SWIIS Foster Care Limited

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: SWIIS Foster Care Limited 1 SWIIS Foster Care Limited SWIIS Foster Care Limited 15 Warwick Road, Old Trafford, Manchester M16 0QQ Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

SWIIS Foster Care Limited is a branch of a privately run national fostering agency. The agency approves and supports a range of foster carers who provide emergency, short-term, long-term and parent-and-child foster placements.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

At the time of the inspection, the agency had 65 fostering households with 74 children in placements.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2018.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The inspection involved a blended approach of both on-site and off-site activity. Children and foster carers were spoken to during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

The independent fostering agency provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the independent fostering agency contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 3 December 2018

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for independent fostering agency: SWIIS Foster Care Limited 2

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outstanding

Children are placed at the heart of the agency. They benefit greatly from care and support that are child-centred, individualised and aspirational. Managers, staff and foster carers know children extremely well. They are committed to providing opportunities for children to achieve excellent outcomes and to reach their potential. As a result of these relationships and opportunities, the vast majority of children make exceptional progress in all areas of their lives.

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outstanding

The agency prides itself on having a strong family ethos. Children, foster carers and staff value this and refer to themselves as being part of a large fostering family. They feel very connected to the agency and are overwhelmingly positive about the wraparound support they receive. One carer said, ‘They are an incredibly supportive and inclusive agency. They work incredibly hard to ensure the best outcomes for children and ensure that carers are supported in each step of the journey.’

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outstanding

Children are exceptionally well supported to make progress in their education. All children have identified education and their attendance is high. Children’s achievements are celebrated and valued. Supervising social workers and support workers regularly see children. This enables them to observe children and monitor their progress .

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outstanding

The agency is aspirational for children. Managers and staff creatively seek opportunities to enhance children’s experiences and ensure that children’s interests are nurtured and encouraged. Through developing strong community links, they have been able to facilitate opportunities for children to access sought after work- experience placements and to attend inspirational writing events. One child said, ‘SWIIS is definitely a big family. They help me in so many ways. They are amazing.’

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outstanding

The successful implementation of a research-based therapeutic model means children’s needs are exceptionally well understood. Foster carers know how to respond to children. They are helped to understand children’s lived experiences and the impact of their trauma on their behaviours.

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outstanding

The agency goes to great lengths to seek the views of all children and foster carers, including those who are harder to engage. Children are listened to, and their views contribute to decisions about their care. Their views are also used successfully to inform ongoing development across the agency.

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outstanding

Children are placed with foster carers who can meet their needs. The agency undertakes meticulous planning with placing authorities to ensure that planned moves for children are positive with minimal disruptions. Children are helped to develop a sense of belonging and are fully integrated into their foster families. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: SWIIS Foster Care Limited 3 Foster carers demonstrate real ‘stickability’ and commitment to children. Placing authorities recognise that carers do not give up on children, and because of careful matching, excellent support and carer ‘stickability’ some children live with their foster families for the majority of their childhood. When appropriate, children are supported to stay with their foster carers post-18 years of age and many children continue to benefit from the support of their foster families into adulthood.

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outstanding

The agency understands the importance of helping children to sustain a positive family identity and is proactive in keeping siblings together. In line with children’s plans, foster carers go ‘the extra mile’ to ensure that children are helped to keep in touch with their families and people who are important to them.

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outstanding

Children’s individuality and sense of self are respected and nurtured. Foster carers have a good understanding of diversity and are responsive to children’s cultural and identity needs. Children experience inclusion and acceptance. They are supported to understand their own identities and are helped to develop positive self-esteem and increased confidence.

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outstanding

The development of an innovative in-house health support service means carers have access to health support as required. This service routinely undertakes assessments with carers for all children under one-year-old to offer practical support and to identify any additional resources. All children have access to routine and specialist health services, and their plans reflect their needs.

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outstanding

Agency staff act as excellent advocates for children. They will challenge placing authorities and address issues with carers as required. Any concerns regarding the standard of care provided by some foster carers are swiftly addressed, minimising the impact on children’s experiences.

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outstanding

Practice in the agency is underpinned by a strong safeguarding culture. Managers, carers and staff know how to keep children safe. Children say that they feel happy and safe with their foster carers. They have trusted adults who they can speak to about any concerns, and they know how to make a complaint. As a result of the strong safeguarding culture, the vast majority of children experience a reduction in safeguarding concerns when living with the agency’s foster carers.

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outstanding

Highly effective risk management is a key strength across the agency. Children’s risks and vulnerabilities are well understood and reflected in their plans. However, a risk plan for an adult parent who was placed with their child lacked some details and did not clearly reflect the robust safeguarding measures in place. This limits managerial oversight.

