Inspired Fostering

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Inspired Fostering 1 Inspired Fostering Inspired Fostering Limited Unit 4, Prestige House, Landews Meadow, Green Lane, Challock, Kent TN25 4FN Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

This independent fostering agency was registered with Ofsted on 14 December 2021. This is the agency’s first inspection. At the time of this inspection, the agency provided support and supervision to two approved foster carer households and three children in care. The provider states in the agency’s statement of purpose that it provides a therapeutic, safe, child-centred approach to achieve positive outcomes for children. The agency is registered to provide a range of fostering households for children, including emergency, short-term and long-term homes for children.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The registered manager has been in post since 15 December 2021.

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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 good

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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: Inspired Fostering 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This small and newly formed agency provides foster carers with good-quality support and guidance. Nurturing and warm relationships between the children and their foster carers mean that the children feel safe, well cared for and secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager’s commitment to providing a family feel and supportive approach ensures that the foster carers feel part of a team. Children have a sense of belonging within their foster families and are included in family activities, holidays and celebrations. One child said, ‘My foster carers are my family.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers support the children to lead full and active lives. Children are encouraged to take part in a broad range of fun activities and have opportunities to try new experiences. Consequently, the children extend their social networks and make new friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a strong agency focus on supporting children to achieve well at school. For one child, this has included providing her with one-to-one counselling, helping her transfer from primary to secondary education. Another child expressed her delight at receiving a card and a shopping voucher congratulating her on her exam results. These small touches help the children to recognise their strengths and achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Regular activities take place where children and their fostering families can come together and have fun. Part of the focus of the activity days is to encourage foster carers and children’s participation in helping to shape the agency’s development and introducing new prospective fostering families to the agency.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers said that they were treated with respect and sensitivity during their assessment process and by the fostering panel. This adds to the positive view of the agency that foster carers have.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family visits are supported well by the foster carers and the agency. For example, brother and sister visits take place in the fostering family home. One child spoke positively about how the registered manager and her foster carers responded and helped make arrangements so that she could attend a family gathering at short notice. As a result, the children maintain a sense of belonging within their families and benefit from their ongoing support.

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

Children are safeguarded by the practice of the staff at the agency. The registered manager ensures that responses to any concerns are timely and effective. Help and advice are readily available for the foster carers and the children when they need it. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Inspired Fostering 3 Children build trusting relationships with their foster carers, who know them well and understand their needs. Foster carers provide the children with regular routines and clear boundaries. Consequently, the children feel safe and learn to understand how to regulate their emotions.

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

Assessments of new carers are thorough and considered. The agency decision- maker provides a clear rationale when approving foster carers. This gives further assurance that foster carers who are recruited have the skills and resilience to care for children and keep them safe.

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

The registered manager holds a dual role as the manager and supervising social worker to the fostering families. There are long-standing relationships between the registered manager and the foster carers from working together in previous fostering agencies. The registered manager is mindful of the historic nature of these relationships and ensures that she is not complacent, remaining alert and curious about risks to children.

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

Delegated authority is recorded, taking account of the children’s ages and parental and local authority responsibility. Foster carers are supported to make reasonable and appropriate decisions with the authority delegated to them, without having to seek consent unnecessarily.

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

Safe care planning is detailed and individualised to the needs of the children and the fostering family. Plans provide detailed and clear guidance to help the foster carers meet the individual needs of children and contribute towards keeping everyone in the family safe.

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

Risks for the children are outlined in the safe care planning. However, these do not consistently detail all relevant practical information, strategies and information to enable the foster carers to respond to and manage risks effectively. This was addressed with the registered manager during the inspection.

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

In practice, the children’s strengths, vulnerabilities and risks are understood well by the foster carers and the registered manager. One child said that the registered manager ‘knows me because she wants to know me’. The protective nature of the positive relationships that the children have with their foster carers and the agency is a strong factor in keeping the children safe.

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

Children’s care plans and assessments are of variable quality, and some records are missing information and/or are not up to date. The children’s voice is not always reflected in their plans. This has the potential to hinder children’s development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency has an effective, qualified and experienced registered manager. The responsible individual, alongside the registered manager, forms a strong leadership team who are committed and ambitious to grow and develop the agency. Leaders Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Inspired Fostering 4 carry out regular monitoring and have a sound understanding of what is happening in the lives of all the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders ensure that the foster carers have access to relevant training and that they keep up to date. This ensures that the children are cared for by well-trained, skilled and competent foster carers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Panel minutes reflect timely and appropriate recommendations to ensure the approval of the foster carers. However, the quality assurance function of the panel is weak in providing insightful feedback to the agency about the quality of the assessments of the new foster carers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recruitment processes meet the requirement to ensure that the staff are safe adults. Nevertheless, some recruitment records do not demonstrate tight adherence to safer recruitment practices. For example, one new staff member’s application did not include a full employment history. In addition, her interview questions did not refer to her knowledge of safeguarding practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a strong advocate for the children and the foster carers alike. This ensures that the children receive the help and support that they need. Feedback from the children’s social workers highlights effective partnership working by the agency and a professional, child-centred approach. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Inspired Fostering 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s safety and welfare are promoted in all fostering placements. In particular, risk assessments should be up to date and provide sufficient guidance and advice on how to keep children safe. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 4.3)  The registered person should ensure that foster carers contribute to the development of each child’s care plan, in collaboration with the child, and that records reflect the voice of the child. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 12.2)  The registered person should ensure that the agency has a record of the child’s placement plan and other up-to date records relating to education and health, and that these are provided to the foster carers. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 31.2)  The registered person should ensure that the fostering service can demonstrate, including in written records, that it consistently follows good recruitment practice.

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Recommendations

(‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 19.2)  The registered person should ensure that panel provides robust 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: Inspired Fostering 6

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Inspired Fostering Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: The New Barn Mill Lane, Eastry, Sandwich, Kent CT13 0JW

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Independent fostering agency details

Email address: caroline@inspiredfostering.com

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Inspector

Anne-Marie Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Inspired Fostering 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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