Compass Fostering West

Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Compass Fostering West 1 Compass Fostering West

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Unit G1, New Venture House, Venture Business Park, Worcester WR2 4AY

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Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Compass Fostering West is a private limited company operating as an independent fostering agency. It offers a number of different types of placements for children and young people - emergency, short-term, long-term, parent and child, and permanent placements. At the time of the inspection, the service had 151 carers caring for 181 children and young people.

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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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Information about this independent fostering agency

Date of previous inspection: 8 April 2019

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out this monitoring visit after receiving a complaint about how the agency manages safeguarding concerns, the behaviour management practices used by foster carers, the quality of support provided to foster carers and placement stability. During the monitoring visit, the inspector reviewed the agency’s response to safeguarding concerns and what measures they put in place to keep children safe. The inspector also considered the resources and support provided to foster carers and placement stability.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that the agency responds promptly to safeguarding concerns and takes appropriate action to keep children safe. Allegations against foster carers are reported to the designated officer and a partnership approach is taken to consider children’s needs. When necessary, foster carers are placed on hold until safeguarding concerns have been concluded and suitability reviewed.

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This monitoring visit

When investigations into allegations are concluded, the agency initiates an independent review and takes foster carers back to panel to determine if their approval should continue. Panel minutes demonstrate that all information is Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Compass Fostering West 2 reviewed, and consideration is given to the foster carer’s strengths and any areas of concern. Panel members give clear reasons for the recommendations they make.

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This monitoring visit

The agency provides additional guidance to foster carers who need support with managing children’s behaviour. On one occasion, there was a concern about how a child had been restrained by a foster carer during an incident. This was reported to the designated officer and the child’s social worker. An action plan was implemented to provide additional support to the foster carers and the child. This included therapeutic support sessions, further behaviour management training, life-story work to be carried out with the child and increased supervision for the foster carers.

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This monitoring visit

All foster carers have access to an out-of-hours on-call service. This means they can contact someone from the agency at any time to seek guidance and support. Foster carers are allocated a supervising social worker. When supervising social worker vacancies occur, the registered manager and operations managers take on the responsibility for supervising carers until a new worker is appointed. Additional supervising social workers are recruited in conjunction with the steady growth of the agency. This means that foster carers have continued support and other supervising social workers’ workloads remain manageable.

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This monitoring visit

The agency has a placements team that considers foster carers’ skills and abilities before a child lives with them. Known risks are reviewed and if the risks are deemed too high, children will not be placed with foster carers. Over 50% of children have been living with their foster carers for 12 months or more.

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This monitoring visit

The manager’s monitoring and review systems are excellent. The registered manager completes monthly audits. In addition, there are independent monthly audits and mock inspections. This means she has a good understanding of the agency’s strengths and areas for development and the service is continually striving to develop and improve. Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Compass Fostering West 3

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the independent fostering agency since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Compass Fostering West Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Mountfields House, Off Squirrel Way, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3GE

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Inspector

Lisa O’Donovan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Compass Fostering West 4 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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