Fostering UK

Assurance visit report: Fostering UK 1 Fostering UK

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Information about this independent fostering agency

This privately owned fostering agency provides short-, medium- and long-term foster care placements and emergency, respite and bridging placements for permanency. At the time of this visit, the agency had 22 foster carers and was providing foster placements for 31 children.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The manager has been in post since 19 October 2020 and has applied to Ofsted to register.

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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: Fostering UK 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 live in foster homes where their foster carers look after them well and include them as part of their families. The agency matches children with their foster carers, which helps the placements to be successful.

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The care of children

The agency took a flexible approach to children’s education during the first COVID- 19 national lockdown period, depending on the children’s and foster carers’ needs and vulnerabilities. Some children made good progress in their education during this period and some had additional tuition, which has made a notable difference to them.

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The care of children

One child has recently been successful in getting a place at grammar school and another child has caught up in his education. A young person did better than he expected in his GCSEs. He is attending college and has clear aspirations for his future. He puts this down to being in foster care.

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The care of children

During the periods of COVID-19 lockdown, some foster carers have been able to develop strong relationships with children and have built good attachments. Foster carers have helped children to keep in touch with their families. One parent told their child’s social worker that they had been able to talk to their child more easily because of the progress that the child had made in foster care.

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The care of children

Children’s emotional needs are met through support from their foster carers and specialist services. These include work with Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services and life-story work.

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The safety of children

Foster carers support children who self-harm. The risks and the measures to manage those risks are recorded clearly in the children’s risk assessments. Foster carers have training in managing self-harm. One child has shown a recent reduction in their self-harmful behaviours.

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The safety of children

Foster carers and the agency have managed some historical disclosures from children well. The children have felt listened to and the concerns were investigated by the appropriate agencies. The agency has also managed an issue relating to a non-resident member of a foster carer’s family well. This helps to keep children safe.

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The safety of children

The supervision records for one foster carer show that they were using financial sanctions which were not in line with the agency’s behaviour management policy. There is no record of this being discussed with the foster carer. This does not help to make sure that there is consistent and effective help for children to manage their Assurance visit report: Fostering UK 3 behaviour. However, other foster carers spoke about good, helpful support and advice from the agency.

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Leaders and managers

Supervising social workers and foster carers value the managers and leaders at the agency, and they feel well supported and valued. They like the agency, which they describe as small, family like and child centred.

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Leaders and managers

There have been recent changes in the management of the agency. The new manager has a clear idea of the priorities to improve and strengthen the service. However, there is a lack of clarity in the senior management arrangements of the service, which limits the effective oversight of practice and outcomes at a senior level.

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Leaders and managers

One area that the new manager is currently working on is the production of a foster carers’ handbook. The manager envisages that it will be completed shortly, but at present there is no handbook, and carers do not know how to easily find some significant information.

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Leaders and managers

The foster panel is effective in identifying concerns and referring them back to the agency. The panel recommended that one carer return for a review after six months, but this did not happen. When the review was presented to panel after a year, the panel highlighted concerns about the quality of the review. The review of this carer has not been handled well, but the panel has fulfilled its role in identifying the issues so that they can be addressed and improvements made.

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Leaders and managers

Supervising social workers have continued to supervise foster carers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic through a mix of virtual and face-to-face meetings. However, records of carers’ supervisions are not made in a timely way. In one case, there has not been any supervisions recorded since August 2020. As a result, both the agency and foster carers may be left unclear about what is expected of them to provide good, consistent care for children. Assurance visit report: Fostering UK 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 registered provider and the registered manager must, having regard to—

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Requirement Due date

the size of the fostering agency, its statement of purpose, and the numbers and needs of the children placed by the fostering agency, and

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Requirement Due date

the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children placed by the fostering agency, carry on or manage the fostering agency (as the case may be) with sufficient care, competence and skill. (Regulation 8 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to having clarity on senior management roles to ensure that they are fulfilled appropriately, including monitoring and oversight. 29 January 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour in a way that does not use inappropriate sanctions. (‘Fostering services: National minimum standards’, 3.4)  The registered person should ensure that foster carers’ approval is reviewed in a timely way and that reviews are of good enough quality, so that the fostering service can properly satisfy itself about its carers’ ongoing suitability to foster. (‘Fostering services: National minimum standards’, 13.8)  The registered person should ensure that foster carers have access to either a handbook or electronic resources which cover policies, procedures (including with regard to allegations), guidance, financial information, legal information and insurance details. In particular, this relates to foster carers having easy access to and knowing where to find important information. (‘Fostering services: National

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Recommendations

minimum standards’, 21.10)  The registered person should ensure that foster carers’ files include records of supervisory meetings. (‘Fostering services: National minimum standards’, 21.18) Assurance visit report: Fostering UK 5

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Fostering UK Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Maple House, High St, Potters Bar EN6 5BS

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Independent fostering agency details

Responsible individual: Mirja-Liisa Mancini

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Inspectors

Clive Lucas, Social Care Inspector Joanna Heller, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: Fostering UK 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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