Achieving For Children

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Achieving For Children 1 Achieving For Children Achieving for Children Community Interest Company Achieving For Children, Guildhall 2, High Street, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1EU Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Achieving for Children is a community-interest company created in 2014 by the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames to provide their children’s services. The agency delivers fostering services to children in these two boroughs, as well as for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The fostering agency provides the following types of placements: short-term, long- term, specialist, respite, emergency and sibling placements. Additionally, the service provides foster care placements for asylum-seeking children, a short breaks service for disabled children and a fostering ‘hub’ via the Mockingbird project.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The fostering agency covers a wider range of fostering arrangements than a traditional independent fostering agency, and this includes ‘connected’ or ‘family and friends’ carers. The fostering service registered with Ofsted in August 2018; the manager registered with Ofsted in 2020.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

At the time of the inspection, 60 children were in placement with the fostering service. Of these, 36 are placed with approved kinship carers, 5 with ‘connected’ carers and 19 with mainstream foster carers.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The fostering agency has 26 approved kinship households and 37 approved mainstream fostering households. Inspectors spoke with several children during the course of the inspection.

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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 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Achieving For Children 2 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Achieving For Children 3

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Summary of findings

This fostering service is judged good in all outcome areas. The majority of children live in kinship and ‘connected’ placements with adults already known to them. Children have good experiences and make steady progress from their starting points. Their identity, health and educational needs are well met, and they enjoy living with their carers, whom they trust.

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Summary of findings

Children are protected from harm, neglect, exploitation and abuse. Staff and managers manage well any safeguarding incidents, complaints or allegation against carers. Children do not go missing from care. Managers and staff work in close partnership with other safeguarding professionals to promote the safety of children.

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Summary of findings

The leadership and management of the service is effective and there are monitoring systems in place that support further development. Staff and carers receive excellent support, supervision and training. Children benefit from specialist services, such as a dedicated short breaks service, therapeutic support, input from the virtual school and the fostering service’s Mockingbird project. The fostering service also offers support to carers who have been granted special guardianship orders. The quality of carer assessments is variable; the fostering panel functions efficiently and carers’ annual reviewing process is robust.

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Summary of findings

Areas identified for improvement include reviewing the quality of safe care plans, ensuring staff recruitment aligns with safe recruitment guidelines, and providing Ofsted with updated information on previously shared safeguarding notifications. Further areas identified for improvement include ensuring that the fostering panel consistently receives key advice and pertinent information about applicants prior to them being presented at the panel, and that carers are able to provide evidence that the Training, Support and Development Standards have been attained within specified timeframes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good-quality care that meets their individual needs; some make very good progress from their starting points, and they have positive experiences. The fostering service can demonstrate the difference they are making to children’s lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children share trusted relationships with their carers, and their families and benefit from secure, safe placements. Children develop a sense of permanence and belonging. The care and support children receive helps them to overcome previous experiences of neglect and trauma. Children are treated with respect and dignity, with their identity needs well met. For example, the carers providing a short break service are highly skilled in meeting the needs of disabled children. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Achieving For Children 4 Carers receive excellent support to promote children’s progress in relation to their health, education and emotional, social and psychological wellbeing. Input from specialist services such as therapeutic support, the involvement of the virtual school and the Mockingbird project promote placement stability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are taken into account, and this helps to shape the service’s development. For example, a Children in Care Council is in place and children participate in the training of staff and carers. Children are supported to make decisions about their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The majority of children live with adults who are known to them. Children’s contact with family and friends who do not live with them is carefully arranged to ensure that this is in children’s best interests. Many children remain living with their carers after they reach the age of 18 years. They receive support to develop independent skills that prepares them for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Prospective carers feel valued and welcomed by the agency. The quality of carer assessments is variable; some are of a high quality, while others are of satisfactory standard. All, with the exception of one recent foster carer assessment, highlight applicants’ suitability to meet children’s needs and to care for them safely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers benefit from professional and supportive relationships with the fostering service, which help them to provide high-quality care. Carers largely work effectively with children’s social workers, other professionals and parents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers overwhelmingly say that the service’s greatest strength is the nature and level of support that they receive from the team, which is excellent. This helps them to cope with the additional demands of fostering on their family lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A carer said, ‘I would not want to work for any other agency due to the warmth, gratitude, support and trust I have built with my supervising social worker, other carers and other staff within the teams. Everyone is very approachable. Nothing is ever a problem.’

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

Children are safe and protected from harm and say that they feel safe with their families. Carers receive regular training, advice and support to help protect children from harm and abuse. Safeguarding issues, such as child sexual and criminal exploitation, are rare and children do not go missing from care. Carers are supported to manage difficult situations and behaviours, providing clear and consistent boundaries that contribute to children feeling safe and secure.

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

Staff are proactive in safeguarding children; there is regular and effective contact and planning with children’s social workers, designated officers and education professionals in particular. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Achieving For Children 5 Risk assessments appear not to be consistently available on children’s files. Safe care plans are often generic and are not child specific. These do not highlight individual risks and how these are to be managed. Some safe care plans refer to safe care within the household only and some plans have not been updated to reflect the changing circumstances of children and the household. This is not in children’s best interests.

