Ideal Fostering

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

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Anchor House, 4 Bridgeman Street, Walsall WS2 9NW Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Ideal Fostering is registered as a private limited company. In September 2017, the management structure changed, and one manager took over the overall ownership of the company. The agency undertakes recruitment, assessment, approval and support of foster carers. The range of placement types provided includes emergency, long-term, medium-term, short-term and parent and child placements. The agency has a suitably experienced manager who is registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Date of previous inspection: 25 June 2018

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of the monitoring inspection was to assess the progress that the provider has made towards meeting the requirements and recommendations made following a full inspection on 25 June 2019 and a monitoring inspection on 18 December 2019.

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This monitoring visit

The service has made positive progress since the last inspection. Leaders have met all the previous requirements and recommendations. One new recommendation was made during this inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Panel minutes demonstrate that panel members carefully consider all information presented to them. The recommendations that they make are well documented. Panel members defer making decisions on any assessments that have missing information. Particular attention is paid to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. The agency decision maker’s records of decisions have improved.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have updated safeguarding policies, and flow charts have been implemented to ensure that staff have a clear understanding of safeguarding processes. The policy also details the requirement to inform Ofsted of any significant Inspection report template for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Ideal Fostering 2 incident. The agency has followed this requirement. Monitoring of safeguarding incidents is good. Monitoring systems provide a clear timeline of events with proposed completion dates. This is regularly reviewed and monitored and prevents drift and delay.

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This monitoring visit

When the registered manager and staff have concerns about a foster carer’s practice, they take appropriate action to ensure that children and young people are safe. When necessary, the continued approval of a foster carer’s suitability is reviewed. Additional support and training are provided to foster carers to develop their practice when necessary. The agency has a psychotherapy team. They support foster carers to reflect on their practice.

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This monitoring visit

The agency regularly gathers children and young people’s views. These views are listened to, and action is taken if children or young people express any concerns. This practice helps keep children and young people safe.

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This monitoring visit

The agency assesses the suitability of children and young people living with foster carers before they move in. Overall, this is done well. However, on one occasion the matching process did not identify the lack of skills that the foster carer had to care for a parent and child together. Leaders reflected on this when the placement ended abruptly. They have learned from this experience and have thought about more robust processes for determining the suitability of parent and child placements in the future.

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This monitoring visit

Previous recommendations that were made have been met, including improving the children’s guide to make it accessible to all children and ensuring that the panel members have yearly appraisals. Inspection report template for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Ideal Fostering 3

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Recommendations

 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 and the impact of the placement on existing household members has been considered. Where gaps are identified, the fostering service should work with the responsible authority to ensure the placement plan sets out any additional training, resource or support required. (National Minimum Standards 15.1)

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Recommendations

This relates to foster carers being adequately skilled to manage parent and child foster placements

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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: Ideal Fostering Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: 1 Coton Lane, Erdington, Birmingham B23 6TP

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Inspector

Lisa O’Donovan, social care inspector Inspection report template for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Ideal Fostering 4 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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