Red Kite Fostering

Inspection report for independent fostering agency - monitoring visit: Red Kite Fostering 1 Red Kite Fostering

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The Old Surgery, The Meads, Kington, Herefordshire HR5 3DQ

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Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Red Kite Fostering is a private limited company based in Herefordshire. The fostering agency provides a range of fostering placements, including long-term, short-term, emergency and respite placements.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The agency provides foster placements in England and Wales. At the time of the visit, the agency was providing placements for nine children and had 11 fostering households. Of these, five of the fostering households were in England, providing care to six children.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The registered manager registered with Ofsted on 25 November 2020. She holds a level 5 qualification in management.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted conducted a full inspection of this independent fostering agency between 9 and 13 August 2021. The inspection found significant shortfalls across all areas of agency operations. As a result, the fostering agency was judged to be inadequate. Ofsted issued three compliance notices, under regulation 8, regulation 11 and regulation 20.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out to review the action that the provider has taken to meet the three compliance notices. In addition, inspectors reviewed action taken by the provider to meet the six requirements raised at the full inspection. Inspection report for independent fostering agency - monitoring visit: Red Kite Fostering 2 Inspectors found that sufficient action had been taken for two of the compliance notices, under regulation 8 and regulation 11 to be considered met.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have implemented a conflict of interest policy for the fostering agency. This provides clarity of management responsibility in a situation where staff may have established relationships outside work.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have made improvements to risk assessment practice. Risk assessments now contain all known information. In addition, these documents now provide clear strategies to support foster carers in keeping children safe from harm.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have strengthened the matching process used by the fostering agency. This includes ensuring that matches are agreed before a child is placed with foster carers. In addition, managers’ agreement to matches is now clear. The fostering agency has not placed any children since the full inspection and, as a result, the changes are as yet untested.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have yet to demonstrate sufficient oversight of the safe recruitment of staff. Shortfalls identified at the full inspection are yet to be addressed. In addition, new recruitment shows similar omissions. This demonstrates that managers are unable to reflect on and learn from previous shortfalls. Because of this, the compliance notice under regulation 20 is not considered met. This notice has been issued again.

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This monitoring visit

Shortfalls in the safeguarding of children remain. Despite staff receiving training regarding the management of allegations, there have been two further occasions since the full inspection when staff have failed to identify or act in response to an allegation by a child against their foster carer. This shows a continued inability to prioritise the safety of children. As a result of this, Ofsted has raised a compliance notice under regulation 12.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have met requirements regarding the health and safety of the office environment. There are now clear systems in place to ensure a safe working environment for staff. However, the findings of this visit demonstrate that wider management systems to support their oversight of the service remain ineffective.

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This monitoring visit

Managers told inspectors that they have not taken sufficient action for some requirements to be met. In particular, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the assessment and training requirements of parent and child foster carers. In addition, managers have yet to address shortfalls in the assessment of foster carers to provide long-term care. These requirements have been restated.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has yet to make suitable arrangements for the supervision of the registered manager. This shortfall was first identified in 2019. This ongoing omission demonstrates a continued failure to recognise the registered manager’s need for regular opportunities to reflect on and learn from practice. Inspection report for independent fostering agency - monitoring visit: Red Kite Fostering 3 One new requirement is raised as a result of this inspection. Managers have failed to notify Ofsted of allegations made by a child against their foster carer. This prevents the regulator from maintaining oversight of the fostering agency. Inspection report for independent fostering agency - monitoring visit: Red Kite Fostering 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,

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Requirement Due date

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

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that management systems for monitoring and review of the service are effective and reporting requirements are met. 21 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

*The fostering service provider must prepare and implement a written policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children placed with foster parents from abuse or neglect, and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of any allegation of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 21 November 2021 Inspection report for independent fostering agency - monitoring visit: Red Kite Fostering 5 This particularly refers to ensuring that staff are aware of what constitutes an allegation, and the process that they should follow in this situation.

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must provide foster parents with such training, advice, information and support, including support outside office hours, as appears necessary in the interests of children placed with them. (Regulation 17 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that the fostering service is clear about the assessment and training requirements for foster carers who are approved to care for parent and child placements. 21 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

*The fostering service provider must not—

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Requirement Due date

employ a person to work for the purposes of the fostering service unless that person is fit to do so, or

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Requirement Due date

allow a person to whom paragraph (2) applies, to work for the purposes of the fostering service unless that person is fit to do so.

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Requirement Due date

This paragraph applies to any person who is employed, other than by the fostering service provider, in a position in which that person may in the course of their duties have regular contact with children placed by the fostering service.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1), a person is not fit to work for the purposes of a fostering service unless that person—

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Requirement Due date

has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the work they are to perform,

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Requirement Due date

is physically and mentally fit for the work they are to perform,

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Requirement Due date

and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to that person in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 1. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(b)(c)) 21 November 2021 Inspection report for independent fostering agency - monitoring visit: Red Kite Fostering 6 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that all staff who are employed by the agency are subject to the required recruitment checks.

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must ensure that all persons employed by them—

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Requirement Due date

receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 21 (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that the registered manager receives supervision from a suitably qualified and experienced practitioner. 21 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

The functions of the fostering panel in respect of cases referred to it by the fostering service provider are—

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Requirement Due date

to consider each application for approval and to recommend whether or not a person is suitable to be a foster parent,

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Requirement Due date

where it recommends approval of an application, to recommend any terms on which the approval is to be given.

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Requirement Due date

In considering what recommendation to make under paragraph (1), the fostering panel—

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Requirement Due date

must consider and take into account all of the information passed to it in accordance with regulation 26, 27 or 28 (as the case may be),

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Requirement Due date

may request the fostering service provider to obtain any other relevant information or to provide such other assistance as the fostering panel considers necessary, and

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Requirement Due date

may obtain such legal advice or medical advice it considers necessary.

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must obtain such information as the fostering panel considers necessary and send that information to the panel, and provide such other assistance 21 November 2021 Inspection report for independent fostering agency - monitoring visit: Red Kite Fostering 7 as the fostering panel may request, so far as is reasonably practicable.

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Requirement Due date

oversee the conduct of assessments carried out by the fostering service provider, and

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Requirement Due date

give advice, and make recommendations, on such other matters or cases as the fostering service provider may refer to it.

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Requirement Due date

In this regulation "recommend" means recommend to the fostering service provider. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(d) (3) (4)(a)(b)(c) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to panel demonstrating how they have been assured that applicants demonstrate the required skills for the approval terms that are being sought.

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Requirement Due date

Also, to panel identifying to the fostering service where this information is not clearly demonstrated, and to requesting that this information is made available to them before a recommendation is made.

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Requirement Due date

If any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 7 takes place in relation to a fostering agency, the registered person must without delay notify the persons or bodies indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table. (Regulation 36 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that Ofsted is notified of any Schedule 7 matters, including allegations made against foster carers. 21 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for independent fostering agency - monitoring visit: Red Kite Fostering 8

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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: Red Kite Fostering Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Rhos House, Old Radnor, Presteigne, Powys LD8 2RP

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Independent fostering agency details

Email address: ameliabenson@red_kite_fostering.co.uk

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Inspectors

Tracey Coglan Greig, Social Care Inspector Louise Battersby, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency - monitoring visit: Red Kite Fostering 9 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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