Brighter Fostering Limited

Inspection report for independent fostering agencies - monitoring: Brighter Fostering Limited 1 Brighter Fostering Limited

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Suite F, 2nd Floor, Mabgate Mills, Mill 2, Leeds LS9 7DZ

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Brighter Fostering Limited is a small independent fostering agency. It currently has six children living in foster homes and six fostering families. The manager, and the fostering agency, registered with Ofsted in November 2021.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Date of previous inspection: 24 July 2023

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This monitoring visit

This independent fostering agency was judged inadequate at its first full inspection, which took place between 24 July to 1 August 2023. The inspectors found significant shortfalls and regulatory breeches. As a result, two compliance notices under section 22 of the Care Standards Act 2000 were issued under regulation 8 (Registered person – general requirements) and regulation 11 (Independent fostering agencies – duty to secure welfare).

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This monitoring visit

The staff, fostering families and children now benefit from increased support from the registered manager. She has increased her working hours from three to five days a week, and she is now based close to the office for two days each fortnight. The registered manager is better equipped to support the staff, fostering families and children as she now benefits from monthly supervision sessions that she receives from a suitably qualified and experienced person.

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This monitoring visit

The day-to-day running of the agency has started to improve. However, the availability of the manager will need to be kept under review to ensure that the day- to-day oversight of the agency remains sufficient as the number of foster carers and staff increase. Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Brighter Fostering Limited 2 The agency decision-maker no longer acts as the vice-chair to the fostering panel, nor do they provide out-of-hours support for the foster carers. Their independence from the fostering agency is now more clearly defined.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual no longer acts as a fostering panel member. Members of the fostering panel have recently taken part in training that has helped them to be clear about the functions of the fostering panel. This training has also helped them to understand their responsibilities, including declaring any conflicts of interest where they arise. This has improved the panel’s function because the panel remains independent of the fostering agency.

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This monitoring visit

The agency has recently employed a qualified supervising social worker. The supervising social worker undertakes the supervision sessions and offers support to the fostering families and the children in their care. However, at the time of the inspection, the supervising social worker had only been in post for two weeks. Therefore, while there is now sufficient staff to ensure that there can always be a qualified member of staff available to support the foster carers, the impact of this on the experiences of fostering families cannot be fully assessed. This is because not enough time has passed to understand how this works in practice.

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This monitoring visit

There are currently no student social workers placed with the agency. The student who was on placement at the last inspection has now left. This student received one practice-related supervision session from the registered manager during her 30-day placement. The registered manager has a plan in place to ensure that the supervising social worker receives their supervision sessions monthly. However, the first supervision has not yet taken place. Therefore, the quality and impact of this support offered by the registered manager cannot yet be determined.

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This monitoring visit

There has been no new complaints or allegations made against any foster carer. The policies and procedures that relate to safeguarding children have now been reviewed. The registered manager has consulted with the designated officer from the children’s local authorities. The policies and procedures are now in line with legislation and local safeguarding arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

The remaining requirements under regulations 7, 17, 19 and 20 have not been reviewed during this inspection, and they have been reissued. Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Brighter Fostering Limited 3

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

A person must not manage a fostering agency unless they are fit to do so.

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Requirement Due date

A person is not fit to manage a fostering agency unless that person—

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the fostering service must ensure that any significant change in the way the service is managed must be communicated immediately to the regulator. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(a)) 1 November 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider and the registered manager must, having regard to—

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Requirement Due date

the size of the fostering agency, its statement of purpose, and the numbers and needs of the children placed by the fostering agency, and

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Requirement Due date

the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children placed by the fostering agency,

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Requirement Due date

carry on or manage the fostering agency (as the case may be) with sufficient care, competence and skill. (Regulation 8 (1)(a)(b)) 31 December 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person in respect of an independent fostering agency must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

the welfare of children placed or to be placed with foster parents is safeguarded and promoted at all times. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)) 31 December 2023

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must provide foster parents with such training, advice, information and support, including 1 November 2023 Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Brighter Fostering Limited 4 support outside office hours, as appears necessary in the interests of children placed with them.

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must ensure that, in relation to any child placed or to be placed with a foster parent, the foster parent is given such information, which is kept up to date, as to enable him to provide appropriate care for the child, and in particular that each foster parent is provided with a copy of the most recent version of the child’s care plan provided to the fostering service provider under regulation 6(3)(d) of the Care Planning Regulations. (Regulation 17 (1) (3))

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must ensure that there is a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working for the purposes of the fostering service, having regard to—

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Requirement Due date

the size of the fostering service, its statement of purpose, and the numbers and needs of the children placed by it, and

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Requirement Due date

the need to safeguard and promote the health and welfare of children placed with foster parents. (Regulation 19 (a)(b)) 1 November 2023

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must not—

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Requirement Due date

employ a person to work for the purposes of the fostering service unless that person is fit to do so.

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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

has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the work they are to perform.

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must take reasonable steps to ensure that any person working for a fostering service who is not employed by the fostering service, and to whom paragraph (2) does not apply, is appropriately supervised while carrying out their duties. (Regulation 20 (1)(a) (3) (4))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the fostering service must be able to provide written records that demonstrate how they have assessed, through interview, a candidates suitability to be appointed. In particular, that the candidate has the necessary experience and skills to undertake the role to which they have been appointed. 1 November 2023 Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Brighter Fostering Limited 5

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the independent fostering agency since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Brighter Fostering Limited 6

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Brighter Fostering Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Suite F, 2nd Floor, Mabgate Mills, Mill 2, Leeds LS9 7DZ

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Independent fostering agency details

Email address : admin@brighterfostering.co.uk

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Inspector

Rachel Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agencies – monitoring: Brighter Fostering 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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