Unity Foster Care

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Unity Foster Care 1 Unity Foster Care Unity Foster Care Limited First Floor, 4340 The Pentagon, Park Approach, Thorpe Park, Leeds LS15 8GB Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this independent fostering agency

Unity Foster Care is an independent fostering agency. The head office is based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. A range of placements are provided, including long-term, short-term, emergency, respite and parent and child fostering placements. At the time of the inspection, the agency was providing placements for 70 children in 51 fostering households with 81 approved foster carers. The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2025.

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 good

p.1

good

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

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: Unity Foster Care 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers have responded to the shortfalls identified at the last inspection and have made positive improvements to the service. This has resulted in the increased safety of children and an improvement in children’s overall experiences and progress.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Many children experience stable living arrangements with their foster families. Children feel loved and cared for by their foster carers and are treated as part of the family. Comments from children about their foster carers include:

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

 ‘I like my home better than anywhere I have lived before.’  ‘I want to remain living with my foster carers because I feel part of the family.’  ‘[Name of foster carer] has done loads for me and has been the best foster carer I could have asked for.’

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, improvements have been made to the agency’s processes for welcoming a child into a new foster family. Foster carers, along with the supervising social worker, referral and placements officer and placing social worker, are consulted in the decision-making process. In addition, there is now clear management oversight of whether foster carers can provide each child with the care they need. This approach contributes to placement stability for children and reduces the risk of children experiencing unplanned endings with their foster carers.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The agency supports children to do well with their learning and education by working closely with the children’s foster carers and education providers. In addition, close monitoring of children’s educational progress is carried out by the education lead. Where children are struggling with their education, the education lead is proactive in providing support to staff and foster carers. The education lead has also made useful links between the agency and charitable organisations that serve to promote children’s access to further education.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good physical health. Foster carers ensure that children have access to universal and specialist health services, and they support children to attend all appointments. For one child with complex health needs, the dedication and commitment of the foster carers in meeting the child’s health needs have enabled the child to make remarkable progress in all areas of their life.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have numerous opportunities to take part in a wide range of activities arranged by the agency. These activities are well planned and purposeful. This helps children to experience fun activities, make new friends and learn new skills. Equally, children are supported by their foster carers to take part in recreational activities such as dance classes, swimming and horse riding. One child spoke with pride about taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh award and how this has helped them to develop their confidence in using public transport independently, meet new people and learn about map coordination. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Unity Foster Care 3 The agency is committed to supporting children to spend time with those that matter the most to them. Supervising social workers and foster carers understand the plans for children to see family members and friends and are proactive in

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The agency has taken steps to improve the way that it seeks feedback from children. The agency has started to involve children in service developments and has an ambitious participation plan in place. Children’s voices are now included in training for staff and prospective foster carers. In addition, children have been actively involved in reviewing and updating the agency’s children’s guide. Monthly newsletters, which celebrate children’s achievements, are sent to foster carers.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers have a good relationship with the agency and feel valued and supported. They recognise the positive changes that have taken place in the agency during the past year and are proud to be foster carers for this agency. Comments from foster carers about the agency include:

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

 ‘I feel much more comfortable working for an agency that make the right decisions for children.’  ‘The support from the supervising social worker has been second to none.’  ‘I do not feel alone on the journey due to the support I receive from the agency.’

p.3

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

Children feel safe living with their foster families and feel able to talk to them about any worries they may have.

p.3

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

Management oversight and monitoring of the safety of children have improved since the last inspection. The introduction of weekly safeguarding meetings has strengthened this oversight. These meetings provide a robust system whereby safeguarding incidents are closely monitored to promote learning for those involved. This ensures that actions required following an incident are completed in a timely way.

p.3

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

Foster carers promote positive behaviour through creating safe and secure home environments for children and having a good understanding of their needs. Consequently, children are rarely physically held by their foster carers. When children are held, this is as a last resort and only when required to keep the child and others safe. When children are held, foster carers report this promptly to the agency, and this helps to promote transparency. Following a child being held, the supervising social worker completes a visit to ensure the child is safe and provide foster carers with a reflective space to promote their learning. All foster carers are trained in de-escalation techniques and provided with an enhanced level of training when this is needed. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Unity Foster Care 4 When a child goes missing from home, foster carers follow the agency’s safeguarding policy and inform the agency and relevant professionals. In addition,

p.3

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

they take appropriate steps to try to find the child. Following a child going missing from home, the agency informs the placing authority and requests an independent return home interview. When this does not happen, the registered manager is proactive in escalating this to the placing authority and commissioners.

p.4

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

When an allegation of harm or concerns about standards of care are raised regarding a foster carer, the agency responds quickly and takes appropriate action to ensure that the child is safeguarded and supported. Relevant professionals and agencies, including the local authority designated officer and Ofsted, are notified. In addition, foster carers subject to an allegation now have access to independent support. When an allegation of harm or concerns about standards of care have been concluded, foster carers are returned to the fostering panel in a timely way. When required, foster carers are deregistered and referrals are made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

p.4

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

Unannounced visits by supervising social workers take place at least annually. These visits, alongside annual health and safety checks of fostering households, ensure that children live in a well-maintained and safe home environment.

p.4

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

The fostering panel meets regularly and holds detailed discussions about the suitability and approval of prospective foster carers. These discussions are clearly recorded. However, assessments of potential foster carers vary in quality. Gaps in information mean that the fostering panel does not consistently have all the information it requires to make decisions about the suitability of adults to become foster carers. Although leaders and managers have put in plans to address this shortfall, this needs to be further embedded.

