Tutis Foster Care

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Tutis Foster Care 1 Tutis Foster Care Tutis Foster Care Limited 13 Duke Street, Whitehaven, Cumbria CA28 7ER Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this independent fostering agency

Tutis Foster Care is an independent fostering agency. It was registered with Ofsted in July 2015.

p.1

Information about this independent fostering agency

The agency offers a range of foster placements, including long-term, short-term, respite and emergency placements for children. Children who reach the age of 18 years can continue living with their foster carers as young adults. At the time of this inspection, the agency had 11 approved fostering households, 7 of whom were providing care to 11 children.

p.1

Information about this independent fostering agency

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2020. She is also a director of the agency and has been actively involved in the setting up and operation of the agency from the outset.

p.1

Information about this independent fostering agency

This inspection involved both on-site and off-site inspection activity. Inspection activity included speaking with managers, supervising social workers, foster carers, children and other professionals.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

outstanding

The independent fostering agency provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the independent fostering agency contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 10 January 2022 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Tutis Foster Care 2 Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Tutis Foster Care 3

p.2

outstanding

The agency is incredibly child and family focused. Staff and foster carers go ‘above and beyond’ to provide high-quality and individualised care to children. Children live in settled, loving and stable homes. Foster carers form trusting relationships with children, which enhances children’s progress and sense of security and belonging.

p.3

outstanding

Children are making significant and sustained progress in all areas of their lives. They benefit from living with foster carers who receive excellent support, advice and training. This provides foster carers with the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of the children in their care exceptionally well.

p.3

outstanding

Foster carers who are new to the role are made to feel very welcome and prepared. They say they feel valued and listened to. Assessments are carried out within timescales and with sensitivity and respect. One foster carer, who joined the agency last year, described the agency’s approach as ‘amazing’.

p.3

outstanding

Staff and foster carers effectively promote children’s education. If schools are not meeting children’s needs, staff and foster carers work together to advocate on the children’s behalf to ensure that they achieve the best educational outcomes. One headteacher described the agency’s support and communication as ‘great’.

p.3

outstanding

When children’s needs are significant, specialist support is sought. This provides intensive therapeutic support to children and foster carers. In addition, support workers help foster carers with therapeutic responses when they are struggling to understand children’s behaviour. Support workers also work directly with children, using imaginative and creative methods, to help children understand their emotions and behaviours safely.

p.3

outstanding

Children’s interests are nurtured, and they are encouraged to try new things. They are attending clubs and taking part in fun activities which enhance their health and emotional well-being. The agency hosts regular events for children and foster carers, such as trips to the seaside, the countryside, art therapy sessions, games events and meals out.

p.3

outstanding

Children are supported to maintain strong and positive relationships with people who are important to them. Foster carers and staff have established positive relationships with family members for the benefit of children. Staff often help to organise and transport children to and from time with family members so opportunities for children to maintain significant relationships are not missed.

p.3

outstanding

The agency supports children to achieve permanence with their foster family. This includes foster carers who have been matched with children for the remainder of their childhood and children reaching the age of 18 who are supported to remain living with their foster carers if they wish to do so. Staff often continue to support Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Tutis Foster Care 4 young people who have moved on and now live independently. This ensures that children and young people continue to benefit from these relationships into adulthood.

p.3

outstanding

The agency has developed positive and highly effective working relationships with other professionals for the benefit of children. When decisions are made that may not be in a child’s best interests, these are respectfully but confidently challenged and escalated when necessary. One social worker said that the commitment to the children from foster carers and staff is ‘amazing’ and that ‘the progress children make after being placed with foster carers from the agency is incredible’.

p.4

outstanding

Supervising social workers have an in-depth knowledge of the children and their foster carers. They are in regular contact with foster carers and provide a high level of professional and child-centred support. Feedback from foster carers about the staff and the agency was overwhelmingly positive. One foster carer described the support as ‘fantastic’ and another as ‘excellent’.

p.4

outstanding

Children have clear and individualised safe care plans in place, which are updated regularly. They outline identified risks and what action foster carers can take to help them keep children safe.

