Caring Hearts Fostering Ltd

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Caring Hearts Fostering Ltd 1 Caring Hearts Fostering Ltd Caring Hearts Fostering Ltd Unit N Impact Business Park, 7 Wadsworth Road, Greenford, London UB6 7JD Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

This independent fostering agency offers the following types of foster care placements: short term, long term, emergency, respite, bridging, parent and child, sibling, and placements for children with disabilities. At the time of the inspection, the service offered placements to 27 young people with 30 approved foster carers. This agency was registered in December 2017. The manager was registered with Ofsted in January 2018. The first carer was approved by the agency in August 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 requires improvement to be good

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: N / A

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Caring Hearts Fostering Ltd 2

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improvement to be good

Placement matching practice is poor. The agency placed a vulnerable young person with an inexperienced carer. The agency ended the placement four weeks after the young person’s arrival. The young person’s foster carer had not completed any training relevant to meeting the young person’s complex needs. In addition, the agency placed another young person without consultation with the allocated social worker of the young person who was already living in the same placement. Matching assessments do not address the cultural needs of young people. This is of concern given the high number of cross-cultural placements. Behaviour management practice is inconsistent. Despite the agency stating that foster carers may physically hold (restrain) young people in an emergency, the agency has not provided restraint training for foster carers. Physically holding young people without appropriate training places them and foster carers at risk.

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improvement to be good

Despite the shortfalls, young people make progress. They are happier, more confident and display an increased sense of belonging. Foster carers invest emotionally, practically and financially. One foster carer is planning to move his family across London to allow a young person to be closer to his school. Foster carers are excited and motivated by the progress achieved by young people. They strive to support young people to achieve their individual goals and targets. For example, foster carers encourage young people to engage in positive activities such as sport. They also offer consistent praise and encouragement to young people to help them to improve their self-esteem. The educational progress made by young people is positive. Placing social workers stated that their young people enjoy increased levels of attendance, engagement and attainment. Foster carers advocate for young people by ensuring that schools

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improvement to be good

meet their specialist needs, for example by using additional funding to commission music therapy. The agency assists by providing work experience programmes and learning materials, and one young person recently enjoyed a programme of photography work experience. The agency regularly seeks the views of young people, and independent advocacy is routinely offered. Young people engaged well in a participation group and agency survey that helped the service to develop. Recently, the involvement of young people led to improvements in the welcome pack provided to young people when they arrive at that their foster placement. The agency now tries to purchase individualised items of interest such as play building bricks or sport equipment to put in welcome boxes. Foster carers prioritise the development of young people’s independence skills. Where possible, young people learn basic cookery and complete budgeting

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improvement to be good

exercises. Others learn to travel independently, subject to them feeling safe enough and the appropriate risk assessment. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Caring Hearts Fostering Ltd 3

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improvement to be good

The quality of risk assessments is variable. The usefulness of some risk assessments is limited by poor case recording. Risk assessments do not offer enough guidance for foster carers as to how to manage young people’s behaviours or reflect their wishes and feelings. The recruitment of staff is not rigorous, and systems do not evidence safe employment practices . One recruitment file for a qualified social worker did not contain any references. This restricted the agency’s ability to assess the employee’s capacity to work with young people. When young people go missing, foster carers keep in touch and contact the young person’s friends, ensuring that lines of communication remain open. When young people return, they are welcomed back and foster carers give a clear message that they are concerned for their safety. However, none of the young people reported missing since the agency became operational have received an independent return

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improvement to be good

to care interview. Young people quickly form positive attachments with foster carers and feel comfortable enough to make disclosures and begin to address previous difficult histories. Foster carers understand the safeguarding process and pass concerns to professionals promptly. Foster carers value their role and advocate well on behalf of young people. One foster carer contacted her local member of parliament to expedite her young person’s asylum application. Foster carers use their knowledge and skills well. For example, one foster carer challenged medical professionals to review the medication of a young person. The young person is now no longer taking sleeping medication and he said he is ‘feeling much more normal’. Foster carers reported that they receive good levels of support from the agency. Supervising social workers attend statutory reviews and professionals’ meetings to support foster carers. The agency employs a support worker who can assist with

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improvement to be good

facilitating temporary respite for young people when required. Regular supervision from the agency allows foster carers a safe space to reflect on young people’s behaviours.

