Break Fostering Service

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Break Fostering Service 1 Break Fostering Service Break Charity Schofield House, Spar Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR6 6BX Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The agency is run by a charitable organisation. It provides therapeutic foster placements for children aged between five and 18, as well as parent and child placements. The agency provides long-term placements, some with built-in respite care. The agency has 14 fostering households, which are providing care for 11 children.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2023.

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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: Break Fostering Service 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are offered a sense of permanence and belonging with foster carers who know them well. Foster carers build strong relationships with children, and this helps them to develop in all aspects of their lives. One child described his carer as his ‘dad’ and said that ‘he is the best’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are supported to attend educational placements that are tailored to their needs. Children are supported to take their exams and are encouraged to have aspirations for university. The agency recently arranged a trip to a local university for some children. Opportunities like this help children to develop goals for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers take children on memorable holidays. One child visited Australia last year. Some other children enjoyed their first plane journey. Having shared experiences helps children to build positive memories and stronger connections to their foster carers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Plans to support children into adulthood are thoughtful and consider children’s wishes for their future. A high ratio of children have remained with carers until they reach adulthood. This supports children during their adolescent lives. The children have a lifelong offer from the agency, enabling them to come back for support whenever they need it. Some children have taken up this offer and it has had a significant benefit to their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The agency has access to a coffee van that is owned by the wider charity. Children using this as valuable work experience can achieve a qualification. Having this work experience can open doors and give children their first step into employment. Foster carers are positive about this opportunity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers provided good feedback on the support they receive from the agency. There is regular communication between the agency and foster carers. Foster carers reach out for support when they need it, and it is responded to quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers write detailed logs, directly to the child. These well-written records provide positive messages about children’s progress and lived experiences over time. If children wish to access their records, this will better help them understand their day-to-day experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The agency provides a range of support groups for foster carers, fostered children and birth children. This has included social get-togethers, craft activities and a private social media platform to help keep carers connected.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are introduced to carers in a planned way. This oftens includes a staged meet-up process. Children are not always provided with photos and information about the foster carers that they can take away and look at. This does not ensure Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Break Fostering Service 3 that children have access to information that assists their preparation for moving to a new family.

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

Foster carers establish trusting relationships with children. Children said that they would be able to share any worries with their foster carers. These relationships help to keep children safe.

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

There have been no instances of children going missing from foster care within the last year. One child who had several moves before moving to his foster carers is now settled. The local authority team manager for this child said it was the ‘best place’ that the child has lived. She said that she knows that the child feels safe there, which is why it is going so well. Children are generally very settled, with few incidents.

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

Safer-caring household plans are individual to each child and cover information that is important to them. They also provide clear expectations and boundaries.

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

The agency has a therapeutic worker who provides advice and support to foster carers. This guidance helps foster carers to think about proactive ways of helping children with difficult feelings and any behaviours that challenge them. This support is increased when necessary. Foster carers and professionals are very positive about the therapeutic support on offer. They said that it has positively contributed to how they support children. The therapeutic worker provides ‘trauma timeline’ workshops, and these have been highlighted by foster carers and professionals as an excellent area of practice.

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

The agency provides training to foster carers on how to manage allegations. This helps to increase carers’ knowledge and confidence when dealing with any allegations of harm.

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

The agency has a good relationship with the local authority designated officer (LADO). Allegations of harm against foster carers have been shared with the relevant professionals. On one occasion, an action advised by the LADO was not completed by the local authority. This was not appropriately challenged by the agency.

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

The required recruitment checks for agency staff are undertaken in line with the agency safer recruitment policy. However, recruitment checks for two foster panel members did not include all the required checks. This does not help the agency ensure their recruitment practices are consistently safe.

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

Children are occasionally held by foster carers to help keep them safe. There are occasions when the holds for one child did not follow a specified training model. This was identified by the registered manager and appropriate training commissioned. However, there were some delays in the availability of the training and the agency Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Break Fostering Service 4 did not provide clear guidance to the carers in the interim period. This did not ensure that a clear and agreed plan was in place about how to respond safely should the child need holding again.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency is managed by an experienced and dedicated manager. She is currently working towards her level 5 diploma.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The members of the small staff team work well together. Foster carers and social workers said that they like the being part of a smaller agency. The small team means that the manager and the supervising social worker know the families well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency is working towards being more trauma-informed. All the agency staff are undertaking specific training that will enable them to work more effectively with children who have experienced trauma. Foster carers have taken part in trauma- related training facilitated by the agency’s therapeutic lead.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency works well alongside the host authority, with whom they have established a strong relationship. The manager has accessed training from the host local authority to meet the identified training needs of foster carers. This includes training in supporting children to see their birth families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Foster carers are positive about the manager and note improvements in the agency since she joined it. Supervising social workers said that the manager is supportive and caring.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the recruitment of foster panel members has improved. This has created a more diverse group of people that contribute to foster panel decisions. Foster panel members have a range of professional and personal expertise, which contributes to child-centred decision-making. The foster panel chair challenges the fostering agency effectively to ensure assessments are thorough. Overall, the panel chair commented on the quality of assessments received from the fostering agency. This helps the foster panel members to make informed decisions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The fostering agency has created a youth panel in which care-experienced children participate and contribute to meetings with prospective new foster carers. These children devise their own questions, speak to new foster carers and share their views with the foster panel about new applicants. Two children described their positive experiences participating in this panel. This helps to ensure that children’s views are influential and provides them with a valuable way of contributing to decision-making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency has not supplied Ofsted with an updated statement of purpose since October 2022. In addition, the statement of purpose does not identify the different types of care that are currently provided. This does not help commissioners or other Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Break Fostering Service 5 professionals make effective decisions about how the agency can meet children’s needs. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Break Fostering Service 6

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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 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 (a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the advice and actions from the LADO are carried out. 29 July 2024

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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, or

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Requirement Due date

allow a person to whom paragraph (2) applies, 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

is physically and mentally fit for the work they are to perform, 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)(b) (3)(c)) 6 August 2024

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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)) 29 July 2024 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Break Fostering Service 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that unless an emergency placement makes it impossible, children are given information about the foster carer before arrival, and any information (including where appropriate, photographic information) they need or reasonably request about the placement, in a format appropriate to their age and understanding. (‘Fostering services: National minimum standards’, 11.3)  The registered person should ensure that support and training are made available to foster carers, including hard-to-reach carers, to assist them in meeting the specific needs of the children they are caring for or are expected to care for. In particular, timely advice and support around safe holds for children should be given. (‘Fostering services: National minimum standards’, 20.8)

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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: Break Fostering Service 8

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Schofield House, Spar Road, Norwich NR6 6BX

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Inspectors

Mary Costello, Social Care Inspector Rebecca Hannell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Break Fostering Service 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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