Chrysalis Care

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Care 1 Chrysalis Care Chrysalis Care Ltd Chrysalis Care, 7 Princes Street, BEXLEYHEATH, Kent, DA7 4BQ Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

This independent family owned fostering agency provides foster care placements for individual and sibling groups, disabled children, asylum-seeking children and parents and children. The fostering agency supports emergency, short-term, long-term, permanent and respite placements.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The agency registered with Ofsted in 2003, and the manager registered with Ofsted in April 2026.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

At the time of this inspection, the fostering agency had 34 approved fostering households, with 38 children in placement.

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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 good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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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: 18 September 2023

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

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

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Summary of findings

Children receive exceptional care and support from foster carers which makes a significant difference to their lives and the progress they make. Children remain with their foster carers under permanent arrangements, which provides stability, security, and a strong sense of belonging.

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Summary of findings

Children are kept safe from harm, by foster carers and staff who understand children’s vulnerabilities well and collaborate with other professionals to ensure safety plans are robust.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers are established within the fostering agency. Leaders amd managers understand the strengths of the fostering agency and the areas that need further development and scrutiny. Leaders and managers strive to evidence effectively and clearly the good work they do. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Care 3

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outstanding

Foster carers, staff, leaders, and managers demonstrate high levels of passion and commitment to children in this fostering agency. Children experience security and stability, with permanence achieved for many, either through long term fostering, or for a smaller number through legal permanence such as Adoption. Children become part of the foster family and remain connected to families long after the fostering arrangement has ended. Consequently, children make exceptional progress from their starting points in foster care.

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outstanding

The process of linking children to the right foster carers contributes significantly to stability for children. A commissioner wrote, ’Chrysalis Care take matching seriously giving due consideration to the presenting needs, risks, and circumstances of the child or young person. This supports more informed placement decisions and helps the local authority understand the suitability of the proposed provision as well as assurance that placements can be sustained for the life of the care plan.’ Where children are not linked with foster carers of the same cultural background, foster carers are supported to develop an understanding of what needs to be done to ensure children’s cultural, religious and identity needs are met.

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outstanding

Children receive individualised care from foster carers who know children’s needs well. Foster carers receive specialist training and guidance to meet children's specific care needs. Foster carers and staff work collaboratively with health, education, behavioural and therapeutic agencies to ensure children receive the right support for children. Foster carers develop a high level of expertise and knowledge regarding the children they care for and as a result, advocate effectively for children, most notably in navigating the complexity of Special Educational Needs (SEN) and providing the right services as part of Education and health care plans (EHCP).

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outstanding

Children’s achievements, however small, are celebrated by this fostering agency. An annual awards ceremony takes place recognising children and there is regular communication within the agency. Children spoken to have high aspirations for their futures and understand the importance of education and qualifications in achieving their goals. The example of the child who feared even the slightest hint of water on their face but was now swimming lengths in the pool is an excellent example of how children are provided with care and support that makes a difference to their lives and expands their lived experiences.

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outstanding

The children’s services team within the fostering agency conduct excellent work by befriending children, engaging them in activities and trips, and undertaking individual sessions on personal development. A strength of this part of the fostering service is the quality and variety of social and leisure opportunities provided for children, which is addition to the quality experiences they have with their foster carer. These experiences help children to build confidence and self-esteem. This part of the service contributes significantly to the stability of foster homes as staff carry Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Care 4 other tasks when needed, such as transportation to school, attending appointments for children, and taking children out on respite breaks.

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outstanding

Structured sessions of work are undertaken with children to help them develop their independence skills. Sessions cover basic themes such as housekeeping, money management, education, but also themes such as self-esteem and resilience, romantic relationships, and consent. Children’s service workers are involved in supporting transitions for children, whether this is to a new school or care arrangement. This offers continuity of care for children

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

Children spoken to say that they feel safe, protected, and loved. Foster carers and staff know children’s vulnerabilities well. This means that foster carers and staff respond quickly to potential risks to children to reduce harm.

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

Children have a range of trusted adults that they can talk to if they have any worries or concerns. Children talked about speaking to their trusted adult at school, or their foster carers. Children develop positive relationships with children’s services workers in the agency, who undertake sessions on developing independence, safer relationships, and online safety. This helps children to consider what they can do themselves to keep safe or who they can go to if they are worried.

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

Safety plans for children are specific to them, and when new concerns arise, these plans are usually updated. Leaders and managers are aware that these updates should be made clearer in documents completed.