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outstanding

The number of incidents of children going missing from their foster homes is low. When children do go missing from care, carers know how to respond and ensure that children are welcomed back into the family home on their return. Efforts are Inspection report for independent fostering agency: SWIIS Foster Care Limited 4 made to understand the reasons for the behaviour and to reduce future incidents. As a result of the carers’ approach to working with children, incidents of children going missing from care have significantly reduced and, for some children, have ceased to be a concern.

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outstanding

Children’s behaviour is very well managed by their foster carers. Carers have a very good understanding of how to respond when children display behaviours that may be harmful to themselves or others. Instances of carers physically intervening to hold children are extremely rare. When an incident does happen, it is low level and is only used as a last resort to prevent children from hurting themselves or others. There is strong oversight from the manager to ensure that carers have acted appropriately and that children are safe.

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outstanding

Safe recruitment practices are in place for staff, panel members and foster carers. This helps to ensure that people who work with or care for children are safe to do so.

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outstanding

Managers have exceptionally good oversight of investigations into serious incidents, allegations and complaints. All investigations are dealt with robustly in line with statutory guidance and shared with appropriate agencies. High safeguarding expectations are continually reinforced across the agency. Any learning from incidents and practice reviews is shared with staff through practice forums and an agency-wide newsletter.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is inspirational and ambitious for children. She is held in exceptionally high regard by children, carers, staff and other professionals. Carers and staff recognise the positive impact of her leadership and say that they continually benefit from her guidance and knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is supported by an assistant manager and senior leadership team. Leaders and managers are approachable. They are committed to providing children with opportunities to achieve excellent outcomes and have high expectations of staff and carers. Access to a range of robust monitoring systems enables managers to recognise any patterns and trends and to take appropriate action as required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Foster carers and staff feel highly appreciated and valued. They are passionate about what they do and are highly motivated. Access to a wide range of training opportunities ensures that they are continually developing their practice to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Communication with partner agencies is excellent. Feedback from commissioners, placing authority social workers and local authority designated officers is extremely positive. Professionals are confident that children’s needs are being met and know that any concerns are swiftly addressed by the agency. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: SWIIS Foster Care Limited 5 The fostering panel is well established and effective. Members of the central list have a wide range of experiences relevant to fostering. The agency decision-maker is effective at providing appropriate challenge and scrutiny to ensure robust decision- making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers recognise the agency’s strengths and areas for development. They are continually striving to improve outcomes for children. Managers have strong oversight of the service. However, despite taking action to ensure that there was no impact on any children, the manager missed opportunities to ensure that a foster carer’s approval terms reflected their current circumstances. This was resolved by the agency’s decision-maker prior to the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Electronic recording systems are well maintained and clearly demonstrate the journey for children and foster carers. However, reports from annual health assessments and minutes from strategy meetings had not been received for some children. Although agency staff had been present at the meetings, the absence of formal reports and minutes limits the manager’s oversight and reduces opportunities to ensure that all identified actions are completed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The two requirements and five recommendations made at the previous inspection have been met. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: SWIIS Foster Care Limited 6

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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 review the approval of each foster parent in accordance with this regulation.

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Requirement Due date

When undertaking a review, the fostering service provider must—

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Requirement Due date

make such enquiries and obtain such information as they consider necessary in order to review whether the foster parent continues to be suitable to be a foster parent and the foster parent’s household continues to be suitable.

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Requirement Due date

At the conclusion of the review, the fostering service provider must prepare a written report, setting out whether—

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Requirement Due date

the foster parent continues to be suitable to be a foster parent and the foster parent’s household continues to be suitable, and

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Requirement Due date

the terms of the foster parent’s approval continue to be appropriate. (Regulation 28 (1) (3)(a)(b) (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the agency takes swift action to address any required changes to a foster parent’s terms of approval. 25 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain a system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at appropriate intervals, and improving the quality of foster care provided by the fostering agency. (Regulation 35 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there are efficient and robust processes in place so that the agency has access to children’s annual health assessments and minutes from strategy meetings. 25 November 2022 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: SWIIS Foster Care Limited 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that risk assessments reflect the action taken to minimise potential risks from parents who are placed with their children. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 14.5)

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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: SWIIS Foster Care Limited 8

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: SWIIS Foster Care Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: 4th Floor, Prince House, 43-51 Prince Street, Bristol BS1 4PS

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Inspectors

Caroline Bertram, Social Care Inspector Pauline Yates, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: SWIIS Foster Care Limited 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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