Sunbeam Fostering (Northwest) Limited

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Sunbeam Fostering (Northwest) Limited 1 Sunbeam Fostering (Northwest) Limited Sunbeam Fostering (Northwest) Limited Suite 6b, The Beehive, Lions Drive, Lions Dr, Blackburn BB1 2QS Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Sunbeam North West is a small fostering agency. The agency recruits, approves and supports a range of carers who provide emergency, long-term and short-term placements.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

At the time of this inspection, the agency had 29 approved fostering households with 41 children in placement.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The agency and manager registered with Ofsted in May 2025.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Sunbeam Fostering (Northwest) Limited 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s needs and vulnerabilities are well understood by foster carers and staff. Children are provided with consistent care and routines to help them feel safe and settled. The agency promotes stability for children, including staying put arrangements, so that young adults can remain in their fostering families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have established strong, supportive relationships with foster carers and children. There is a well-developed plan for foster carer support groups and events for both carers and children. Foster carers report feeling well supported. One foster carer said, “It’s like being part of a community”.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers consistently communicate with children, foster carers and the wider organisation. The manager visits fostering households and regularly seeks the views of children and foster carers and involves them in future development of the agency. This helps ensure that children, carers and staff feel informed, included and connected.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a dedicated placement officer who is committed to supporting children to live with foster carers who can meet their needs. Matching processes are clear, the needs of other children living in the home are considered and the agency holds consultations with social workers. The agency uses a creative approach and assesses the need for additional support for carers to help them feel confident in providing care. A placement officer from a local authority said, ‘This is the best agency we work with’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers proactively support children to keep in touch with people who are important to them. This supports children’s sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s cultural identities are well understood. Foster carers demonstrate a good awareness of children’s individual backgrounds. Children whose first language is not English are provided with additional support to help ensure that they are understood and are able to share their views effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children experience stability with their fostering family. There has been only one incident in which a child moved out in an unplanned way. The agency worked closely with the child’s social worker to ensure that the plans were in the child’s best interests. This was explored with the foster carers. However, the manager did not consider the impact on the children or future learning. This is a missed opportunity for improving practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

External professionals are complimentary about the care provided by the agency’s foster carers and the action taken by staff to ensure that children’s needs are prioritised. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Sunbeam Fostering (Northwest) Limited 3 Children make progress in education and school attendance is excellent. Supervising social workers and foster carers take an active role in supporting children’s learning by attending key education meetings. Foster carers provide consistent support at home, helping children broaden their learning opportunities and complete homework. Children are encouraged to develop high aspirations for their education achievements and future careers. This strengthens their confidence and promotes long ‑ term goals.

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

Children rarely go missing from home. However, when they do, foster carers know what action to take, and missing-from-home protocols are followed. The agency works closely with external professionals to ensure that safety plans are reviewed and updated to help reduce or prevent further risk.

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

Children, foster carers and staff benefit from access to additional therapeutic support. Staff and carers are trained in therapeutic parenting using the ARC model, which strengthens trauma ‑ informed practice. The in ‑ house therapist plays a key role in helping carers understand children’s life experiences and developing creative, sensitive approaches that respond to each child’s individual needs and risks.

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

Managers respond promptly when concerns arise about the care provided by a foster carer. Immediate safeguarding action is taken to protect children, and they work collaboratively with relevant professionals, including the police and social workers. One allegation has been received since registration. Although the manager managed the situation effectively overall, they did not follow their own safeguarding procedures in relation to notifying the local authority designated officer.

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

Children’s health needs are well understood by carers and agency staff. Children with additional or complex health needs receive effective support to access the specialist services they require, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and speech and language therapy. As a result, children experience improved wellbeing, communication and emotional stability.

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

Managers and staff have a good understanding of risks for children and ensure that foster carers receive training to enable them to effectively manage risk. However, when siblings share a bedroom, risk assessments are not always completed, and it is unclear in the records if this has been agreed with the local authority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective internal monitoring systems that track the quality of care and highlight any emerging patterns of concern or serious incidents. These systems are reviewed regularly to ensure that identified actions are completed and issues are resolved quickly. Clear processes are in place to address any reoccurring concerns about children’s care and safety, helping managers and staff maintain consistent oversight and strong safeguarding practices. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Sunbeam Fostering (Northwest) Limited 4 The manager regularly reviews panel business and identifies any patterns of concern so that issues can be addressed promptly. Panel members are positive about the support that they receive and the way concerns are escalated and managed. However, although steps are being taken to improve representation, the panel is not a diverse mix of people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a broad range of training programmes that reflect the needs and risks of the children placed with the agency. All foster carers have an individualised personal development plan, that clearly records their completed training and identifies future learning needs. Training is viewed positively by carers and attendance is consistently high. This strong commitment to learning ensures that foster carers have the skills and knowledge required to meet children’s needs effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose is regularly reviewed and updated. However, it has not been sent to the regulator as required in the regulations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff have positive relationships with other professionals from local authorities, who speak highly of them. They communicate well with external agencies and work collaboratively to ensure that the fostering families identified for a child can meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a clear recruitment plan and a well ‑ established process for the transfer of foster carers in place. When carers move from other agencies, a detailed assessment is completed to ensure their skills, experience, and suitability are fully understood. Foster carers who have transferred into the service are effectively supported to continue providing stable homes for children. However, foster carer approval information is not always clearly recorded, and assessments do not consistently consider the carer’s physical environment. This limits the agency’s ability to demonstrate safer caring expectations and regulatory requirements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported, with regular team meetings and supervision sessions providing consistent opportunities for guidance and reflection. Team meetings are used to discuss improvements to practice and identify emerging risks. Supervision sessions are reflective, enabling staff to consider their practice, develop their skills, and maintain a focus on children’s needs. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Sunbeam Fostering (Northwest) Limited 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, The 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

If a fostering service provider decide to approve X as a foster parent they must—

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Requirement Due date

give X notice in writing specifying any terms on which the approval is given, and

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Requirement Due date

enter into a written agreement with X covering the matters specified in Schedule 5 (the “foster care agreement”). (Regulation 27 (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the terms of the foster carer’s approval are clear, including in the foster carer’s written agreement. 10 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to the Chief Inspector. (Regulation 3 (2)) 30 April 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that agreements for children over the age of three sharing a bedroom, there is a clear risk assessment in place, and it is agreed by the child’s local authority, recorded in writing. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 10.6)  The registered person should ensure that the diversity of the panel members who come from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 14.78)  The registered person should ensure that allegations about foster carers are referred to the local authority designated officer (LADO), in line with their safeguarding policy. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 22.6) Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Sunbeam Fostering (Northwest) Limited 6

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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: Sunbeam Fostering (Northwest) Limited 7

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Sunbeam Fostering (Northwest) Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Homefield, Wood Lane, Iver SL0 0LD

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Independent fostering agency details

Email address: samiyaz@sunbeamfosteringnorthwest.com

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Inspector

Sarah Probert, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Sunbeam Fostering (Northwest) Limited 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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