Parent and Child Fostering Service

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Parent and Child Fostering Service 1 Parent and Child Fostering Service Parent and Child Fostering Service Limited Continental House, 497 Sunleigh Road, Wembley, Middlesex HA0 4LY Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The focus of this independent fostering agency is to provide parent and child placements. The agency also offers short- and long-term fostering placements for children.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The agency registered with Ofsted in May 2012 and the current manager has been registered since May 2020.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

At the time of this inspection, the agency had seven approved fostering households, with two children placed with foster carers and two parent and child placements.

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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: Parent and Child Fostering Service 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers provide children with good, individualised care. Children thrive in their foster placements and meet their developmental milestones. Parents in parent and child placements also benefit from the high level of support provided to them by foster carers. One parent wrote that the foster carer ‘helped me to be more assertive, confident, and empowering’. This demonstrates that children benefit from having parents who are better able to focus on meeting their child’s basic needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers develop close and nurturing relationships with children. Children experience stability and consistency of care in their foster homes. One child wrote, ‘My carer treats me like I am real family. My carer and I are always doing different things together, we laugh a lot, and I am well fed, and she always makes sure that I am clean and tidy.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A strength of the fostering agency is the positive relationships between the foster carers, the supervising social workers and the children and parents living in foster homes. Supervising social workers respond effectively to ensure that children’s needs are met and that the adults caring for the children are appropriately supported. The wishes and feelings of children, parents and foster carers are listened to and, where appropriate, acted on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers provide children and parents in parent and child placements with a range of opportunities to enhance their social skills and experiences, such as attending playgroups or engaging in fun activities. Foster carers understand the benefits of such interaction for children and their parents in forming positive attachments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers are prepared and supported to provide good-quality care to children and parents in parent and child placements. Foster carers are experienced, passionate and committed to ensuring that the best outcomes are achieved for children and their parents. One foster carer wrote, ‘Being a foster mum is a great experience and a great job to do. I love it.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The fostering agency ensures stability in foster placements through careful matching of children and parents. However, despite this work, the placement of one parent who was also a child in care did not last as long as intended. The complex needs of this parent were not identified at the matching stage through the referral provided by the responsible authority. This resulted in additional support offered at critical points, not being effective in sustaining the placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The fostering agency and foster carers are successful in moving children on to permanency, such as adoption, placement with other family members or a return to live with their parents. However, foster carers are not currently provided with any formal training on moving children on successfully. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Parent and Child Fostering Service 3

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

The fostering agency ensures that children are protected from harm. Risk assessments and safer caring plans are personalised and identify known and emerging risks for children. Clear agreements between parents in parent and child placements and the fostering agency mean that parents understand the level of monitoring and supervision that foster carers must undertake to ensure that children remain safe.

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

Foster carers develop trusting relationships with children and the parents of children in parent and child placements. This means that foster carers are the first people that children and parents approach when they have concerns over their safety. Foster carers provide clear boundaries to children and guidance to parents regarding keeping safe. Social workers for children placed with foster carers have no concerns regarding the safety of children.

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

Foster carers and fostering staff understand the procedures that need to be followed to safeguard children. The fostering agency provides regular mandatory child protection training for staff and foster carers. Parents in parent and child placements are also able to access training on specific topics such as drug and alcohol misuse.

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

Incidents in the foster homes, children going missing from care and allegations occur rarely, but when they do, the fostering agency manages them well. Foster carers are supported when allegations are made against them and the fostering agency also provides access to independent support.

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

Children’s safety is monitored further through the fostering agency’s own processes. Supervising social workers undertake regular supervisory visits to foster carers, including unannounced visits. Children and parents are spoken to and observed in the fostering home. Health and safety checks are completed annually to ensure that a foster carer’s home environment continues to promote the health and well-being of children. One child wrote, ‘My carer and I are very close. We live in a safe environment, and the house is very secure. And I am never alone.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work well together as a team to meet the objectives of the statement of purpose. There is a clear ethos of striving to make a difference to children and parents’ lives. As a small fostering agency, leaders and managers use the resources available to them effectively to bring about positive change through fostering.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers understand the strengths and weaknesses of the fostering agency. Growing the fostering agency in terms of foster carers and staff is a priority. However, leaders and managers are clear that this cannot impact on the outcomes for children and parents. Consequently, the recruitment of foster carers is not focused purely on increasing numbers. This is demonstrated through the feedback Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Parent and Child Fostering Service 4 from the independent reviewing officer for foster carers, who reported the priority as being, ‘finding the right people who can do the right things’. Furthermore, a prospective foster carer praised the fostering agency for its thoroughness in explaining the preparation and assessment process and developing a positive rapport quickly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Foster carers are well supported by the fostering agency. They speak highly of the 24-hour support they receive. Foster carers have access to a range of online mandatory training and other specialist training. Foster carer meetings take place regularly and there is an active carers’ messaging group. Support workers offer additional help to foster carers as and when needed. Foster carers are also provided with access to consultations with a psychologist. This helps foster carers to think about the impact that caring for those who have experienced trauma has on their own health and well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and consultation with the manager. Leaders and managers are described as ‘accessible’ by staff. Supervising social workers are provided with opportunities to develop themselves professionally. For example, one supervising social worker has been supported to undertake a practice teacher award. Appraisals of supervising social workers include the views of foster carers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The fostering panel considers approvals of prospective foster carers and reviews of approved carers effectively. The panel chair and agency decision-maker describe the quality of reports presented as good, with clear analysis and identification of strengths and areas for development. This is also what the inspector found. The panel central list provides expertise and knowledge of a variety of areas, including education, care experience and social work. However, despite the efforts of leaders and managers, there is still no independent foster carer on the central list.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are effective systems to monitor the day-to-day activity of the fostering agency and evaluate how this activity influences outcomes for children. However, the most recent review of the quality of care of the service is a description of services offered and does not include an action plan for further development. In addition, the review does not show evidence of consultation with foster carers, children, parents and placing local authorities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Placing social workers report good levels of communication with the fostering agency and particularly with foster carers. Social workers are kept informed about the progress of children and parents in parent and child placements and fostering agency workers attend all significant meetings. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Parent and Child Fostering Service 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that an experienced independent foster carer is on the central list for the fostering panel. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 14.8)  The registered person should ensure that where there are placements of parent and child, where the parent is also a child looked after, the needs of the parent should be clearly identified and support identified and reviewed as necessary. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 15.2)  The registered person should ensure that training is made available to foster carers on managing transitions and moving children on. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 20.8)  The registered person should ensure that the report of the review of the quality of care is evaluative and includes consultation with foster parents, children placed with foster parents and their placing authority. (‘Fostering services: national

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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: Parent and Child Fostering Service 6

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Parent and Child Fostering Service Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Continental House, 497 Sunleigh Road, Wembley, Middlesex HA0 4LY

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Independent fostering agency details

Responsible individual: Abimbola Ladipo-Aridegbe

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Independent fostering agency details

Email address: bimbola@parentandchildfostering.com

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Inspector

Colin Bent, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Parent and Child Fostering Service 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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