeguarding concerns in order to address the specific steps outlined in the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

In light of these concerns, Ofsted has found that insufficient progress has been made to warrant the suspension notice being lifted. Ofsted believes this would place children at continued risk of harm. Inspection report template for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Viola Fostering Services 3

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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, 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

6(1) The registered provider must appoint an individual to manage the fostering agency. 02/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

7(1) A person must not manage a fostering agency unless they are fit to do so.

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Requirement Due date

(2) A person is not fit to manage a fostering agency unless that person— (a) is of integrity and good character.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the responsible individual prohibits the director from having any further day-to-day involvement in the fostering agency. 21/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

*8(2) The registered provider must ensure that— (b) where the registered provider is an organisation, the responsible individual undertakes, from time to time, such training as is appropriate to ensure that they have the experience and skills necessary for carrying on the fostering agency. 01/09/2019

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Requirement Due date

11 The registered person in respect of an independent fostering agency must ensure that— (a) the welfare of children placed or to be placed with foster parents is safeguarded and promoted at all times, and (b) before making any decision affecting a child placed or to be placed with a foster parent, due consideration is given to the child‘s— (ii) religious persuasion, racial origin and cultural and linguistic background. 02/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

*12(1) The fostering service provider must prepare and implement a written policy which— (a) is intended to safeguard children placed with foster parents from abuse or neglect, and (b) sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of any allegation of abuse or neglect. 21/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

12(3) The procedure under paragraph (1)(b) must, subject to paragraph (4), provide in particular for— (b) the prompt referral to the area authority of any allegation of abuse or neglect affecting any child placed by the 02/12/2019 Inspection report template for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Viola Fostering Services 4 fostering service provider, (c) notification of the instigation and outcome of any child protection enquiries involving a child placed by the fostering service provider, to the Chief Inspector, (d) written records to be kept of any allegation of abuse or neglect, and of the action taken in response, (e) consideration to be given to the measures which may be necessary to protect children placed with foster parents following an allegation of abuse or neglect. 16(1) The fostering service provider must promote the educational achievement of children placed with foster parents.

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Requirement Due date

(5) Where any child placed with a foster parent is above compulsory school age, the fostering service provider must assist with the making of, and give effect to, the arrangements made for the child‘s education, training and employment. 02/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

17(1) 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.

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Requirement Due date

(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, 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. 02/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

20(1) The fostering service must not— (a) employ a person to work for the purposes of the fostering service unless that person is fit to do so.

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Requirement Due date

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a person is not fit to work for the purposes of a fostering service unless that person— (c) is physically and mentally fit for the work they are to perform, and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to that person in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 1. 02/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

22(1) The fostering service provider must maintain and keep up to date the records specified in Schedule 2. 02/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

*23(4) Subject to paragraph (5), the fostering service provider must constitute one or more fostering panels, as necessary, to perform the functions of a fostering panel 01/09/2019 Inspection report template for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Viola Fostering Services 5 under these Regulations, and must appoint panel members including— (i) a person to chair the panel who, in the case of any appointment made after 1st October 2011, must be independent of the fostering service provider, and (ii) one or two persons who may act as chair if the person appointed to chair the panel is absent or that office is vacant (―the vice chairs‖) from the persons on the central list.

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Requirement Due date

(7) The fostering service provider must ensure that the fostering panel has sufficient members, and that individual members have between them the experience and expertise necessary, to effectively discharge the functions of the panel. 25(2) In considering what recommendation to make under paragraph (1), the fostering panel— (a) must consider and take into account all of the information passed to it in accordance with regulation 26, 27 or 28 (as the case may be), (b) may request the fostering service provider to obtain any other relevant information or to provide such other assistance as the fostering panel considers necessary. 02/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

26(2) The fostering service provider— (c) except where the fostering service provider is a local authority and X lives in the area of that authority, must consult with, and take into account the views of, the local authority in whose area X lives. 02/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

28(1) The fostering service provider must review the approval of each foster parent in accordance with this regulation.

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Requirement Due date

(3) When undertaking a review, the fostering service provider must— (a) make such enquiries and obtain such information as they consider necessary in order to review whether the foster parent continues to be suitable to be a foster parent and the foster parent‘s household continues to be suitable, and made by the fostering panel and the recommendation of the independent review panel. 02/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report template for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Viola Fostering Services 6

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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.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Viola Fostering Services Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: 1st Floor East Suite, Waterfront, Salts Mill Road, Shipley BD17 7TD

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Inspectors

Jacqueline Malcolm, social care inspector

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Inspectors

Tina Ruffles, social care inspector Inspection report template for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Viola Fostering Services 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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