Kasper

Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Kasper 1 Kasper

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Kasper Fostering, 79 Nelson Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1DX

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

This is a privately owned, not-for-profit independent fostering agency. The provider states in the statement of purpose that the agency provides each child with the experience of a stable, caring and nurturing family environment. It offers short-term and long-term homes for children, including specialist provision for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, preparing children for adoption, and parent and child homes.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

At the time of this monitoring visit, the agency provided support and supervision to 59 approved foster care households and 70 children in care.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The current manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2020.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Date of previous inspection: 11 February 2019

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This monitoring visit

On 22 December 2021, an announced monitoring visit took place following a child protection incident being notified to Ofsted. Safeguarding shortfalls were identified with regard to the agency’s response to concerns relating to one child. As a result, a compliance notice was served.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements made at the last full inspection and subsequent monitoring visit were not assessed because of the specific focus of this monitoring visit, and these are therefore restated. These will be reviewed at the next full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The compliance notice, issued in December 2021, is judged to be met. The provider has ensured that the children placed by the fostering agency are cared for with sufficient care, competence and skill. Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Kasper 2 The registered manager has undertaken a detailed management review of the staff practice and care of the child during the time that he lived with agency foster carers. The review report identifies practice shortfalls and sets out learning actions for the agency, some of which are now embedded in staff practice.

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This monitoring visit

A linked improvement plan from this report lays out the steps that have been undertaken to improve practice, together with a staged implementation of actions to ensure that safeguarding practice is further improved. This ensures that safeguarding remains high on the agenda and at the heart of the staff’s practice.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has provided a written evaluation of how the concerns relating to standards of care have been applied to the foster carers, which shows appropriate consideration and decision-making.

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This monitoring visit

Foster carers receive regular, reflective and child-focused support. The registered manager has changed the supervision template to separate information concerning the foster carers and the children. The added prompts on the template help the supervising social workers direct their support to ensure that the foster carers promote the children’s safety, health, enjoyment, education and well-being.

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This monitoring visit

The supervising social workers’ records of supervision meetings with the foster carers show a focus on development and training. The newly added reflective prompts help promote reflective discussions around what the children may feel and experience living with their foster carers. These subtle changes help capture meaningful information. This serves to inform the supervising social workers, so that decisions can always be made in the children’s best interests, based on what is known about them, and their experiences, views and wishes.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has updated the foster carer supervision policy. This now includes the expectation that secondary foster carers attend at least four supervisions meetings per year. In addition, at least one unannounced visit a year will be undertaken by someone other than the allocated supervising social worker. This enables fresh eyes to observe the home environment that the children are living in.

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This monitoring visit

Supervising social workers receive monthly formal supervision, along with regular informal reflective support and supervision. Staff spoken to said that they feel well supported by the management team. The registered manager has ensured that there are good systems in place for the managers to monitor and quality assure the supervising social workers’ practice and record-keeping.

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This monitoring visit

The children’s risk assessments and safer caring plans are detailed, regularly updated and individualised to the children. The guidance provided to the foster carers helps them to keep the children safe.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last monitoring visit, the registered manager has written an agency policy around the use of CCTV inside and outside foster family’s homes. The policy is in line Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Kasper 3 with regulatory guidance. However, the wording does not make it explicitly clear that the use of CCTV inside a fostering family home should only ever be in exceptional circumstances and requires regular review with the child’s placing authority.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has commissioned several new training courses to be undertaken by all the foster carers and the staff over the forthcoming year. This includes training about compassion fatigue, problematic sexualised behaviour and risk management. This training, alongside the broad and bespoke range of training that is already available, means that the supervising social workers and the foster carers are appropriately equipped for their role in providing skilled and responsive care to the children so that their needs are well met. Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Kasper 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 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)) 1 April 2022

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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)) 1 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must take all reasonable steps to ensure that —

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Requirement Due date

no child placed with a foster parent is subject to any measure of control, restraint or discipline which is excessive or unreasonable. (Regulation 13 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that foster carers record episodes of the restraint of children and young people in sufficient detail, so that the fostering agency is assured that the restraint practice was reasonable and safe. 1 April 2022

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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. Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Kasper 5

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: 79 Nelson Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1DX

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Inspector

Anne-Marie Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Kasper 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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