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

Children receive support to keep themselves safe and they receive help to manage their behaviour and feelings safely. Positive behaviour is promoted; carers do not restrain children. Children benefit from the input of the fostering service’s specialist programmes, such as therapeutic services and the Mockingbird project, to support carers in managing complex situations and promote the stability of placements.

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

The recruitment, assessment, preparation and training of carers have a strong focus on the protection of children. The carers’ annual reviewing process is robust and ensures the continuing suitability of carers. Carers’ training opportunities are excellent; the fostering service provides bespoke training to carers and staff to meet the very specific needs of some children. For example, recent training has focused on working effectively with children who are bereaved.

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

The vetting and recruitment of staff and panel members requires improvement, as for some staff, not all required vetting information has been obtained.

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

Carers adhere to agency safeguarding policies and protocols. Staff and carers share child protection concerns with relevant professionals. Unannounced visits are usually conducted twice each year, with more if there are concerns.

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

Allegations or suspicions of harm are handled fairly, promptly and in accordance with statutory guidance. Information is quickly shared with relevant professionals. Fact finding, complaints, allegations against adults and standard of care investigations are comprehensive and balanced, with appropriate recommendations that help to keep children safe.

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

Carers homes are safe and secure, providing a comfortable environment for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers show ambition and have high expectations for what children can achieve, and they ensure that children receive a high standard of care. They prioritise the needs of children and make child-centred decisions, which promote the stability of placements and children’s keen attachments to their families. The fostering service is achieving its aims and objectives in line with the statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have monitoring systems in place and demonstrate a good understanding of the service’s strengths and areas for development. For example, senior managers across the fostering team meet very regularly for service review. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Achieving For Children 6 Managers complete annual quality of care reviews, which help to establish service priorities for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The fostering panel functions well and promotes safe, secure and stable placements. However, managers must ensure that where carers’ assessments are particularly complex or where there is a difference of opinion about applicants’ suitability within the service, that issues are well explored and that findings are shared with panel members prior to the case being presented at the fostering panel.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The suitability and matching of carers with children are effective. Leaders and managers have a clear understanding of children’s care plans and the progress that children are making. Managers take remedial action if progress is less than expected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers provide the right supportive environment for staff. Inductions, individual, group and clinical supervision, reflective practice sessions and team meetings are meaningful. Leaders and managers promote the professional development of staff, and training and development opportunities are very good. Staff collectively say that they feel well managed and supported by senior and line managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A staff member said, ‘I like the unflappability of supervision, available when I need some help, or if I’m worried. My manager make feel safe and calm, is always on the end of the phone and does not micromanage. This feeds into my respect for them. They listen.’ Another member of staff said, ‘There’s a high knowledge base in the team; it’s an inspiring team, with a buddy system. Here, positive outcomes for children are a passion.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most issues highlighted at the last inspection for improvement have been successfully resolved. However, with regards to safeguarding notifications, managers do not always ensure that Ofsted receive updated information and outcomes of previously reported incidents. Not all carers have completed the training support and development standards within specified timeframes. These issues have been repeated in this inspection report.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work collaboratively and this helps to provide consistency and stability to children’s placements. The quality of the relationship, communication and partnership working with professionals, both internal and external to the fostering service, is strong; this promotes children’s sense of belonging, continuing progress and positive experiences. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Achieving For Children 7

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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, 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

For the purposes of paragraph (1), a person is not fit to work for the purposes of a fostering service unless that person—

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Requirement Due date

has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the work they are to perform,

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Requirement Due date

and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to that person in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 1. (Regulation 20 (3)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that all required recruitment information is received, all required checks are completed and that this can be clearly evidenced. 1 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

If any of the events listed in column1 of the table in Schedule 7 takes place in relation to a fostering agency, the registered provider must without delay notify the persons or bodies indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table (Regulation 36 (1) and Schedule 7)

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Requirement Due date

This is a repeat requirement. 1 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must obtain such information as the fostering panel considers necessary and send that information to the panel and provide such other assistance as the fostering panel may request, so far as is reasonably practicable. (Regulation 25 (3)) 1 September 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that foster carers are able to evidence that the Training, Support and Development Standards have been attained within 12 months of approval (or within 18 months for family and friends foster carers). (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 20.3) Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Achieving For Children 8  The registered person should ensure that the systems in place to monitor all records kept by the service to ensure compliance with the service’s policies are effective and address any issues raised by this monitoring. Specifically, to monitor the effectiveness of safe care plans. (‘Fostering services: national minimum standards’, 25.2)

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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: Achieving For Children 9

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Achieving for Children Community Interest Company

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: 44 York Street, Twickenham TW1 3BZ

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Independent fostering agency details

Email address: alison.twynam@achievingforchildren.org.uk

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Inspectors

Sandra Jacobs-Walls, Social Care Inspector Angela Reid, Social Care Inspector Richard Wyper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Achieving For Children 10 regulates and inspects 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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