Oak Fostering Ltd

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Oak Fostering Ltd 1 Oak Fostering Ltd Oak Fostering Limited 12 Dunstable Street, The Limes, Ampthill, Bedfordshire MK45 2GJ Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

This independent fostering agency registered in 2017 and is owned by a small private company. The agency provides respite, short-term and long-term placements with a focus on offering children permanency and the opportunity to experience foster care. At the time of this inspection, the agency had 11 approved fostering households and was providing care to 8 children.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The manager registered with Ofsted on 11 November 2022

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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 outstanding

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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: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Oak Fostering Ltd 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience consistently good quality care. Foster carers provide warm, nurturing homes where children feel valued and included. Children enjoy a range of activities, events and social opportunities, and describe feeling like members of their foster family. They are involved in day-to-day family routines, celebrations, and holidays which includes overseas travel for some children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The agency's intention is to offer long-term, therapeutic foster care. While only three children are currently in long-term placements, all children are settled and secure with their foster carers. Since the last inspection, two children achieved permanence through adoption or special guardianship with their carers. Two placements ended in an unplanned way. Other children moved on in a planned way with close coordination between the agency and local authorities, with several children moving on to residential care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's views are actively and regularly sought. The agency uses child-friendly tools during reviews, direct work sessions and daily records, and children receive feedback creatively in age-appropriate ways they can understand. The children's guide is accessible and well designed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is prioritised. All children are in school, and school places are arranged quickly when a child moves to a new placement. Staff advocate effectively for children with additional needs and have funded private assessments to ensure children receive timely support. Good collaborative working between carers, schools and supervising social workers promotes educational outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's health needs are well met. They are registered with required health services and supported to attend appointments. Emotional wellbeing is supported through the agency's therapeutic lead or commissioned therapeutic services when necessary. This flexible and responsive approach is valued by carers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's achievements and milestones such as birthdays are celebrated through tokens and vouchers, which promote children's self-esteem and sense of identity. The agency organises activities which children enjoy, and inclusion of carers' own children strengthens family cohesion and supports shared positive experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers support children's relationships with their birth families well. They support contact arrangements in line with children's plans and understand the importance of maintaining meaningful connections where appropriate. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Oak Fostering Ltd 3

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

Children are kept safe by carers who understand their individual needs and vulnerabilities well. Agency care plans are clear, detailed and show a genuine understanding of each child. These are supported by therapeutic care plans and comprehensive risk assessments, which identify risks and strategies to reduce them.

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

Placement planning has improved since the last inspection. Matching processes are thorough, well considered and involve carers at every stage. Children benefit from carefully planned introductions and transitions, which help them to settle quickly and feel secure.

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

The agency's approach to respite is a notable strength. Every child has a designated "weekend carer" whom they visit regularly, typically monthly, who provides this support from when children are placed. This gives carers predictable support and creates an extended-family model for children that offers stability and familiarity.

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

A therapeutic model of care is embedded across the agency. The manager and psychotherapist have driven this approach, and carers and staff demonstrate good understanding and commitment to enhancing therapeutic practice. Evidence of reflective practice is seen in supervisions, training records and direct work.

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

Incidents within the agency are exceptionally low. Since the last inspection there has been only one recorded restraint and only one child has been missing from home. When incidents do occur, records are detailed, reflective and show managerial oversight. While risks such as exploitation or criminal activity are not currently present, staff and carers maintain awareness and receive appropriate training to respond effectively should concerns arise.

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

The agency provides excellent wrap-around support. Outreach workers offer additional help when needed, and carers report that out-of-hours support is available and helpful, and on occasion, staff visit in person to provide practical assistance.

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

Foster carers conduct themselves professionally. Only one concern has been raised since the previous inspection and was investigated robustly under standards of care procedures. Although the carer involved felt unsupported during the process, the agency maintained stringent safeguarding protocols and referred the matter to panel.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leadership and management are highly effective. The manager in particular is experienced, passionate and ambitious for children. They have maintained high quality practice across the service since the last inspection and demonstrate a clear vision for the agency. This ethos is embedded across the staff team and carers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The agency benefits from a stable and highly committed workforce. Staff and carers consistently describe the agency as feeling like a “family” and identify this culture as Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Oak Fostering Ltd 4 a core strength. Staff are supported and encouraged to think about creative approaches to problems when they arise across the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Recruitment and assessment of new carers is robust. Form F assessments are detailed, benefit from excellent quality assurance which incorporates professional insight from the psychotherapist. A remote fostering panel provides rigorous scrutiny and makes well-evidenced recommendations. The panel chair and agency decision maker are highly experienced, and decisions are timely and sound. Recruitment practices for staff and panel members are also robust and follow safer recruitment requirements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Supervising social workers have exceptionally low caseloads. This enables them to develop deep relationships with carers, understand children's needs well, and provide a high level of support that exceeds what is typically seen in many agencies. Supervision for both staff and carers is regular, reflective and detailed. Carers consistently praise the quality of support they receive, and staff describe feeling very well supported by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Training for carers and staff is strong. The programme is varied, responsive to emerging needs, and includes bespoke sessions such as home-based physical intervention training that was arranged for one carer. The agency provides a range of formal supports such as a wellbeing budget, and carer 'business lunches’, which are valued by carers. An annual conference also shares and promotes good practice both across the service and within the wider local and professional community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The agency demonstrates emphasis on supporting equality, diversity and inclusion. A supervising social worker has championed improved practice in supporting children's cultural identity. The agency's links with a black foster carer support network and has created their own high-quality resources to enhance support for placements where children are not culturally matched with their carers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback from professionals, carers and external partners is overwhelmingly positive, frequently describing the agency as “phenomenal”, “outstanding”, and “exceptional.”

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Records and care recordings across the agency are of an excellent standard. Supervision records and foster carer logs are consistently well written. The manager had developed excellent tools to ensure highlight effective oversight and monitoring of all aspects of the agency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were made in this inspection. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Oak Fostering Ltd 5

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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: Oak Fostering Ltd 6

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Oak Fostering Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Argent House, 5 Goldington Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK40 3JY

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Independent fostering agency details

Email address: debbiebavister@whiteorchid-care.com

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Inspector

Daniel Rankin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Oak Fostering Ltd 7 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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