Diverse Care

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Diverse Care 1 Diverse Care Diverse Care (UK) Ltd Quayside House, Quayside, Chatham Maritime, Chatham ME4 4QZ Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

This privately owned independent fostering agency registered with Ofsted on 2 December 2004. The manager registered with Ofsted on 28 March 2023.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

In this organisation, people who care for children in their homes are referred to as foster parents and are referred to as such in this report.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Foster parents provide long-term, respite and permanent care placements. The organisation also provides placements for children with disabilities and parent and child placements. At the time of this inspection, there were 76 approved foster families providing fostering placements to 111 children.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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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.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 26 September 2022

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Diverse Care 2

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outstanding

Children are thriving and making excellent progress. Relationships between children and their foster parents are built on trust, and the belief that children can achieve and will excel in life.

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outstanding

All children, including those with complex needs, receive care that promotes their individuality and upholds their dignity. Foster parents value the uniqueness of each child and receive support from their fostering supervisors to promote children’s social inclusion. One foster parent uses role play to help children develop their social skills and learn ways to navigate conflict. Another fostering family is supporting a child to communicate with eye gaze technology. The agency works with foster parents to implement creative ideas that help achieve positive outcomes for children.

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outstanding

Foster parents have high aspirations for children in their care. They proactively and imaginatively support children to pursue new hobbies and participate in social engagements. One child said of their foster parents, ‘They help me have fun, enjoy myself, and have a lovely, amazing time.’

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outstanding

Children’s achievements and milestones are celebrated routinely, during weekly meetings and via a newsletter, as well as exceptionally, at events such as the awards ceremony. Those working within the organisation appreciate the significance of children’s triumphs because they understand the starting point for each child.

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outstanding

Staff at this agency are committed to achieving stability and longevity for children. Children develop meaningful attachments within their fostering families and are supported to develop a sense of belonging. Children are meaningful participants in family life, such as participating in family holidays, choosing their own pets and taking on roles at family gatherings. Care offered to children by extended family members helps to solidify children’s identity as a valued member of the fostering household.

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outstanding

Children willingly express their views and have various opportunities to voice their opinions to influence the care that they receive. Children’s feedback is actively used to guide the agency’s development. The innovative development of a child-friendly ‘quality of care’ report keeps children informed about how their views have made a difference and gives them an insight into how the agency operates.

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outstanding

Foster parents support children to progress educationally. The support services offered by the agency enhance children’s experiences of education and ensure that foster parents receive the right advice and guidance to advocate effectively for children. Children attend educational provisions that are suited to their needs, receive support with homework and have high levels of attendance. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Diverse Care 3 The organisation’s culture places a strong emphasis on promoting the well-being of all staff, foster parents and children. This approach helps the agency to sustain a committed and stable workforce and motivates staff to uphold high standards and demonstrate enthusiasm in their work. One member of staff said, ‘I have confidence in my work and the work of the agency.’ Another member of staff described how they feel ‘empowered, valued and cared for’ in their role.

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outstanding

Effective safeguarding arrangements are in place to protect children. The recent introduction of a safeguarding board and structured learning reviews has strengthened the agency’s ability to respond to identified risks. Protective strategies are devised and are followed by appropriate mitigating actions taken by the agency’s staff and foster parents. Learning from these processes is shared and embedded across the agency to support ongoing development and promote placement stability for children.

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outstanding

Children’s vulnerabilities are understood well by their foster parents and the support that children receive helps them to become safer and understand their behaviours. Foster parents intervene appropriately and tenaciously to ensure that the well-being and safety of children is promoted.

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outstanding

Innovative interventions offered by the organisation’s education and engagement team support children to understand the risks affecting them. Strategies help to reduce specific risks, such as Child Sexual Exploitation and online safety.

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outstanding

Foster parents support children to find resolutions and restorative approaches to address any challenges or disharmony that arises. Foster parents use their therapeutic parenting skills to gain an understanding of children’s feelings and to intervene sensitively when children are expressing their emotions through their behaviour.

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outstanding

Assessments of prospective foster parents are thoroughly scrutinised by a diverse and representative panel. All panel members are encouraged and enabled to contribute to the discussions and deliberations about the ongoing suitability of foster parents. The panel chair ensures that children’s voices are well represented in these discussions and that decision-making is thoroughly considered and balanced.

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outstanding

Professionals have confidence in the safeguarding responses and actions taken by foster parents and by the agency. They also report positively about the level of communication that they experience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is well respected and highly valued by staff, foster parents and children. She promotes a culture of transparency and inclusivity that permeates across the agency. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Diverse Care 4 Managers and staff have developed strong and positive relationships with professionals, which enable excellent communication. The registered manager escalates any concerns and challenges decisions when necessary to secure the best possible outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback from professionals, including local authority social workers and commissioners, is unanimously positive. One professional said that staff go ‘above and beyond’ and that leaders are ‘accessible and supportive’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The monitoring and oversight from leaders and managers are well coordinated and highly effective. The registered manager is very good at analysing and evaluating the work of the agency and her reports provide evidence of the thoughtfulness and learning involved in this process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a wealth of development opportunities for staff, and their continued professional development is meaningfully reviewed within supervision discussions and annual appraisals. Formal and informal conversations between staff and managers are highly reflective and offer professional challenge to ensure that a good quality of practice is sustained in the interests of children. The registered manager’s commitment to staff development means that staff feel fulfilled in their roles and that there is an ever-increasing skill and knowledge base underpinning the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are encouraged to be creative in sourcing support and training for foster parents, as well as opportunities and experiences for children. A member of staff commented, ‘You can bring ideas, and you will be supported to realise them.’ One child was rewarded for his thoughtfulness with a family trip to a theme park, which was donated following an email from a fostering supervisor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Only one formal complaint has been received in this period. This was managed well and all actions followed up effectively in order to support the development of foster parents. Learning was also identified to inform future matching and introductions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Foster parents have access to a broad spectrum of training, including independently commissioned and accredited courses, which supports them to provide excellent care for children. However, for one fostering family supporting a child with complex health needs, managers had not fully assured themselves that the guidance, advice and training completed was comprehensive enough. The manager immediately produced a detailed action plan in response to this issue. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Diverse Care 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that appropriate and comprehensive training is made available to foster parents to assist them in meeting the specific needs of the children they are caring for or are expected to care for. (‘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: Diverse Care 6

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Diverse Care (UK) Ltd

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Quayside House, Chatham Maritime, Chatham ME4 4QZ

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Inspectors

Tash Williams, Social Care Inspector Sonata Brisley, Social Care Inspector Miquette Novella, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Diverse Care 7 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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