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

Foster carers receive appropriate training to help them understand and manage children’s behaviours. This is enhanced using therapeutic consultations, in some cases, with a trained staff member to support foster carers in considering their own responses to children’s behaviour and the development of ‘reflective parenting.’ Training for foster carers also includes de-escalation methods and where necessary for a small number of children, restraint techniques.

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

Allegations against foster carers is not a significant feature of this agency. When concerns regarding children’ safety in foster homes is raised, effective action is taken to safeguard children. Foster carers, fostering staff and managers collaborate with safeguarding partners, such as the local authority designated officer to ensure that safety agreements are understood and adhered to and investigations completed effectively. In one case where a foster carers continued approval was considered at the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM), leaders and managers carefully considered the recommendations of the panel in their decision making. This led to a positive outcome for the child in the foster home.

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

Fostering staff undertake regular health and safety checks of foster carer homes, as part of annual reviews and complete unannounced visits. This ensures that the foster home remains a safe environment for children. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Care 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although there has been a recent change in the registered manager position, the leadership and management team of this fostering agency are established, providing stability to foster carers and staff over many years. The registered manager’s initial internal self-assessments and audits have helped them to develop plans to improve practice, embed standards and streamline systems and structures. The registered manager is confident that ‘good work’ is taking place in the fostering agency but recognise that there is a need to strengthen the capacity of the agency to evidence this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A review of current development plans show that leaders and managers aspire to move beyond gathering information just to describe the service. Leaders and managers wish to analyse information, particularly through greater consultation with foster carers and children and what this may mean for service delivery. The plans also highlight the need to address standard practice issues such as the quality and sign off of foster carer logs, case activity recording, and foster carers training attendance. Although not widespread, shortfalls were identified at this inspection in the recording of supervision records for foster carers, updating of risk assessments for children and recording of management oversight of safe holding incidents. In addition, the children’s guides have not been reviewed sufficiently to ensure that they continue to be accessible for the children they have been designed for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are aware that staff changes within the fostering agency have had an impact on the consistency of support to foster carers, placing additional tasks on remaining staff. Leaders and managers have therefore worked hard to recruit and replace quickly fostering staff. A strength of the fostering agency has been that other support staff, for instance, within placements, training and children’s services have remained with the agency for many years. Foster carers know these staff well and mention them as being an additional area of support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Fostering staff are well supported by leaders and managers. Fostering staff report that managers are visible and accessible. Staff have a wide range of opportunities to enhance their learning and development, one of these being reflective practice discussions. Fostering staff receive regular supervision of their practice. However, records reviewed show that supervision records do not accurately reflect the prompts provided in the template for areas of discussion to be covered, and do not contain clear actions and timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Foster carers are supported effectively by leaders, managers and fostering staff. The foster carer training programme covers a range of subjects to help foster carers care and support children. Specialist training is provided to help foster carers meet the specific needs of children, whether this is a medical need or to understand children’s cultural backgrounds. Foster carers say that they feel part of a ‘family’ and the ‘personal touch,’ such as sending flowers and cards when significant events happen, recognise them as ‘a person first,’ and makes them feel valued and listened to. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Care 6 The fostering panel provides an effective quality assurance process in considering the assessments of prospective foster carers and subsequent reviews considering continued approval. Panel discussions are clear from minutes with a clear rationale for recommendations. There is positive communication between the fostering panel

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

and leaders and managers to address practice issues such as the quality of assessments and pre-panel quality assurance checks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work well with children’s social workers, commissioners, and multi-disciplinary teams, to achieve plans for children. One commissioner wrote, ‘Chrysalis Care offers a responsive and child-centred service for children and young people placed by (Local authority). Our experience has been extremely positive, with the agency demonstrating a willingness to work collaboratively, consider individual needs, and respond to placement pressures where possible.’ Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Care 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they regularly monitor all records kept by the service to ensure compliance with the service's policies, to identify any concerns about specific incidents and to identify patterns and trends. This relates to supervision records for foster carers, management oversight of restraint records and entries on case management records. ('Fostering services: national minimum standards', 25.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records of supervision with staff accurately reflect discussions, follow any model of supervision practice consistently and where appropriate, contain clear timescales for any actions. ('Fostering services: national minimum standards', 24.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children's guide is reviewed regularly so that it is accessible to children. This relates to the 5-10 years old guide and the children with disabilities guide. ('Fostering services: national minimum standards', 16.4)

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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: Chrysalis Care 8

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: Gransden, East Hill Road, Knatts Valley, SEVENOAKS, Kent, TN15 6YB

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Inspector

Colin Bent, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Chrysalis Care 9 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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