Unity Foster Care

Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Unity Foster Care 1 Unity Foster Care

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First Floor, 4340 The Pentagon, Park Approach, Thorpe Park, Leeds LS15 8GB

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Unity Foster Care is an independent fostering agency. The head office is based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. A range of placements are provided, including long-term, short-term, emergency, respite and parent and child fostering placements. At the time of the inspection, the agency was providing placements for 64 children in 54 fostering households. The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2025.

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Information about this independent fostering agency

Date of previous inspection: 11 August 2025

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken to address specific concerns or allegations received by Ofsted. During the visit, inspectors spoke to the responsible individual, the registered manager and deputy team manager. No serious or widespread concerns were identified. Leaders and managers have continued to make positive improvements to the service since the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Staff and foster carers follow safeguarding procedures when there are concerns about the safety of a child. When allegations are made or concerns about standards of care are raised, the agency provides foster carers with support. In addition, leaders and managers work effectively with external agencies. This multi-agency approach promotes information sharing, timely decision making and helps to promote children’s safety.

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This monitoring visit

Foster carers have access to relevant training and support. Supervising social workers carry out regular visits and provide supervision sessions for foster carers. Foster carers are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to meet the standards to foster. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Unity Foster Care 2 The agency completes safety plans for fostering households which are reviewed at least annually. In addition, assessments of adults within the foster carers support network are completed. This helps to ensure that children live in safe home environments.

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This monitoring visit

The agency’s systems for assessing the suitability of foster carers to continue to care for vulnerable children are well established. Foster carer’s annual reviews are held in a timely way. These reviews explore the experiences of children living in each home alongside the carer’s strengths and vulnerabilities. However, feedback from children and important professionals involved in supporting the child are not consistently available for foster carer reviews. This is a missed opportunity for the agency to gain information that will help it to fully understand children’s experiences.

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This monitoring visit

Supervising social workers complete regular announced and unannounced visits to check that children are safe and settled in their foster placements. Children are seen and spoken to alone. However, some case records relating to these visits are very brief and provide no evaluation regarding children’s safety and experiences. This shortfall does not assist leaders and managers to fully understand the quality of the visits their staff carry out. Nor does it enable them to assess the views of children, and it does not help children to understand how they have been helped.

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This monitoring visit

The requirement and recommendations raised at the last inspection were not reviewed as part of this monitoring visit and have therefore been restated. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Unity Foster Care 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and the national minimum standards. The registered person must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The fostering service provider may carry out an assessment of any person who applies to become a foster parent and whom they consider may be suitable to become a foster parent, and any such assessment must be carried out in accordance with this regulation.

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Requirement Due date

must obtain the information specified in Schedule 3 relating to X and other members of X's household and family, and any other information they consider relevant,

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Requirement Due date

must interview at least two persons nominated by X to provide personal references for X, and prepare written reports of the interviews,

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Requirement Due date

except where the fostering service provider is a local authority and X lives in the area of that authority, must consult with, and take into account the views of, the local authority in whose area X lives,

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Requirement Due date

may, where X was approved as a foster parent by another fostering service provider and that approval has been terminated, and where X consents to the inspection, request inspection of the relevant records compiled by that other fostering service provider in relation to X under regulations 30 and 31.

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Requirement Due date

Having regard to the information obtained under paragraph (2), the fostering service provider must—

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Requirement Due date

consider whether X is suitable to be a foster parent and whether X's household is suitable for any child,

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Requirement Due date

prepare a written report on X which includes the matters set out in paragraph (4), and 31 October 2026 Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Unity Foster Care 4 refer the report to the fostering panel and notify X accordingly. (Regulation 26 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d) (3)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was not reviewed at this visit so has therefore been restated.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour in a way that is appropriate to their age and abilities. This specifically relates to children's plans including strategies for children to help them to understand and manage their feelings and behaviours safely. ('Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards', 3.4).  The registered person should ensure that entries in records, decisions and reasons for them, are legible, clearly expressed, non-stigmatising, distinguish between fact, opinion and third-party information as well as being signed and dated. ('Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards', 26.5).  The registered person should ensure that information about the child is recorded clearly and in a way which will be helpful to the child when they access their files now or in the future. Children are actively encouraged to read their files, other than necessarily confidential or third-party information,

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Recommendations

and to correct errors and add personal statements. The specifically relates to children's risk assessments containing accurate information. ('Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards', 26.6).  The registered person should ensure that each foster carer understands the important supporting role they play in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their individual history. The child, subject to age and understanding, is encouraged to keep appropriate memorabilia (including photographs) of their time in each placement. The fostering service makes this role clear to their foster carers and ensures they can record, and help children make a record of (subject to age and understanding), significant life events. This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that all foster carers complete records within a required timescales and that the records are written in a way that are meaningful to the child. ('Fostering

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Recommendations

Services: National Minimum Standards', 26.7)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the independent fostering agency since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Unity Foster Care 5

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider: Unity Foster Care Limited

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Independent fostering agency details

Registered provider address: 4 Jardine House, Harrovian Business Village, Bessborough Road, Harrow HA1 3EX

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Inspectors

Shirin Khan, Social Care Inspector (lead) Evelyn Chafota, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for independent fostering agency: Unity Foster Care 6 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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