Foundation Fostering Limited

Assurance visit report: Foundation Fostering Limited 1 Foundation Fostering Limited

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Acorn Business Centre, Office 7, Roberts End, Hanley Swan, Worcester WR8 0DN

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Information about this independent fostering agency

A small private company owns this independent fostering agency. At the time of this assurance visit there are 19 fostering households caring for 29 children. The agency offers short- and long-term, emergency and planned placements.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

A new manager joined the agency in September 2020.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Since the last full inspection, the agency has had three monitoring visits. This assurance visit is following on from the progress identified at these visits.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Previous inspection date: 9 December 2019

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Previous inspection judgement: Inadequate

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred Assurance visit report: Foundation Fostering Limited 2 practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

Children receive good care from dedicated foster carers.

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The care of children

Foster carers and children are well matched and where possible children’s moves into foster homes are well planned. This has continued despite the restrictions as a result of COVID-19. This good practice means that foster carers feel prepared to meet children’s individual needs.

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The care of children

The agency has a strong focus on children’s education. The agency employs an experienced education worker. During the school closures due to the national lockdown, the education worker implemented excellent monitoring systems. This provided staff with clear oversight of how children’s education needs were being met. The system has continued as children have returned to school. This attention to detail ensures that children’s education is prioritised.

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The care of children

Foster carers have worked hard to minimise the impact of COVID-19 on children. Children have continued to enjoy family life with their foster carers with some children experiencing holidays at home and abroad during the summer. Foster carers have ensured that children have remained in touch with people who are important to them, using technology when face-to-face visits have not been possible. This thoughtful care has supported placement stability.

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The care of children

Children’s social workers are overwhelmingly positive about the care that children receive. Strong communication between social workers, foster carers and agency staff supports good oversight of children’s plans.

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The safety of children

At the time of the assurance visit the agency is supporting an ongoing safeguarding investigation. This relates to an allegation made by a child about a serious incident in her foster placement. The investigation commenced in July 2020. Managers have acted to escalate and challenge the delay in this process, which is beyond the agency’s control.

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The safety of children

Managers have reviewed many of the systems and documents in place that provide information to staff and foster carers about risk. These improvements ensure that staff and foster carers understand how to keep children safe. However, these Assurance visit report: Foundation Fostering Limited 3 improvements are new and are not yet fully embedded. As a result, there is some inconsistency in record-keeping.

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The safety of children

The management of significant incidents has improved. This ensures that accountability in the case of a notifiable event is clearly defined and monitored.

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The safety of children

Managers have introduced new risk assessment processes in response to COVID-19. For example, any child who may be moving into a foster home is assessed in terms of their COVID-19 risk. This ensures that potential risks from the virus are understood by foster carers and any necessary action to safeguard foster carers and children can be taken from the outset.

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Leaders and managers

The agency has undergone recent management changes. The current responsible individual joined the agency in May 2020. The current manager joined the agency in September 2020. Managers are committed to developing the agency and addressing previous shortfalls. Managers have used an independent audit to assure themselves that the agency’s practices are safe. This has helped focus initial improvement work in key areas.

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Leaders and managers

Managers have enacted the amended regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have used a combination of virtual and face-to-face assessment and supervision arrangements. This has ensured agency operations have been sustained.

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Leaders and managers

When foster carers experience challenges they feel supported by the agency staff. This means that foster carers feel confident to fulfil their role.

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Leaders and managers

Foster carers continue to access a range of training despite the impact of COVID-19 restrictions. This ongoing learning is reflective of different learning styles and enables foster carers to be confident in meeting children’s needs.

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Leaders and managers

The quality of information presented to the fostering panel is not always sufficient to allow the panel to make clear and informed recommendations. This has resulted in the postponement of one fostering panel to allow for additional information to be gathered. As a result, there has been a delay in the conclusion of a standards of care review, which was avoidable. Managers have plans in place to improve communication between the fostering panel and the agency.

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Leaders and managers

Both recommendations from the previous inspection have been met. There is one requirement and one recommendation arising from this inspection. Assurance visit report: Foundation Fostering Limited 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, 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

The fostering service provider must obtain such information as the fostering panel considers necessary and send that information to the panel, and provide such other assistance as the fostering panel may request, so far as is reasonably practicable.

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Recommendations

 The provider must ensure that staff understand and follow the service’s expectations for record-keeping. Managers must ensure that 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, page 52, paragraph 26.2)

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Foundation Fostering Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Responsible individual: Naomi Ebanks-Simpson

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Inspector

Tracey Coglan Greig, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: Foundation Fostering Limited 5 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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