Harmony Fostering Services Ltd

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Harmony Fostering Services Ltd 1 Harmony Fostering Services Ltd

p.1

Phoenix House, Suite 16, Rosslyn Crescent, Harrow HA1 2SP Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this independent fostering agency

This is an independent fostering agency based in Harrow, West London. The service specialises in providing foster care for individual children and sibling groups. It provides emergency, respite and short-term and long-term placements.

p.1

Information about this independent fostering agency

The agency registered with Ofsted in May 2022. The manager registered with Ofsted at the same time. The registered manager is an experienced social worker and holds an appropriate management qualification. The registered manager was not present during this inspection.

p.1

Information about this independent fostering agency

At the time of this inspection, the fostering service was providing care for 13 children, none of whom were aged more than 10 years old. The agency has 10 approved fostering households.

p.1

Information about this independent fostering agency

The inspectors spoke with four of the children.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The independent fostering agency provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 13 February 2023

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

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

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers provide children with care that meets their individual needs. Foster carers demonstrate a commitment to ensuring that children experience stability while living with them. Children form positive attachments with their foster carers. Some children are being matched long term with their foster carers. Consequently, children make good progress in many aspects of their development, including health, education and social independence. When asked how they would rate their foster carers out of 10, several children said, ‘10 out of 10.’

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers and staff work well with external agencies to ensure that plans for children are achieved. Foster carers are strong advocates for children. In one case, a child’s social worker described how a foster carer was instrumental in that child being offered an education psychology assessment.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers and staff help children to enjoy a range of leisure and social experiences. Managers and staff arrange for children and foster carers to have trips out together. This has included trips to the theatre and the seaside and picnics in local parks. Foster carers ensure that children can attend activities they like, such as swimming and football. Leaders and managers employ support staff to ensure children can still take part in activities when foster carers are busy or need a period of respite.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff work hard to gain the views, wishes and feelings of children. Managers and staff record the views of children when they arrange participation events and when foster carers have reviews. Children say they have positive experiences of living with their foster carers and enjoy the events organised. However, the current children’s guides are not age appropriate for the children currently living in foster homes.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers help children move on from foster homes, to achieve permanency through a return to their birth family or to alternative family arrangements. However, foster carers do not receive specialist training on moving children on, the impact on foster carers and their own families or life-story work.

p.2

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

Foster carers understand the vulnerabilities of younger children and ensure that they are appropriately supervised and monitored to reduce the risks of harm. Risk assessments and safer caring plans are child specific. Foster carers know what to do to keep children safe. However, on one occasion, when an incident occurred with a child, staff did not update the risk assessment with the foster carer to reflect this new risk. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Harmony Fostering Services Ltd 3 There have been no notifiable events or serious incidents reported since the last inspection. When incidents occur, foster carers and staff consult effectively with responsible authorities and schools to investigate concerns, so that children are safeguarded.

p.2

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

Managers and staff ensure that foster carers complete basic training in safeguarding, the ‘Prevent’ duty and child sexual exploitation. The fostering social worker uses foster carer support groups to discuss subjects such as therapeutic parenting, children displaying sexualised behaviour and the use of behavioural tools. As a result, children benefit from being cared for by adults who can reflect on their parenting style and respond effectively to children’s distress.

p.3

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

Children’s social workers said children are settled and stable in foster families. One social worker said that they had ‘peace of mind’ knowing that the child was in a protective environment. The social worker noted that if the child were not happy, ‘they would tell you’.

p.3

good

Leaders and managers have a vision for the growth and development of the fostering agency. Nevertheless, this inspection identified shortfalls in leadership and management oversight and in coordination of aspects of the fostering service. The shortfalls identified have not impacted negatively on the safety of children or the support offered to foster carers. In addition, the roles of leaders, managers and staff are not always clearly defined.

p.3

good

Leaders and managers do not always adhere to safer recruitment practices as required by regulation. Recruitment files held by leaders and managers show that most support staff have been recruited without two references being received. Files also lack evidence that leaders have confirmed staff identities or explored gaps in employment. In one case where convictions were disclosed, no impact risk assessment or management overview were present.

p.3

good

Records of support for staff are unclear. Supervision records, appraisals and staff induction programmes are not clear in files. As a result, it is not clear what support staff have from leaders and managers. In addition, the agency has introduced a new case management system. This is not yet embedded. As a result, staff struggled to find key documents. There is a lack of management oversight of the introduction of this system.

