Young People At Heart

Assurance visit report: Young People At Heart 1 Young People At Heart

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40 Rural Enterprise Centre, Vincent Carey Road, Rotherwas Industrial Estate, Hereford, Herefordshire HR2 6FE

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Information about this independent fostering agency

This is a not-for-profit independent fostering agency based in Herefordshire. It has other registered offices in Essex and Yorkshire. The agency offers short-term, long- term/permanent, sibling groups, respite and emergency placements.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

At the time of this assurance visit, there were 27 fostering households caring for 50 children. The agency was registered in October 2019, and this is its first inspection. The manager was registered with Ofsted at the same time. He holds the level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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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. 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 practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assurance visit report: Young People At Heart 2

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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 a good standard of care from their foster carers. Placing social workers are overwhelmingly positive about the care their children receive. They feel that foster carers support children and understand their needs well.

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The care of children

Although the agency has experienced seven unplanned endings since April 2020, children are, in the main, well matched to their foster carers. Foster carers have the skills and experience needed to provide care for the children they are asked to look after. However, matching documentation does not fully explore and consider known risks or identify clear strategies to reduce risks. This has the potential to undermine placement stability.

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The care of children

The agency and foster carers have ensured that children’s education is prioritised. Despite school closures during the national lockdown, children have continued to progress in their education. Foster carers have actively supported children with school work. One young person commented proudly that his foster brother had been helping him at home with his maths school work.

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The care of children

Supervising social workers and managers have been creative and imaginative during COVID-19 to ensure that they continue to engage with children. They have organised activities and events over online platforms, such as drawing sessions, a Halloween party and picnic parties.

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The care of children

Foster carers have tried hard to minimise the impact of COVID-19 on the children that they care for. Children have been supported to stay in touch with people who are important to them. This has been through phone and video calls when face-to- face visits have not been possible. This ensures that children can maintain a sense of identity.

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The care of children

Children are happy living in their foster families. They have continued throughout the pandemic to enjoy family life with their foster carers. Foster carers have been creative in helping their children to be able to continue with their activities and hobbies.

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The care of children

Foster carers have access to their children’s local authority care plans. However, these do not all reflect the children’s current foster placement. This potentially could leave a foster carer vulnerable at the early stages of getting to know a child who has moved to live in their home. Assurance visit report: Young People At Heart 3

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The safety of children

Foster carers have helped children to understand how to stay safe through the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The safety of children

Children do not frequently display high-risk behaviours. Where foster carers do experience challenges, they are well supported by the agency. Extensive training ensures that carers are well prepared to manage challenging situations effectively.

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The safety of children

Children have individual safe care plans and risk assessments that provide guidance to foster carers about how to keep children safe. However, these are not always updated to reflect new or emerging situations. Some children’s risk assessments have not been updated following incidents, such as when children go missing, to ensure that all are fully aware of current concerns.

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The safety of children

Safeguarding incidents have been acted on appropriately by the agency to ensure that children are safeguarded.

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Leaders and managers

This is the agency’s first inspection since its registration as a separate branch in October 2019.

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Leaders and managers

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

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Leaders and managers

The fostering panel has continued operating remotely throughout this period. There is good communication between panel and the agency and reports are timely and of a high quality.

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Leaders and managers

Foster carers are overwhelmingly positive about the support they have received from the agency. They feel that the support they have received has been ‘brilliant’. Staff also feel well supported in their role by managers. They feel managers are available and knowledgeable. This gives all who work for the agency confidence to care for children well.

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Leaders and managers

Training is a strength of the agency. Both staff and foster carers have commented on the extensive training that has been available to them. The agency has also recently started quarterly practice discussions to enhance the ongoing knowledge base for staff. Staff can access external courses, such as life story work and Theraplay, and one foster carer is completing her NVQ level 3 in health and social care.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has good oversite of the agency. However, the reports produced because of this monitoring do not evaluate the outcomes and experiences of children to improve quality of care. Assurance visit report: Young People At Heart 4 The agency has one foster carer with an exemption to the fostering limit. The agency has followed all procedures and obtained an exemption certificate from the local authority. However, there is no date when the exemption will be reviewed to ensure that this remains in the best interests of the children placed with the foster carer.

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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 registered person must maintain a system for— (b) improving the quality of fostering care provided by the fostering agency. This is in respect of using the information about the quality of care from any review to drive service improvements. (Regulation 35 1(b)(2)) 31/03/2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that each foster carer is aware of all the necessary information available to the fostering service about a child’s circumstances. The fostering service follows up with the responsible authority where all such necessary information has not been provided by the authority. This refers to matching documents and children’s care plans. (Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards, page 13, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that children’s safety and welfare is promoted in all fostering placements. This refers to updating risk assessments to ensure they reflect a child’s current situation. (Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards, page 14, paragraph 4.1)  The registered person should ensure that local authorities consider how it will review any exemption to the usual fostering limit. (The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations, Volume 4: Fostering Services, page 48, paragraph

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Recommendations

5.50) Assurance visit report: Young People At Heart 5

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Young People At Heart Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: 36 Rosslyn Park, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 9QZ

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Inspectors

Sue Young, Social Care Inspector Debbie Holder, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: Young People At Heart 6 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

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Inspectors

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

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