p.4

outstanding

The agency provides regular training and support to help foster carers understand and manage children’s behaviour. A therapeutic parenting consultant, a therapeutic support worker and a youth worker provide additional opportunities for foster carers to discuss strategies to provide further support to children. All staff from the agency meet regularly to discuss any safeguarding concerns in order to ensure that children are kept safe, and practice is consistent.

p.4

outstanding

Foster carers benefit from training in subjects that help to keep children safe. Foster carers value the training on offer; they say it is of high quality and useful to them. The agency provides specialist training if required to help carers manage any emerging needs of a child in their care. Training is also delivered to help carers understand the needs of children in relation to their individual identity and culture.

p.4

outstanding

There have been relatively few safeguarding incidents since the last inspection. Children rarely go missing from their foster home and have not needed to be held to keep them safe. However, if they do, they receive an effective response to ensure their safety. Foster carers and staff work swiftly and collaboratively with other agencies to keep children safe.

p.4

outstanding

Children are provided with a children’s guide written by the agency, which gives them information about who to contact if they need to make a complaint or are worried. The guides are colourful and age appropriate. However, they have not been shared with the regulator when they have been updated. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Tutis Foster Care 5

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is caring, experienced and committed to providing high standards of child-centred care. She is supported by an experienced senior supervising social worker, who shares her motivation and drive to improve outcomes for children placed with the agency’s approved foster carers.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and the senior supervising social worker are held in high regard by children, carers, staff and other professionals. One professional described the agency as a ‘diamond amongst other agencies’ due to the ‘phenomenal’ care afforded to the children and the agency’s child-centred approach. A staff member said they love working for the agency.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervising social workers and support staff benefit from regular supervision and team meetings that provide them with the opportunity to seek support and reflect on their practice. Appraisals usually take place annually by a suitably qualified person. However, one did not take place for the manager and neither has she always received supervision at regular intervals. This was a recommendation from the last inspection and has been restated.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection the quality and frequency of reports around reviewing the quality of practice has improved. However, reports have not always been sent to the regulator in a timely manner. This was a requirement from the last inspection and has been restated.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency’s statement of purpose does not reflect the current staffing arrangements, and neither was it sent to the regulator when it was last updated.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective oversight of the service, fostering business and children’s outcomes. Children’s progress and achievements are regularly tracked and celebrated. The agency’s electronic recording systems are generally well maintained and detail the journey for children and foster carers.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Foster carers benefit from regular support groups, which are well attended. One foster carer described the agency as excellent and said the staff are ‘supportive, approachable and inclusive’.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The fostering panel and agency decision-maker provide independent scrutiny to approvals and reviews of foster carers. However, recent changes to panel membership means the central list is currently limited. This is something that the manager has taken action to address. There has not been any recent panels so this has not impacted on panel’s effectiveness.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Seven of the eight recommendations and two of the three requirements made at the last inspection have been met. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Tutis Foster Care 6

p.5

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.6

Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must maintain a list of persons who are considered by them to be suitable to be members of a fostering panel ("the central list"), including one or more social workers who have at least three years’ relevant post- qualifying experience. (Regulation 23 (1)) 25 May 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain a system for—

p.6

Requirement Due date

monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at appropriate intervals, and;

p.6

Requirement Due date

improving the quality of foster care provided by the fostering agency.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide the Chief Inspector with a written report in respect of any review conducted for the purposes of paragraph (1) and, on request, to any local authority. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, this relates to the registered person ensuring that reports are sent to Ofsted in a timely way.

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 25 May 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

notify the Chief Inspector of any such revision within 28 days (Regulation 4 (a)(b)) 25 May 2025 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Tutis Foster Care 7

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that suitable arrangements are in place for them to receive professional supervision. (national minimum standards: 24.3). This recommendation was made at the last inspection and is restated.  The registered person should ensure that suitable arrangements are in place for them to have their performance individually and formally appraised at least annually. (national minimum standards: 24.6)

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: Tutis Foster Care 8

p.7

Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Tutis Foster Care Ltd

p.8

Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: 13 Duke Street, Whitehaven, Cumbria CA28 7ER

p.8

Independent fostering agency details

Email address: louise.devlin@tutisfostercare.com

p.8

Inspector

Zillah Brooks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Tutis Foster Care 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

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

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9