p.3

good

A capable and experienced fostering social worker supports and supervises foster carers effectively. The fostering social worker visits foster carers regularly and ensures they see and speak with children. The fostering social worker receives regular supervision from the registered manager. The fostering social worker has been key in implementing standard practices, such as an induction for foster carers and reinforcing the importance of clear recording of children’s day-to-day lives. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Harmony Fostering Services Ltd 4 Foster carers have access to a range of learning and training opportunities to assist them in the care of young children. They say that they find the training offered stimulating. However, although foster carers have attended basic first-aid training, none have completed a course in paediatric first aid. This hinders foster carers’ ability to respond effectively to children’s immediate health needs.

p.3

good

Leaders and managers have recruited a suitably experienced fostering panel chair and agency decision-maker, both of whom have a good understanding of the panel and decision-making process. This provides a good-quality assurance mechanism for the fostering agency when considering approvals of prospective foster carers or reapproval of established foster carers.

p.4

good

Despite staff seeking the views of children, managers have not used this to support their review of the quality of care provided by the fostering agency. They have also not clearly considered the views of foster carers or placing authorities. This is a missed opportunity to enhance the level of care and support provided to foster carers and children.

p.4

good

Foster carers say that they are well supported by staff, leaders and managers. One foster carer said, ‘Their team consistently offers guidance, resources and emotional assistance, ensuring that I feel equipped to provide a stable and loving home for the children in my care. From informative training sessions to regular check-ins, their commitment to my success as a foster parent has been evident at every step. I appreciate the ongoing support network they’ve established, making me feel valued and confident in my role as a foster parent.’ Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Harmony Fostering Services Ltd 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must not—

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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)(a) (3)(c))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that two written references are obtained, proof of identity verified and gaps in employment history satisfactorily explored. 1 May 2024

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that all permanent appointments are subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must ensure that all persons employed by them—

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal, (Regulation 21 (1)(a) (4)(a)) 1 May 2024

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain a system for improving the quality of foster care provided by the fostering agency. The system must provide for consultation with foster carers, children, and their placing authority. (Regulation 35 (1)(b) (3)) 1 May 2024 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Harmony Fostering Services Ltd 6 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the service implements a proportionate approach to any risk assessment. This relates to ensuring risk assessments are updated after incidents. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 4.5)  The registered person should ensure that managers and staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities and that the level of delegation and responsibility of the manager, and the lines of accountability, are clearly defined. This relates to the roles of the registered manager, responsible individual and support workers. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 25.4)  The registered person should ensure that when unqualified staff and volunteers carry out social work functions they do so under the direct supervision of experienced social workers, who are accountable for their work. This relates to the tasks carried out by family support workers. (‘Fostering services: national

p.6

Recommendations

minimum standards’, 23.7)  The registered person’s system for recruiting staff and others should include an effective system for reaching decisions as to who is to be appointed and the circumstances in which an application should be refused in the light of any criminal convictions or other concerns about suitability that are declared or discovered through the recruitment process. This relates to the completion of risk assessments when staff are to be employed who have criminal convictions. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 19.5)  The registered person should regularly monitor all records kept by the service to ensure compliance with the service’s policies, to identify any concerns about specific incidents and to identify patterns and trends. Immediate action should be taken to address any issues raised by this monitoring. This relates to the monitoring of recruitment processes and the progress in migrating data to the

p.6

Recommendations

fostering service’s new case recording system. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 25.2)  The registered person should ensure that foster carers receive sufficient training on health and hygiene issues and first aid, with particular emphasis on health promotion and communicable diseases. This relates specifically to ensuring that all foster carers undertake paediatric first-aid training as a priority. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 6.7)  The registered person should ensure that the children’s guide is in an accessible format that can be explained by foster carers to children, taking into account their age and understanding. This relates to the guide being presented in a way that younger children can understand. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 16.3) Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Harmony Fostering Services Ltd 7  The registered person should ensure that when children are leaving the foster

p.6

Recommendations

family, they are helped to understand the reasons why they are leaving. Children should be supported during the transition to their new placement, to independent living or to their parental home. This relates to the transition of younger children and appropriate training for foster carers to assist children in these moves. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 11.5)

p.7

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: Harmony Fostering Services Ltd 8

p.7

Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Harmony Fostering Services Ltd

p.8

Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Phoenix House, Suite 16, Rosslyn Crescent, Harrow HA1 2SP

p.8

Independent fostering agency details

Email address: susan@harmonyfostering.co.uk

p.8

Inspectors

Colin Bent, Social Care Inspector Melvin Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Harmony Fostering Services Ltd 9 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.

p.8

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9