Fostering Options

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Fostering Options 1 Fostering Options Fostering Options Limited Hayfield Farm, Berry Lane, Aspley Guise, Milton Keynes MK17 8HS Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Fostering Options is a small fostering agency that is part of a group of companies owned by Futures for Children. The agency offers a range of fostering placements. At the time of this inspection, the agency was supporting 21 fostering households and 29 children.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2022.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Fostering Options 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by committed, compassionate foster carers. Foster carers ensure that children feel part of their wider family. Foster carers’ own children contribute to children’s sense of belonging. Children said that their foster carers are ‘brilliant’ and ‘magnificent’. One child said that they do not feel like they are in care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children benefit from living with their brothers and sisters. Foster carers provide child-centred support to ensure that children spend quality time with their family. Family members are welcomed into the fostering household in line with children’s plans. This helps children to feel accepted and positive about their identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children are provided with stability, remaining with their foster carers until adulthood. Some children remain with foster carers as adults, in staying put arrangements. Foster carers help children to make good progress across all areas of their development. Foster carers and the agency ensure that children’s successes and achievements are celebrated and captured.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Supervising social workers complete matching assessments to help inform decisions about a child moving into a fostering household. Children’s cultural and religious needs are carefully considered, resulting in good matches. However, the assessments do not demonstrate how the identified risks will be managed or how the foster carers’ skills and experience mean that they can meet the child’s needs. This limits the effectiveness of this process.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers and supervising social workers are strong advocates for children. They have challenged discrimination in school. They have ensured that children’s reviews are attended by adults who have met the child and can contribute effectively to the meeting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers help children to succeed in education. Several children have passed the exams that they needed in order to access the college courses of their choice. When children need extra help at school, foster carers work with the virtual school to ensure that children are receiving the right support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers help children practise their independence skills. The agency has developed an independence programme for children to follow if they want a structured plan and a place to record their progress. Outside the home, children are supported to learn to drive, use public transport and to take on work experience or part-time work. Children are supported to increase their confidence and self-esteem by attending clubs and activities, such as Scouts and swimming. One child had exceptional success in martial arts, competing and winning awards nationally.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Supervising social workers provide a high level of support to foster carers. Foster carers felt well supported by the agency during COVID-19 lockdowns. The agency provided sensitive emotional and practical support to fostering households Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Fostering Options 3 experiencing bereavement. When appropriate, the agency helps to celebrate and commemorate memories.

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

There are few safeguarding incidents involving children. When incidents occur, foster carers work well with children’s social workers to develop plans for reducing risk.

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

Supervising social workers involve children in writing safer care plans. Through these discussions, children learn more about their own safety and can contribute to decisions about the household rules.

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

One fostering household uses closed-circuit television to help deter children from entering each other’s bedrooms. While the children’s social worker has agreed to this strategy, the need for this restriction of privacy is not clear in the children’s risk assessments and has not been regularly reviewed.

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

The agency manages allegations or concerns about foster carers in line with safeguarding procedures. The agency escalates concerns and shares information appropriately with the local authority designated officer and police. Foster carers are subject to independent review and the additional scrutiny of panel following any concerns about their practice. Panel has a good understanding of its role in reviewing foster carers’ suitability.

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

The agency offers a range of relevant training in line with its statement of purpose. In addition to preparation to foster training, foster carers are expected to complete several courses before they are approved. This ensures basic knowledge and confidence before a child moves into their home.

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

All foster carers complete annual safeguarding training. Foster carers also access training in understanding child exploitation and radicalisation. The agency has developed a detailed internet safety guide as a reference for carers to help them understand and manage risks of social media and gaming.

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

Supervising social workers have small caseloads. This means that they know their foster carers and children well. Managers expect supervising social workers to regularly spend time alone with children to form trusting relationships with them. This offers children a consistent adult with whom they can share concerns.

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

Supervising social workers undertake additional unannounced visits to foster carers each year. These provide an additional safeguarding check. However, unannounced visits and child-seen-alone visits were not always easy to find in the records. This limits the manager’s ability to oversee this practice and to feel assured that these visits are taking place, particularly when an increased number of visits are taking place due to concerns being raised. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Fostering Options 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency is led by managers who are passionate about fostering. A new and appropriately experienced manager registered with Ofsted in May 2022. She has been well supported by the outgoing manager, who has remained with the organisation, and by senior managers. This has meant minimal disruption to the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervising social workers are experienced and knowledgeable. They enjoy their roles and feel proud to work for the agency. A learning and development plan is in place for all staff and foster carers. This includes a detailed induction plan. Supervising social workers feel that the agency values them and invests in their learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency has experienced a reduction in the number of fostering households it supports. The agency received a number of resignations from long-term carers during COVID-19. Managers have established a plan for the recruitment and retention of foster carers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Fostering panel members have diverse and relevant experience. They provide effective scrutiny of new applicants and contribute to the quality assurance of the agency. Panel minutes are detailed and clear. However, sometimes, the paperwork sent to panel contains inaccuracies that are not identified before panel takes place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are involved in shaping practice at the agency. Children have contributed to improving forms and choosing questions to be asked of new foster carers. Children are asked to share their views as part of staff’s annual appraisals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency has a strong focus on promoting equality and diversity for children, foster carers and staff. Cultural advisers have been appointed with responsibility of reviewing practices and offering advice and guidance. As a result, cultural and religious items are now available to be added to children’s welcome packs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency is a learning organisation. Managers undertake audits and implement changes to practice as required. Supervising social workers are supported in reflective sessions by the agency psychotherapist.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency develops and shares resources with other organisations. This includes a child’s book written by the responsible individual about COVID-19 heroes. Originally, it aimed to explain the pandemic and support children in the agency. Due to the success of the book, the responsible individual ensured that other foster carers and children who wanted help to talk about this unique time had access to it.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most records provide a good account of children’s experiences, conveying warmth and pride in the child. The agency is adopting a new way of writing to children and in children’s records. Some foster carers and supervising social workers do this well. The agency decision-maker is modelling this approach by using this style in all communication with foster carers. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Fostering Options 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that foster carers respect the child’s privacy and confidentiality in a way that is consistent with good parenting. In particular, ensure that any use of closed-circuit television is the least restrictive method of managing risk and its use is regularly reviewed. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, page 12, paragraph 3.5)  The registered person should ensure that they only suggest foster carers to local authorities as a potential match for a child if the foster carer can reasonably be expected to meet the child’s assessed needs. In particular, the provider should ensure that matching assessments consider how the foster carers’ skills and experience will help them meet the child’s needs and how the foster carers will manage any identified risks. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, page 32, paragraph 15.1)  The registered person should ensure that there is a system in place to monitor

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Recommendations

the quality and adequacy of record-keeping and take action when needed. In particular, the provider should ensure that paperwork submitted to panel is accurate and records of visits to foster carers and children are accessible. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, page 50, paragraph 25.2)

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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: Fostering Options 6

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Fostering Options Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: The Masters House, College Road, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6YQ

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Independent fostering agency details

Responsible individual: Nicholas Barnsby

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Independent fostering agency details

Email address: kemiakinfisoye@fostering-options.org

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Inspector

Paula Edwards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Fostering Options 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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