Ivy House Fostering Agency

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Ivy House Fostering Agency 1 Ivy House Fostering Agency Ivy House Fostering Agency Ltd Office 38, The Turbine Business Centre, Coach Close, Shireoaks Triangle Business Park, Worksop, Nottinghamshire S81 8AP Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Ivy House is an independent fostering agency. It provides a range of foster placements, including short-term, long-term, bridging, parent and child and respite placements. At the time of this inspection, the agency had nine fostering households and 12 children placed.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The registered manager has been registered since 2020.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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good

The independent fostering agency provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Ivy House Fostering Agency 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive highly personalised care and support from their carers and the agency managers. From their starting points, children are making progress in all areas of their lives. They form strong attachments to their fostering families. As one child said: ‘I love them and the hugs they give me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are very well met. They receive specialist help and support for specific health needs. Children have access to counselling and therapeutic services. Therapeutic support is also available for carers via a sessional therapist used by the agency. This provides consultation and guidance for carers to support children at times of need. Carers demonstrate competence in administering medication and recording is of a high standard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children have educational placements. Carers and agency managers ensure that chidlren’s education needs are met. Regular multi-agency meetings take place, which include education staff. These meetings are proving a valuable means to consider current and changing needs and to put in place action plans. The agency has a clear policy of children not being taken to their place of education by taxi. Carers are financially supported by the agency to take children. This practice is commendable, ensuring children are not treated differently to their peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children express their wishes, views and feelings. They have been involved in a range of fun activities and groups during the summer holidays. These activities included the foster carers’ birth children and extended family members. A key strength of this agency is how well it involves carers’ birth children in activities and events run by the agency. There have been no complaints by children, but they know how to raise any concerns they have and feel confident in them being responded to promptly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children get to see and keep in touch with family members and others who are significant to them. The agency is working to enable carers to support family time directly. This is commendable. It reflects the commitment of the agency to ensuring that children’s birth and foster families work together for the benefit of children. Carers take children to see their families whenever possible. The use of taxis is seen as a last resort. Again, this is a positive practice and reflects the therapeutic ethos of the agency.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Matching of children with carers is robust. This has led to excellent placement stability for children. Carers feel fully involved in decision-making for new placements. Several carers have transferred to this agency from other agencies. They feel this agency provides them with excellent support. As one carer stated: ‘The managers have always got our backs, any time of the day or night.’ Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Ivy House Fostering Agency 3

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children feel safe and are kept safe by their carers. They learn how to manage any risky behaviours, with the full support of their carers and agency managers. Carers receive training which has a clear therapeutic focus. This enables them to provide excellent and sensitive support to children, many of whom have experienced trauma in their past.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been no reported incidents of children going missing from care. Very detailed and comprehensive risk protocols and plans are devised for each child. Carers fully understand what action they should take in the event of a child going missing. Children feel secure in their foster families and able to discuss any concerns. They feel able to express their emotions with their carers, which reduces any possible safeguarding issues arising.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Carers are confident and competent in dealing with any actual or potential concerns relating to children. They follow the agency’s policies and procedures. They make clear records and know how to alert agency managers or on-call staff to report any safeguarding concerns. Children are kept safe from harm due to the diligence of carers and agency managers.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers have responded quickly and appropriately to any concerns relating to carers. They have worked closely with a placing social worker and the designated officer for one potential safeguarding issue. Carers have been provided with the necessary support.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The recruitment and assessment processes for carers are robust and safe. Prospective and approved carers receive a wide range of training opportunities. Carers receive training in therapeutic parenting, trauma, neglect and secure base parenting. Carers are confident and able to support children’s complex emotional needs to a high level.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children learn how to manage their actual or potential risky behaviours more safely. Carers promote positive behaviour and understand the impact of trauma on children. Carers are very skilled at using de-escalation techniques with children when they are in crisis.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager, responsible individual and director of this agency are inspirational. They constantly strive to ensure the best possible outcomes for children. They provide outstanding emotional and practical support to carers. Carers feel extremely valued and love working for this agency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers of this agency go above and beyond to ensure their carers are well supported. The focus is always on placing the child at the centre of their practice. There is a commendable focus on providing therapeutic care. Carers Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Ivy House Fostering Agency 4 receive excellent training, which enables them to understand the trauma experienced by children and how best to support them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Carers feel extremely valued. They report loving the small size of this agency and knowing leaders and managers are always there for them. There is a family feel to this agency, with carers, children and birth family members all being fully involved in every aspect of how the agency is run. Carers receive regular formal supervision. They particularly appreciate the informal daily support provided by the agency. Their physical and emotional well-being is seen as paramount by leaders and managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have worked tirelessly during the pandemic to recruit, assess and approve competent carers. They fully understand the strengths and any weaknesses of the agency. They continue to develop and learn from feedback from carers and involved agencies. Feedback from other agencies is extremely positive. This agency is seen as having a strong therapeutic ethos, providing excellent and imaginative care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The fostering panel has excellent oversight and makes robust recommendations. The panel chair has vast experience, as does the agency decision-maker. Panel members come from a diverse range of backgrounds. Minutes of panel meetings provide a detailed account of discussions and recommendations made. The agency decision- maker’s records similarly reflect a detailed and competent consideration of documentation. Panel members do not currently provide the agency’s leaders and managers with detailed feedback following each panel. This would further assist the agency to consider, learn and make any necessary changes to their practices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children receive a highly personalised and meaningful children’s guide when they move in with their foster families. They receive a soft toy animal, which is the agency mascot. They are provided with excellent information about what being looked after means, through child-friendly social stories. The attention to detail in providing truly meaningful therapeutic information is commendable and worthy of wider dissemination. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Ivy House Fostering Agency 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that panels provide quality assurance feedback to the fostering service provider on the quality of reports being presented to panel. (‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’, 14.2)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and the national minimum standards. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Ivy House Fostering Agency 6

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Ivy House Fostering Agency Ltd

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Office 38, The Turbine Business Centre, Coach Close, Shireoaks Triangle Business Park, Worksop, Nottinghamshire S81 8AP

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Independent fostering agency details

Email address: joanne@ivyhousefostering.co.uk

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Inspector

Tracy Murty, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Ivy House Fostering Agency 7 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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