Ivy House Fostering Agency

Assurance visit report: Ivy House Fostering Agency 1 Ivy House Fostering Agency

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Office 46d, The Turbine Business Centre, Coach Close, Shireoaks Triangle Business Park, Worksop, Nottinghamshire S81 8AP

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Information about this independent fostering agency

This independent fostering agency is privately operated and was registered in January 2020. It provides short-term, long-term, bridging, parent/child and respite placements.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

At the time of this assurance visit there was one approved fostering household (two carers). There have been no children placed with approved foster carers since registration.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The manager has been registered since 2020.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Previous inspection date: Not previously inspected

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Previous inspection judgement: Not previously inspected

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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: Ivy House Fostering Agency 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

At the time of this assurance visit, no children have been placed with this agency. The agency has held two fostering panels to date, in October and November 2020. One set of foster carers have been approved and two others are awaiting the decision of the agency’s decision-maker on their approval.

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The care of children

Some foster carer applicants are currently employed as approved carers for other independent fostering agencies or local authority fostering services. They have applied to transfer to this fostering agency. Some of those carers already have children placed with them. It has been agreed with the current providers/placing authorities that those children will remain with those carers if approval is granted with this agency.

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The care of children

All necessary transfer protocols have been followed by managers. Meetings have been held with the relevant fostering agencies, to ensure a smooth transition of those currently approved carers and children to this agency.

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The safety of children

No children have been placed with approved foster carers with this agency since the agency was registered in January 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been unavoidable delays in agency staff completing assessments and presenting them to the fostering panel.

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The safety of children

The agency has a robust and detailed range of policies and procedures in place. Their missing-from-care policy is extremely detailed and comprehensive. It provides carers with clear information and additional guidance on their roles and responsibilities.

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The safety of children

Once approved, carers will receive training in therapeutic parenting skills and behaviour management strategies. The agency has already secured a suitably qualified person to provide training for carers.

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The safety of children

There is a comprehensive training schedule in place for this year and next. This includes a range of training and development opportunities for carers on safeguarding and child protection. Carer applicants have already undertaken the pre-approval training with the agency. Assurance visit report: Ivy House Fostering Agency 3

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Leaders and managers

This agency is owned and operated by three highly experienced and skilled individuals. They have extensive experience as qualified social workers and managers within fostering services. The registered manager presents as highly competent and organised. She is supported by an equally skilled responsible individual and director.

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Leaders and managers

Feedback from carer applicants is consistently positive. They report finding the assessment process to be thorough and robust. One applicant stated: ‘The agency managers have been fantastic. All our questions and queries have been responded to quickly. We are very excited about our future working for this agency.’

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Leaders and managers

Managers have shown real resilience and flexibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have completed detailed assessments of prospective carers and presented them to the fostering panel. The quality of assessment reports is excellent. They have fully included birth children and adult family members of carer applicants in the process. Records indicate that managers are fully conversant with legislation, regulations and statutory guidance.

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Leaders and managers

The fostering panel is made up of a wide range of suitably experienced and skilled members. The panel includes people with health, education, social work and foster caring backgrounds. The chair has extensive experience and skills in this area, as does the agency decision-maker.

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Leaders and managers

There is no vice-chair currently identified for the panel. In the event of the panel chair not being available, this could lead to difficulties in ensuring that the panels proceed. The registered manager has already approached someone to take on this role.

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Leaders and managers

One set of panel minutes was considered during this assurance visit. The minutes do not reflect the views and recommendations of all panel members present. In addition, greater detail about each panel member’s recommendations would further improve them.

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Recommendations

 The fostering service must also appoint either one or two vice-chairs, being members of the fostering panel, who can act as chair if the regular chair is unable to chair a meeting or the office is vacant. There is no requirement to appoint a second vice-chair, but this may sometimes assist to manage any unexpected absence of both the chair and vice-chair. The Regulations do not allow for the appointment of more than two vice-chairs. Unlike the panel chair, there is no Assurance visit report: Ivy House Fostering Agency 4 requirement for the vice-chair to be independent of the fostering service, though this would be preferable where feasible. (‘The Children Act 1989, Guidance and Regulations, Volume 4: Fostering Services’, paragraph 5.12)  The panel must keep written minutes of its business, including the reasons for recommendations made. It is important that these are full and accurate so that the fostering service is clear about matters discussed and the reasoning behind

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Recommendations

recommendations, as they will form the basis of decision making by the fostering service. (‘The Children Act 1989, Guidance and Regulations, Volume 4: Fostering Services’, paragraph 5.25)

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Ivy House Fostering Agency Ltd

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Inspector

Tracy Murty, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: Ivy House Fostering Agency 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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