Parent And Child Fostering Assessments

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Parent and Child Fostering Assessments 1 Parent And Child Fostering Assessments Parent And Child Fostering Assessments Ltd Alpha House (in the yellow storage building opposite the Rugby club), Molesey Road, Walton-on-Thames KT12 3PD Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The service offers parent and child foster placements. Independent parenting assessments are carried out during short-term placements.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2015.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

At the time of this inspection, there were 14 children placed with the agency and 15 approved fostering households.

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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: 18 December 2023

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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: Parent And Child Fostering Assessments 2

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Summary of findings

The agency was judged good across all areas. Foster carers provide individualised, child ‑ focused support that helps parents develop effective parenting skills. Strong relationships between carers, staff and professionals ensure children’s needs are well understood and met. Safeguarding practice is effective, with carers trained to identify risks and escalate concerns promptly. Leaders and managers are experienced, ambitious and provide reflective supervision, high ‑ quality training and strong advocacy for children. Assessments are thorough, and panel processes are robust. The agency promotes positive placements, good outcomes and inclusive practice, with improvements made where inconsistencies are identified. Families feel well supported throughout their assessments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and their parents receive good-quality, individualised support from committed and experienced foster carers. The agency sets clear expectations, and carers consistently provide care that meets a good standard. As a result, children benefit from stable placements and improved outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers are skilled in supporting parents to develop effective parenting skills. They apply learning from agency training, particularly in child development, to enhance parents’ understanding. Consequently, parents demonstrate improved ability to meet their children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents report that they feel well supported by carers and staff. They value the agency’s commitment to helping them care for their children. Carers actively encourage parents to engage with their babies, access community resources and attend local groups, promoting inclusion and social development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Multi-agency working is effective. Professionals describe strong communication with the agency and confirm that both concerns and positive progress are shared promptly. This ensures that children’s needs are clearly understood and addressed. Supervision arrangements are purposeful and reflective. Supervising social workers regularly visit carers and children, providing opportunities for parents to express their views. Carer records are monitored to ensure that activities promote children’s identity, belonging and routine.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Foster carers receive comprehensive training that supports children’s health, development and emotional wellbeing. They ensure timely engagement with health services and support parents to access specialist services when required. Carers act as strong advocates for children. They support parents to understand and promote children’s views and best interests. They also facilitate family time arrangements effectively, recognising the importance of maintaining relationships and identity. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Parent And Child Fostering Assessments 3 Moves into and out of foster homes are well managed. Introductions are planned where possible, and placement planning meetings provide clarity and reassurance. Carers demonstrate a child-centred approach to endings, including supporting sensitive transitions, such as moves to adoption.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Assessment processes are robust. Independent assessments are subject to effective quality assurance. Panel arrangements are strong and ensure that only suitable applicants are approved. Minor inconsistencies in panel minutes were identified but were promptly addressed by the agency.

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

Children are safeguarded effectively. Foster carers benefit from regular reflective supervision and training, equipping them to identify risks and take appropriate action.

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

Carers demonstrate a clear understanding of safeguarding procedures. They recognise signs of neglect or harm and escalate concerns promptly to supervising social workers and relevant professionals. Strong partnership working ensures that issues are addressed without delay.

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

Carers are confident in challenging parenting practice where necessary. They work closely with professionals to ensure that concerns are shared and responded to effectively.

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

Training in behaviour management and de-escalation supports carers to maintain safe environments. Carers understand the importance of boundaries and support parents to establish these for their children.

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

The agency has effective safeguarding systems in place, including clear processes for managing allegations. Staff respond appropriately and in line with procedures to ensure the safety of all household members.

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

Safer recruitment and household checks are thorough, reducing the likelihood of unsuitable individuals having contact with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency is led by an experienced and committed registered manager who has high aspirations for children and families. Leaders promote a strong child-centred culture and maintain clear expectations for staff and carers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have good oversight of practice. They review supervision records and carers’ logs to ensure that care provided to children and parents is consistently of a good standard. This oversight contributes effectively to the overall parenting assessment process. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Parent And Child Fostering Assessments 4 Staff feel well supported. They receive regular supervision, annual appraisals and access to relevant training. Leaders invest in staff development and succession planning, which strengthens the workforce.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders respond appropriately to areas for development. For example, processes have been introduced to minimise disruption during assessments when carers request breaks. These arrangements balance carers’ needs with the impact on families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working is a strength. Leaders and staff maintain constructive relationships with other professionals and confidently challenge decisions when necessary to promote the best interests of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency actively promotes equality, diversity and inclusion. Thoughtful matching takes account of individual needs and backgrounds. Carers support parents to maintain their cultural and religious identities, including facilitating access to places of worship.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Overall, leadership and management arrangements ensure that the agency delivers effective services that meet the needs of children and families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

No requirements or recommendations were made at this inspection. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Parent And Child Fostering Assessments 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: Parent And Child Fostering Assessments 6

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Parent and Child Fostering Assessments Ltd

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Alpha House (in the yellow storage building opposite the Rugby club), Molesey Road, Walton-on-Thames KT12 3PD

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Independent fostering agency details

Email address: info@parentandchildfosteringassessments.co.uk

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Inspector

Vevene Muhammad, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Parent And Child Fostering Assessments 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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