p.4

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

Children’s risk management plans are unique to each child. They are easy to understand and are updated in response to new and emerging risks. The plans help foster carers understand how to manage risks effectively. However, not all plans benefit from a full review to ensure they accurately reflect levels of risk. In addition, children are not routinely involved in contributing to these plans. These shortfalls prevent children and foster carers from understanding the progress that children have made and preclude children from understanding how they can manage their behaviours and feelings safely.

p.4

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

The panel chair, vice chair and agency decision-maker are suitably qualified and experienced. They have an excellent understanding of their roles and are firmly committed to ensuring that only suitable adults are approved to care for children. The fostering panel and agency decision-maker are proactive in making recommendations to the agency in relation to practice issues and safeguarding concerns they identify. The agency has introduced a system to ensure that any recommendations made by the fostering panel and agency decision-maker are acted on. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Unity Foster Care 5

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and responsible individual are suitably qualified and experienced. They are child focused and ambitious for what children can achieve, and they have a clear vision for the service. Both the registered manager and the responsible individual have worked tirelessly to address the shortfalls identified at the last inspection and bring stability to the service.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are reflective and transparent. They understand the importance of creating a learning culture in the agency and are committed to improving the quality of care children receive through feedback from children, staff, foster carers and external professionals. Through this and their good oversight of the agency, they have a sound understanding of the strengths of the agency and take action to address areas that need to be developed. One foster carer said, ‘ T he agency has been on a journey. I have been here a long time and I find it is the best it’s been so far now.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale is good. Staff recognise the positive changes that have taken place under the new leadership team. Staff now feel supported by leaders and managers through regular supervision and training and development opportunities. The staff team is cohesive, and all staff understand the ethos and vision of the agency. They have confidence in the registered manager and responsible individual.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency provides a comprehensive training offer for foster carers to ensure that they have the necessary skills to meet the needs of the children that they care for. Where foster carers require specific training, this is quickly sourced by the training officer. Foster carers spoke positively about the quality of training that is provided by the agency. Leaders and managers are also taking an innovative approach to providing training and learning opportunities for both staff and foster carers through the development of an immersive learning platform. Both staff and foster carers spoke positively about this development and how it is making learning more accessible.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of children’s case records is variable, and not all records are completed in line with agency requirements or are helpful for children to understand their experiences and the progress they have made. In addition, key documents are not consistently signed by relevant parties. These shortfalls weaken accountability and transparency and do not help children to fully understand their journeys and how they have been helped. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Unity Foster Care 6

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and the national minimum standards. The registered person must comply within the given timescales.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider may carry out an assessment of any person who applies to become a foster parent and whom they consider may be suitable to become a foster parent, and any such assessment must be carried out in accordance with this regulation.

p.6

Requirement Due date

must obtain the information specified in Schedule 3 relating to X and other members of X’s household and family, and any other information they consider relevant,

p.6

Requirement Due date

must interview at least two persons nominated by X to provide personal references for X, and prepare written reports of the interviews,

p.6

Requirement Due date

except where the fostering service provider is a local authority and X lives in the area of that authority, must consult with, and take into account the views of, the local authority in whose area X lives,

p.6

Requirement Due date

may, where X was approved as a foster parent by another fostering service provider and that approval has been terminated, and where X consents to the inspection, request inspection of the relevant records compiled by that other fostering service provider in relation to X under regulations 30 and 31.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Having regard to the information obtained under paragraph (2), the fostering service provider must—

p.6

Requirement Due date

consider whether X is suitable to be a foster parent and whether X’s household is suitable for any child,

p.6

Requirement Due date

prepare a written report on X which includes the matters set out in paragraph (4), and 6 October 2025 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Unity Foster Care 7 refer the report to the fostering panel and notify X accordingly. (Regulation 26 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d) (3)(a)(b)(c))

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour in a way that is appropriate to their age and abilities. This specifically relates to children’s care plans, including strategies for children to manage their feelings and behaviours safely. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 3.4)  The registered person should ensure that entries in records, decisions and reasons for them are legible, clearly expressed, non-stigmatising, distinguish between fact, opinion and third-party information and are signed and dated. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 26.5)  The registered person should ensure that information about the child is recorded clearly and in a way that will be helpful to the child when they access their files now or in the future. Children should be actively encouraged to read their files, other than necessarily confidential or third-party information, and to correct errors

p.7

Recommendations

and add personal statements. This specifically relates to children’s risk assessments containing accurate information. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 26.6)  The registered person should ensure that foster carers understand the important supporting role they play in encouraging children to reflect on and understand their histories. The child, subject to age and understanding, should be encouraged to keep appropriate memorabilia (including photos) of their time in the placement. The fostering service should make this role clear to their foster carers and ensure they can record and help children make a record of, subject to age and understanding, significant life events. This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that all foster carers complete records within required timescales and that the records are written in a way that is meaningful to the child. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 26.7)

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: Unity Foster Care 8

p.7

Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Unity Foster Care Limited

p.8

Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: 4 Jardine House, Harrovian Business Village, Bessborough Road, Harrow HA1 3EX

p.8

Independent fostering agency details

Email address: Nicola.crisp@unityfostercare.co.uk

p.8

Inspectors

Shirin Khan, Social Care Inspector (lead) Kate Jackson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Unity Foster Care 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