CFS Care Limited

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: CFS Care Limited 1 CFS Care Limited CFS Care Limited 146 Bolton Road, Atherton, Manchester M46 9LF Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

This agency registered with Ofsted in November 2018 and provides a range of placements for children. It is responsible for the assessment, approval, training, supervision and support of foster carers.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The agency currently supports 29 children in 17 fostering households.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The responsible individual has been in post since December 2023.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

The previous registered manager left the agency in June 2026. The agency has recently appointed a new manager, and we are currently checking that this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 18 December 2023

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

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

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Summary of findings

Serious and widespread failures in leadership and management, safeguarding practice, quality assurance and support arrangements significantly undermine the agency’s ability to meet the needs of children consistently.

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Summary of findings

Although individual foster carers and practitioners secure positive outcomes for some children, these outcomes occur despite shortcomings in leadership and oversight rather than because of effective organisational systems. Extensive improvements are required to ensure that children receive safe, well-planned and consistently high- quality care.

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Summary of findings

Following the inspection, a case review meeting was held due to the seriousness of the identified concerns. The decision was taken to issue compliance notices under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. The notices issued are in relation to Regulation 8 and Regulation 11 of The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011. A monitoring visit will take place to consider the action taken by the agency to meet the steps of the notices. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: CFS Care Limited 3

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inadequate

Children’s experiences are inconsistent. Some children experience secure and stable foster placements and benefit from long-term relationships with their foster carers. Several children remain with their carers beyond the age of 18 through Staying Put and Shared Lives arrangements. These arrangements help children to maintain important relationships and provide continuity of care and support into adulthood. However, other children receive poor standards of care, which is badly managed by the agency. Outcomes for children depend on the commitment and skills of individual foster carers and practitioners rather than a coordinated and effective agency-wide approach.

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inadequate

Children do not all benefit from well-planned, implemented and reviewed support. Written evidence of support packages is limited, and children’s plans do not consistently contain clear, measurable objectives. Managers have failed to review cases of concern promptly, resulting in drift and delay. Although some children receive specialist support, including useful therapeutic services, the lack of effective review arrangements means that the impact of this support is unclear. Some children have experienced placement breakdowns because the agency has not had effective oversight of their needs.

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inadequate

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are not consistently reflected in agency records. Social worker reports frequently contain limited information about children’s lived experiences and direct contributions from children are sometimes absent. When children have been spoken to, records of these discussions are brief, lack depth or are repeated across successive supervision records. This diminishes children’s participation in decisions affecting their lives.

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inadequate

Children and foster carers have not been routinely provided with a copy of the agency’s children’s guide. Children do not all have access to important information about their rights, including how to raise concerns or make a complaint.

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inadequate

Foster carers support children to develop their individual interests. Most foster carers know children well and provide them with opportunities to participate in a wide range of social, recreational and leisure activities. This helps children build confidence, social skills and positive experiences.

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inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that all children moving into foster homes benefit from effective planning and preparation. While some children are successfully introduced to foster care, others have experienced poorly managed moves, resulting in placement instability and breakdown. There is limited evidence that children’s needs and foster carers’ skills, experience and capacity are carefully considered when determining placement suitability. The agency has not consistently ensured that foster carers receive all relevant information before children move into Inspection report for independent fostering agency: CFS Care Limited 4 their homes. As a result, some carers have felt ill-equipped to meet children’s needs. Leaders and managers have not learned sufficiently from placement disruptions, and similar concerns have reoccurred.

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inadequate

Foster carers promote and support family time well. Children benefit from sustained and, in some cases, improved relationships with their families.

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inadequate

Not all foster carers experience positive relationships with the agency. While some describe receiving highly effective support from supervising social workers, others report feeling unsupported, marginalised or subject to inappropriate treatment. Leaders and managers have not responded effectively to complaints from foster carers. In one case, no record of a complaint could be located. These failings have undermined carers’ confidence in agency leadership and management.

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inadequate

Key documents, including care plans, are frequently missing or out of date. Although many children appear to be receiving good day-to-day care, there is insufficient evidence that this is underpinned by effective planning, review and oversight from the agency.

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

Safeguarding practice is inconsistent. Leaders and managers have not established clear policies, procedures and systems to guide safeguarding practice. Oversight of children’s welfare is ineffective.

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

Risk assessments are poor quality. They are often generic, outdated and insufficiently personalised to children’s unique vulnerabilities and needs. Documents do not provide foster carers with clear guidance on how to respond to risks or how to support children safely. When children’s risks escalate, agency responses are often delayed, and support is not implemented quickly enough. As a result, some placements have ended.

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

When children go missing from home, foster carers appropriately notify relevant agencies. However, agency records relating to missing-from-home incidents are poor. Records often contain minimal information about incidents, actions taken or outcomes achieved. This limits managerial oversight and opportunities for learning.

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

Support for children’s behaviour is variable. Some children are helped to manage their behaviour safely, while other carers struggle to respond to more complex needs. The agency has not always helped carers understand behaviour as a response to trauma or provided effective support. Several children have experienced placement breakdowns following periods of escalating need.

