Focus Foster Care Ltd

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Focus Foster Care Ltd 1 Focus Foster Care Ltd Focus Foster Care Limited Rural Innovation Centre, Avenue H, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth CV8 2LG Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Focus Foster Care is a small independent fostering agency. The office is based in Kenilworth in Warwickshire. It registered with Ofsted in August 2017 and provides a range of fostering services, including short-term, long-term, sibling, and parent and child placements.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

At the time of this inspection, there were nine fostering households caring for 19 children.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

There is a permanent registered manager in post. The manager is social work qualified and registered with Social Work England.

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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: Focus Foster Care Ltd 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers provide children with safe, consistent and responsive care. Children achieve stability and emotional security. Most children have lived with their carers for over two years and most live with their siblings. Children grow up with familiarity and maintain connections that are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The agency supports foster carers well, before and after children move in. New foster carers feel prepared, confident and well-equipped. This includes when children move in during an emergency. Children settle in well and adjust to their new surroundings and care givers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive an age-appropriate guide about fostering and what to expect. The guide also explains how children can access advocacy support. Children are aware of their rights and how to seek help if needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers are respectful and supportive of birth family connections. They promote and arrange meaningful contact between children, their parents and siblings. One foster carer hosts celebratory events for children’s adult siblings. This helps children to maintain strong familial bonds, reinforces the importance of identity and nurtures a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers and children receive good support from their supervising social workers. The agency’s social workers are responsive and proactive. They invest in foster carers and provide crucial support in times of need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The agency seeks children’s views through a variety of ways including group events. Support groups for birth children are well attended. The agency requests regular feedback from all children including birth children. The panel chair has at times written to birth children. This helps to validate their feelings and experiences too.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite the statement of purpose setting out that the agency provides respite care, and all foster carers being approved to provide respite care, the registered manager is clear that the agency does not provide this type of care. One foster carer and a local authority social worker reported a need for respite care. However, this much- needed support is not provided.

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

Managers, staff and foster carers understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. They follow clear safeguarding procedures with care, including reporting and recording procedures.

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

The registered manager responds quickly to allegations or complaints about foster carers and collaborates with relevant partner agencies while investigations take place. Advice and guidance are followed to ensure there are appropriate safeguards Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Focus Foster Care Ltd 3 for children. When necessary, rigorous post-allegation reviews are undertaken to review foster carers’ suitability.

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

Supervising social workers regularly visit children and their foster carers. Visits are sometimes unannounced and not always completed by the same social worker. This provides a broader perspective on the quality of care children receive.

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

Foster carers receive good support and training to understand children’s needs. One foster carer and child received support from an external psychologist. The foster carer now better understands the child’s behaviour. Consequently, their response to the child is more effective and incidents are reducing. This is having a positive impact on the child and the fostering family.

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

Since the last inspection, there has been one incident when a child went missing. The child’s foster carers did not follow the agency’s safeguarding procedures. This was despite being aware that the child was in a risky location. The registered manager took appropriate action to review the foster carers’ suitability.

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

The agency reviews children’s risk assessments yearly and after any incidents or risky situations occur. Some risk assessments do not consider children’s changing needs and development, for example when children start spending time in the community on their own or with their friends.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency is led by a committed and resolute registered manager and dedicated staff team. The responsible individual was away from work at the time of the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Assessments of prospective foster carers are thorough. Reports are comprehensive and analyse strengths and vulnerabilities. Annual reviews are undertaken to assess the continued suitability of foster carers. Reports clearly evidence the rationale for ongoing approval.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency’s fostering panel is a good-quality assurance mechanism. The panel ensures careful and considered decision-making about foster carers’ suitability. Panel members are diverse in knowledge, skill and experience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A comprehensive training package is available to foster carers. This training equips them with the knowledge and skills they need. Foster carers have access to in-house and online learning, in addition to workshops led by adults with care experience. Foster carers and staff describe this training as powerful and insightful.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and effective supervision. There is a clear focus on children’s experiences and progress. Records detail opportunities for staff to reflect, which supports accountability and continuous improvement. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Focus Foster Care Ltd 4 Overall, feedback from foster carers and professionals was positive. Professionals described foster carers who are patient, sensitive, warm and empathic. One foster carer described the support they received from the agency as irreplaceable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has good monitoring systems in place. They complete a review of each child’s experiences after they leave. Learning from practice and professional feedback enhances further children’s experiences. The agency has plans to develop and expand the service further.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The independence and impartiality of the agency decision-maker is unclear. The responsible individual and agency decision-maker are a dual role. They also complete the registered manager’s supervision. This includes extensive discussion about case management. Consequently, the independence and objectivity of the agency decision-maker is questionable. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Focus Foster Care Ltd 5

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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, 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 fostering service provider must compile a written statement in relation to the fostering service ("the statement of purpose") which consists of—

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Requirement Due date

a statement of the aims and objectives of the fostering service, and

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Requirement Due date

a statement as to the services and facilities (including any parent and child arrangements) provided by the fostering service.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the fostering service provider must ensure that the fostering service is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Nothing in paragraph (5) requires or authorises the fostering service provider to contravene or to fail to comply with—

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Requirement Due date

any other provision of these Regulations, or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of a fostering agency, any conditions for the time being in force in relation to the registration of the registered person under Part 2 of the 2000 Act. (Regulation 3 (1)(a)(b) (5) (6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the service is delivered in line with the aims and objectives outlined in the agency’s statement of purpose, including respite arrangements for foster carers. 17 December 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s risk assessments consider children’s changing needs and development as they approach adolescence and Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Focus Foster Care Ltd 6 independence, and the increased risk they may be exposed to. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 4.5)  The registered person should ensure that the roles of senior managers maintain independence and impartiality. In particular, this refers to the role of the agency decision-maker to ensure transparency, accountability and robust decision- making. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 14.9)

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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: Focus Foster Care Ltd 7

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Focus Foster Care Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Hill Farm, Shawbury Lane, Shustoke, Coleshill, Birmingham B46 2RN

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Inspectors

Sarah Berry, Social Care Inspector Amy Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Focus Foster Care Ltd 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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