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good

Managers acknowledged the rapid growth of the agency. They have been reflective and accepted the shortfalls identified in this inspection. Managers began to address the shortfalls during the inspection, for example by revising the placement matching process. The managers have failed to provide consistent formal supervision to an inexperienced member of staff. This member of staff had not received formal Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Caring Hearts Fostering Ltd 4 supervision since July 2019, despite undertaking an extremely important role within the agency. Managers have a clear development plan for the agency. This includes the development of the agency mentoring scheme, the provision of life story work to young people and the recruitment of a therapist to work with young people and carers. The previous registered manager left the agency in November 2018. Succession planning was positive as the current registered manager was already working for the

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good

agency and received an extended handover period. He qualified as a social worker in 1981 and is experienced in fostering. The registered manager benefits from strong support from the responsible individual, who was present throughout the inspection. Staff morale is positive, and staff said that they recognise the guidance offered by managers. Supervising social workers have manageable caseloads which allows them to provide good levels of support to foster carers. Where difficulties occur, managers intervene to provide extra support and alert the professional network. Staff noted that they valued the regular opportunities provided to them to further their own professional development, for example by attending training courses on working with young people. However, the absence of any feedback from young people and foster carers limits the effectiveness of performance appraisals. The fostering panel is effective and provides good levels of scrutiny. The panel offers

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good

a broad range of experience and includes teachers and social workers. Where concerns arise, effective action such as delaying or terminating foster carers’ registration is taken. Panel recommendations are specific and effective. At present, the minutes of panel meetings do not accurately reflect the decisions of the panel or the actions taken by the agency. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Caring Hearts Fostering Ltd 5

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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

Employment of staff The fostering service provider must ensure that all persons employed by them— receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 21(4)(a)) 01/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

Support, training and information for foster parents The fostering service provider must provide foster parents with such training, advice, information and support. (Regulation 17(1)) This refers to offering foster carers specific training on restraint. 01/04/2020

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Recommendations

 The fostering service must ensure that foster carers and staff comply with the missing from care protocol of the host the local authority. (The Children Act 1989 guidance and regulations, volume 4, page 30, paragraph 3.92) This is with regards to liaising with placing authorities to ensure that young people receive an independent return to care interview on their return from a period of going missing.  14: Fostering panels & decision-maker The panel chair ensures written minutes of panel meetings are accurate and clearly cover the key issues and views expressed by panel members and record the reasons for its recommendation. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’ 14.7)  11: Preparation for a placement Children are carefully matched to a foster placement. (National Minimum Standards 11.2) Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Caring Hearts Fostering Ltd 6 In particular, ensure that a full assessment of need is conducted prior to

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Recommendations

placement and to include the views of those involved with young people already resident in placement. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’ 11.2)  13: Recruiting & assessing foster carers Ensure the fostering service implements an effective strategy to ensure sufficient foster carers to be responsive to current and predicted future demands on the service. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’ 13.1)  1: The child’s wishes and feelings Ensure children communicate their views on all aspects of their care and support. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’ 1.3) In particular, ensure care plans and risk assessments reflect the wishes and feelings of young people.  4: Safeguarding children Ensure the service implements a proportionate approach to any risk assessment. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’ 4.5) In particular, ensure that all risk assessments fully reflect all the current concerns

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Recommendations

and strategies planned to address the risk concerned.  26: Records Ensure entries in records, decisions and reasons for them are legible and clearly expressed. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’ 26.5) In particular, the agency should evidence how the cultural needs of young people are met in cross-cultural placements.  15: Matching the child The fostering service only suggests foster carers to local authorities as a potential match for a child if the foster carer can reasonably be expected to meet the child’s assessed needs. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’ 15.1) In particular, to ensure that foster carers have completed all the specialist training to enable them to meet the specialist needs of young people.  1: The child’s wishes and feelings Ensure the wishes, feelings and views of children are considered in developing the fostering service. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’ 1.3)

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Recommendations

Ensure that the views of children are considered for staff appraisals and risk assessments.  19: Suitability to work with children The fostering service has a record of the recruitment and suitability checks which have been carried out for those working for the fostering service which includes: at least two references, preferably one from a current employer, and where possible a statement from each referee as to their opinion of the person’s suitability to work with children. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’, 19.3) Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Caring Hearts Fostering Ltd 7

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people 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: Caring Hearts Fostering Ltd 8

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Caring Hearts Fostering Ltd

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Unit N Impact Business Park, 7 Wadsworth Road, Greenford, London UB6 7JD

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Inspector

Barnaby Dowell, social care inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Caring Hearts Fostering Ltd 9 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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