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

Foster carers rarely use physical interventions. However, one fostering household was deregistered following inappropriate use of restraint. Leaders and managers failed to review, monitor or evaluate the circumstances effectively. There is little evidence of management oversight or organisational learning. A reflective learning Inspection report for independent fostering agency: CFS Care Limited 5 exercise took place approximately 12 months after deregistration, which limited its effectiveness given the delay.

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

Leaders and managers do not manage allegations and concerns about harm effectively. Investigations are often poor quality and the agency’s response to allegations is delayed. Internal procedures and statutory guidance are not consistently followed. Individuals who are subject to allegations do not always receive appropriate support, and recommendations arising from investigations are not consistently monitored or implemented. Records fail to demonstrate clear decision-making and the agency’s allegations policy does not provide sufficient guidance for staff. Leaders do not provide effective oversight of standards of care.

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

Most children live in safe, comfortable and welcoming homes and speak positively about their living environments. However, in two fostering households, there had been a significant deterioration in home conditions over an extended period. Leaders and managers were ineffective in identifying concerns and ensuring timely improvement.

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

Information-sharing is inconsistent. Local authority social workers generally report positive working relationships with agency staff and value the quality of communication. However, there have been serious lapses in information-sharing with statutory safeguarding partners, including the local authority designated officer and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Furthermore, required notifications have not always been submitted to Ofsted. These failures have contributed to poor outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A suitably qualified manager has recently been appointed. The manager has been in post for a short period and has already developed an action plan to drive improvement. However, there has not been sufficient time for these changes to be implemented and embedded. Previous leadership and management arrangements have been exceptionally poor. Leaders and managers have failed to fulfil key responsibilities or maintain effective oversight of practice across the agency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not addressed longstanding tensions within the staff team. A culture of negativity, blame and bullying has remained unchallenged. Staff report low levels of trust in colleagues and concerns about professional relationships. Reports about placement disruptions frequently identify staffing changes and leadership issues as factors contributing to instability for children and foster carers. Fractured professional relationships have had a detrimental impact on the experiences of children, carers and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The agency has sufficient staffing and resources available to support foster carers. Caseloads are manageable and additional resources from support workers are in place. However, weaknesses in leadership have meant that these resources have not been effectively utilised to promote good outcomes for children. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: CFS Care Limited 6 Leaders and managers have failed to undertake meaningful review and learning when children experience disruption or placement breakdown. Several fostering households experienced remarkably similar challenges, yet opportunities to identify patterns and implement preventative measures were missed. As a result, some children experienced significant trauma and loss following potentially avoidable placement moves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not operate an effective monitoring system that enables them to understand and evaluate individual children’s progress. Positive outcomes achieved for children are not systematically recorded, monitored or evidenced. The agency cannot clearly demonstrate the impact of foster placements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Supervision of foster carers is ineffective. Records are frequently repetitive, contain duplicated information and do not demonstrate reflective discussion or analysis. Many supervision visits have been undertaken virtually despite this being unhelpful and inconsistent with agency policy. Social workers do not consistently challenge poor practice, including significant delays in the completion of foster carer logs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not ensured that staff receive effective supervision and appraisal. Records are poor in quality and do not accurately reflect discussions held. Although recent improvements have been introduced, appraisals have not consistently taken place within required timescales. Some staff report that support has improved since the appointment of the current manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have not consistently been supported to develop their knowledge, skills and professional practice. Training and induction activities are not always completed within appropriate timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Key agency documents and policies are not up to date, including the statement of purpose and safeguarding-related procedures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Agency records do not always accurately reflect the experiences of children and foster carers. In some cases, meeting minutes and formal records present an overly positive account that is inconsistent with evidence contained elsewhere. This compromises the reliability of records and limits opportunities for meaningful learning and improvement. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: CFS Care Limited 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, 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

* The registered provider and the registered manager must, having regard to—

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Requirement Due date

the size of the fostering agency, its statement of purpose, and the numbers and

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Requirement Due date

needs of the children placed by the fostering agency, and

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Requirement Due date

the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children placed by the fostering agency,

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Requirement Due date

carry on or manage the fostering agency (as the case may be) with sufficient care, competence and skill. (Regulation 8 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that systems are in place to monitor that fostering regulations, national minimum standards and the agency’s own policies and procedures are met and followed at all times.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must have systems in place to regularly review, reflect and learn from children’s experiences.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must have oversight of incidents that are serious and important in children’s lives and use this information to identify and act upon patterns and trends that are impacting children in the care of the agency.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must have particular consideration for children’s experiences of the unplanned end of any placements and use this information to try to prevent future placement breakdowns.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make sure that they lead the team in line with the agency’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must enable, inspire and lead a culture that promotes positive outcomes for children. This includes 18 October 2026 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: CFS Care Limited 8 ensuring a positive workplace culture in which staff work as a team, where appropriate.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers will ensure that carers, staff and managers understand their roles and responsibilities.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers will make sure that foster carers receive consistent support, guidance and oversight.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that systems are in place to share learning following safeguarding incidents for staff and carers.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all safeguarding incidents are reviewed and that action is taken to address any practice issues for staff and carers.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that practice issues for staff and carers are identified and that plans are in place to improve the quality of care.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that plans for support of staff and carers are recorded effectively, including aims, timescales and responsibilities. Support plans must be regularly reviewed and action taken when aims are not being met.

