Blossom Fostering Services Limited

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Blossom Fostering Services Limited 1 Blossom Fostering Services Limited Blossom Fostering Services Limited Unit 28 Future House, Marsh Farm, Moakes, Luton LU3 3QB Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

This is a privately owned independent fostering agency.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

At the time of this inspection, the agency had five fostering households and one child being cared for by foster carers.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The registered manager has been in post since June 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The independent fostering agency is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Blossom Fostering Services Limited 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

The agency has provided foster care for one child since registration in June 2022. This child has been with the agency since January 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

New foster carers have been suitably approved by the foster agency panel. However, they have not been fully prepared to understand the impact of caring for a child. Consequently, the child has had two unplanned endings because the carers have been unable to care for the child. This means that the child has not experienced stability or continuity of care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

The quality of carers’ written records are poor. These are handwritten, difficult to read, and do not give the child a good understanding of their experiences. These records will not be helpful to children who may wish to read these later on in life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

Carers said that they had undertaken some training. However, they have not received training that enabled them to sufficiently understand trauma or behaviour management and meet the needs of the child. Consequently, foster carers are not prepared for dealing with the challenges of children with traumatic backgrounds. This has contributed to one child being moved out of the carer’s home a few days after moving in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

The child is registered with primary health carers. However, there are no links to specialist services. This means that carers do not have the support or guidance to understand the child’s behaviour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

The child was not attending school when they first moved in with the carer. The carer worked with the manager and school to support the child to attend education. Since then, the child attends daily, and goes to after-school clubs. The child said that they like school, and that they have made friends. This has helped build their confidence and ability to make friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: requires

One foster family provided a child with respite care for ten days. Although the carers said that they did not have all the information they would have liked, they adapted well. This resulted in a successful break for the child, and for the full-time carers.

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improvement to be good

The managers use a safer recruitment policy for staff and panel members. However, the recruitment checks are not comprehensive. The reasons why applicants left previous roles working with children or vulnerable adults are not always explored. Managers do not always ensure that gaps in employment are fully accounted for. This increases the risk of unsuitable people working for the agency. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Blossom Fostering Services Limited 3 Each carer who has had a child in placement has a household safety plan and risk assessment. However, these plans have not been updated following incidents or changes in risk. As a result, the carers response to children’s risks may not be informed.

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improvement to be good

There have been no safeguarding notifications since the agency was registered. All carers have attended face-to-face safeguarding training, and the carers are prepared. The child is safe and there have been very few incidents.

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good

The manager is a qualified social worker and experienced in managing foster carers. However, he has not enrolled on the required level 5 management qualification despite this being agreed as part of his initial registration.

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good

The manager and director are the supervising social workers for the agency. A new supervising social worker has been appointed. However, they do not have fostering experience. This does not support families who are new to fostering, and in need of experienced social worker support and guidance.

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good

The records are not maintained appropriately, and some are unclear. The electronic data system fails to provide secure storage or central access. There are no systems for carers to access and record information or have important documents to hand.

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good

The agency’s statement of purpose has not been updated with information regarding the new responsible individual. Therefore, this does not reflect who the senior managers are.

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good

The manager is aware of the shortfalls and has plans to address these. Development plans are discussed in his supervision sessions to move the agency forward.

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good

Foster carers receive regular supervision sessions, which are recorded. Carers say that these are helpful. The manager supports carers during the evenings and weekends. Carers can call the manager, and he will support them with a child’s behaviours. The manager goes to carers’ homes to support them with the child in their care. This support has helped to sustain a placement for a further few months.

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good

The panel meets requirements. The manager as the supervising social worker does not sit on the panel. The agency decision-maker is a qualified and experienced independent person as required. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Blossom Fostering Services Limited 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, The 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 not—

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1), a person is not fit to work for the purposes of a fostering service unless that person—

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Requirement Due date

is physically and mentally fit for the work they are to perform,

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Requirement Due date

and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to that person in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 1. (Regulation 20 (1) (3)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this specifically relates to the need to provide a written explanation of any gaps in employment and, when a person has previously worked in a position where duties involved work with children or vulnerable adults, verify so far as reasonably practicable the reason why the employment or position ended. 27 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

keep under review and, where appropriate, revise the statement of purpose and children’s guide,

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Requirement Due date

notify the Chief Inspector of any such revision within 28 days. (Regulation 4(a)(b)) 27 October 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are carefully matched to a foster placement, and that foster carers have full information about the child (as set out in standard 3.9). (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 11.2)  The registered person should 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 and the impact of the placement on existing household Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Blossom Fostering Services Limited 5 members has been considered. In particular, ensure that a child with trauma and behavioural concerns is placed with carers who have had trauma-based practice training. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 15.1)  The registered person should ensure that the registered manager has a qualification in management at least at level 4. (‘Fostering services: national

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Recommendations

minimum standards’, 17.2, b)  The registered person should ensure that all records kept by the service are monitored to ensure compliance with the service’s policies, to identify any concerns about specific incidents and to identify patterns and trends. Immediate action is taken to address any issues raised by this monitoring. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 25.2)  The registered person should ensure that information about the child is recorded clearly and in a way which will be helpful to the child when they access their files now or in the future. Children are actively encouraged to read their files, other than necessarily confidential or third-party information, and to correct errors and add personal statements (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 26.6)  The registered person should ensure that there are efficient and robust administrative systems, including IT and communication systems. (‘Fostering

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Recommendations

services: national minimum standards’ standards’, 27.1’)

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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: Blossom Fostering Services Limited 6

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Blossom Fostering Services Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Unit 28 Future House, Marsh Farm, Moakes, Luton, Bedfordshire LU3 3QB

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Independent fostering agency details

Responsible individual: Shahzeb Adil Khan

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered manager: Jiji Thannikuzhippil Joseph

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Independent fostering agency details

Email address: info@blossomfostering.co.uk

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Blossom Fostering Services Limited 7 regulates and inspects 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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