St Cuthbert’s Care Post Adoption Support Agency

Inspection report for adoption support agency: St Cuthbert’s Care Post Adoption Support Agency 1 St Cuthbert’s Care Post Adoption Support Agency St Cuthbert’s Care St Cuthbert’s House, West Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 7PY Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this adoption support agency

This small agency is part of a larger charitable organisation. The charity also operates an independent fostering agency, children’s homes and adult care provision.

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Information about this adoption support agency

The agency provides birth records counselling and intermediary services for people affected by adoptions carried out under predecessor Catholic adoption agencies, whose adoption records it now holds. The agency only works with adults.

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Information about this adoption support agency

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2025.

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good

How well children, young people and adults are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The adoption support agency provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 13 February 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for adoption support agency: St Cuthbert’s Care Post Adoption Support Agency 2

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Overall experiences and progress of service users: good

The agency continues to work with adults accessing their birth records, as well as providing birth records counselling and intermediary services for people affected by adoptions. The agency only works with adults.

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Overall experiences and progress of service users: good

As the agency only supports people affected by adoptions during a specific time frame, the number of enquiries continues to decrease. Fourteen enquiries were made during the last year, with 8 generating work for the agency. However, the last enquiry was made over 6 months ago. This demonstrates the depleting nature of the work.

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Overall experiences and progress of service users: good

There are also far more means for adopters to seek information themselves, such as through social media. The agency has therefore seen a reduction in the number of people needing their intermediary services. However, the agency recognises the importance of continuing this work and the manager spoke of the ‘moral obligation’ to ensure that adults affected by adoption can still have access to their birth records.

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Overall experiences and progress of service users: good

Although the social worker only works for the agency one day a week, requests are responded to promptly. The work is sensitively carried out, and thought and care goes into talking to service users. The work goes at the pace of the individual seeking their records and therefore can take many months to conclude. There is a clear recorded chronology of the work undertaken. Service users know that they can return to the agency for further advice, or to update the social worker and manager of the connections that they have made with birth families.

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Overall experiences and progress of service users: good

The uniqueness of the agency is that service users receive the original copies of documents from when the adoption process took place many years ago. This is often the only record of their childhood available. The agency recognises the importance of this, and care is taken to ensure that these documents are preserved and forwarded to the service user. One said: ‘It definitely made a difference to get the original documents. Seeing my mother’s handwriting and the pen mark was quite moving. This is a real personal touch for something so important.’

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good

Services users are provided with information about the agency so are fully aware of what they can expect, as well as limitations on access to records. Their consent and the safeguarding checks are obtained. No work is undertaken until the provider has verified the necessary documentation.

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good

The social worker has clear guidance and support through the agency’s policies and procedures, particularly in respect of working solely with adults. There have been no Inspection report for adoption support agency: St Cuthbert’s Care Post Adoption Support Agency 3 concerns regarding the provider’s safeguarding practice. Although the work is with adults, and any concerns raised would be from many years ago, the social worker knows how they should respond to these safeguarding concerns. There have not been any recent safeguarding concerns or allegations raised in relation to any service users, or regarding the provider’s safeguarding practice.

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good

Staff are mindful of risk. This is assessed as part of the initial contact, as well as during their ongoing work. Staff are careful to give guidance and advice to service users about any contact that they plan to make with their birth family members, and the implications of this. This is clearly recorded in the case record and takes into account all those that may be affected.

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good

The agency is internally accountable for the work that is undertaken and will seek feedback from service users to help them improve the process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This small agency benefits from being part of a larger charitable organisation in respect of resources. The work does not generate an income, but the charity recognises the importance of the work, which means that they can continue to provide a specialised service for adopted adults and their birth relatives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been a change of personnel working at the agency since the last inspection. The agency employs a manager and a social worker, who also both work for the charity’s independent fostering agency. There was a careful induction and handover of the work from the former staff team. This meant that the work with service users could continue without delay.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The social worker feels supported by the manager. Supervision is regular, and the work being undertaken is discussed as part of that process. This ensures that the manager has a good understanding of how cases are progressing and is aware of any issues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The social worker has access to appropriate training. However, due to the specialised nature of their work, training in the area of access to records is proving hard to find.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency’s electronic database holds almost 3,000 entries which are carefully catalogued. This means that searching the archives can be completed quickly. The paper files are also easy to access. This means that people contacting the agency can quickly be told if it holds any relevant records. Inspection report for adoption support agency: St Cuthbert’s Care Post Adoption Support Agency 4

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, young people and adults, using the social care common inspection framework.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the adoption support agency, how it meets the core functions as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Adoption Support Agencies (England) and Adoption Agencies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2005 and the national minimum standards. Inspection report for adoption support agency: St Cuthbert’s Care Post Adoption Support Agency 5

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Adoption support agency details

Registered provider address: St Cuthbert’s House, West Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear NE15 7PY

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Adoption support agency details

Email address: claire.bryden@fosteringnortheast.org.uk

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Inspector

Tina Ruffles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for adoption support agency: St Cuthbert’s Care Post Adoption Support Agency 6 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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