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Requirement Due date

* The registered person in respect of an independent fostering agency must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

the welfare of children placed or to be placed with foster parents is safeguarded and promoted at all times. (Regulation 11 (a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must make sure that children’s risks are understood that risk assessments are kept up to date and contain clear strategies to keep children safe.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make sure that staff know what to do and have the skills to keep children safe.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must have good oversight of safeguarding incidents and concerns and ensure that any worries about children or foster carers are acted upon promptly and without delay.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers will ensure there is a clear policy in place that identifies when standards of care investigations will be carried out. This must include information about how 18 October 2026 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: CFS Care Limited 9 standards of care concerns will be investigated and what independent oversight will be provided.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers will ensure that action is taken to investigate and address all instances of carers failing to meet the minimum standards of care.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers will make sure that all practice concerns relating to carers are reviewed and addressed by supervising social workers.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that records provide clear evidence of the reasoning behind decisions about the suitability of foster homes for children.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers will keep clear records to show the rationale behind placement matching decisions.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must notify Ofsted of both the instigation and the outcome of any child protection enquiries. 18 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must prepare and implement a written policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children placed with foster parents from abuse or neglect, and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of any allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure under paragraph (1)(b) must, subject to paragraph (4), provide in particular for—

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Requirement Due date

liaison and co-operation with any local authority which is, or may be, making child protection enquiries in relation to any child placed by the fostering service provider,

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Requirement Due date

the prompt referral to the area authority of any allegation of abuse or neglect affecting any child placed by the fostering service provider, 18 October 2026 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: CFS Care Limited 10 notification of the instigation and outcome of any child protection enquiries involving a child placed by the fostering service provider, to the Chief Inspector,

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Requirement Due date

written records to be kept of any allegation of abuse or neglect, and of the action taken in response,

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Requirement Due date

consideration to be given to the measures which may be necessary to protect children placed with foster parents following an allegation of abuse or neglect, and

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Requirement Due date

arrangements to be made for persons working for the purposes of the fostering service, foster parents and children placed by the fostering service, to have the address (including email address), and telephone number of—

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Requirement Due date

the area authority, and the Chief Inspector, for the purposes of referring any concern about child welfare or safety to them.

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Requirement Due date

In this regulation "child protection enquiries" means any enquiries carried out by a local authority in the exercise of any of its functions conferred by or under the 1989 Act relating to the protection of children. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(i)(ii) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must use an allegations management policy that all members of staff understand and follow consistently.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person make sure that records relating to allegations of abuse are clear, factual and contemporaneous.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that all permanent appointments are subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation.

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular— 18 October 2026 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: CFS Care Limited 11 provides for the suspension of an employee where necessary in the interests of the safety or welfare of children placed with foster parents,

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Requirement Due date

provides that the failure on the part of an employee to report an incident of abuse or neglect, or suspected abuse or neglect, of a child placed with foster parents to an appropriate person is a ground on which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted.

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider must ensure that all persons employed by them—

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Requirement Due date

receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal, and

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Requirement Due date

are enabled from to time to time to obtain further qualifications appropriate to the work they perform. (Regulation 21 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must act quickly and proportionately to address any practice that falls short of the expected standard, especially in relation to practice that compromises the safety and welfare of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide staff with regular, useful supervision and appraisal, the records of which must be kept up to date and accurate.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a written record is made of any complaint or representation, the action taken in response to it, and the outcome of the investigation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must, on request, supply the Chief Inspector with a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding 12 months and the action taken in response. (Regulation 18 (4)(6)) 18 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

keep under review and, where appropriate, revise the statement of purpose and children’s guide,

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Requirement Due date

notify the Chief Inspector of any such revision within 28 days, and 18 October 2026 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: CFS Care Limited 12 if the children’s guide is revised, supply a copy to each foster parent approved by the fostering service provider, and to each child placed by them (subject to the child’s age and understanding). (Regulation 4 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should make sure that there is a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record-keeping and take action when needed. In particular, social workers should have effective oversight of the records kept by foster carers and they should take effective action when records fall short of the expected standard. (‘Fostering Services: national minimum standards’, 26.2)  The registered person should make sure that when areas of concern, or need for additional support, are identified between reviews they are promptly addressed. The registered person should make sure that such matters identified are addressed via a well-planned approach to support, with clear targets and responsibilities. The manager should make sure that any package of support is regularly reviewed. (‘Fostering Services: national minimum standards’, 13.9)  The registered person should have a policy that sets out what constitutes a

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Recommendations

concern about standards of care, when an investigation should be initiated and how standard of care concerns will be investigated. The fostering service should ensure that a clear distinction is made between investigations into allegations of harm and discussions over standards of care. (‘Fostering Services: national minimum standards’, 22.10)

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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: CFS Care Limited 13

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: 146 Bolton Road, Atherton, Manchester M46 9LF

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Inspectors

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Danielle Allen, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: CFS Care Limited 14 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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