Ofsted consultation response from the Fostering Network, August 2011
The Fostering Network is national charity and a membership organisation. We consulted widely with our members to bring together the response to this consultation through:- a survey on our website
- consultation events with
- local authorities
- two groups of foster carers
- IFP steering group representing IFPs both large and small
- Staff at the Fostering Network including those that have extensive experience of working with young people.
Q1. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the normal notice period of inspection for a fostering service should be 10 days?Strongly agree
Summary of comments
There was a consensus of views from the Fostering Network, foster carers and fostering providers that there should be a shorter notice period for inspection. There were also a number of respondents whobelieved that unannounced inspections should be considered. However, the prevailing view was that the normal notice period should be reduced to maximum of 10 working days. In order to make this viable there would need to be changes to the inspection methodologies that would take account of the practical issues that this would raise. Amongst these views there were some helpful proposals which are outlined below:Foster Carers
Some foster carers felt that giving notice means that the service diverts resources into preparing for the inspection, so they thought that the shorter the notice the better this is.Notice periods give services the chance to cover up shortcomings, and select foster carer groups for meetings during the inspection that are more compliant.
Proposals included:
- Involvement of foster care associations in supplying inspectors with relevant details of foster carers that would be available to give their views.
- Foster carers were willing to give feedback on the performance of their fostering providers every year, if the facility was available.
- Foster carers taking part in surgery type meetings with inspectors.
- Foster carers completing surveys prior to inspection, as long as their anonymity was guaranteed.
- Foster carers commented that Ofsted’s guidance for selecting foster carers should be clearer.
Foster Carersacknowledged that it is important for children and young people to be heard as long as their social worker is involved and consideration of the age of children is taken into account. Foster Carers also supported communicating with children to get their views by electronic means.
IFPs
Some IFPs believed that no notice inspections would be the most accurate way of comparing fostering services.
Local Authority
- There was a general feeling that 10 days was probably the correct length of notice but thiswould need to be matched by proportionate expectations from the inspectorate.
- Should be consistent with establishing clarity around future Children’s Services Assessment.
- Shift in focus to outcomes and views of children and young people and families makes 10 days more appropriate.
- If ‘outcomes’ data was ready all the time, there would be less need for a notice period.
- Whilst it may seem advisable for the notice period to be so short, this does not give larger IFPs or local authorities enough turn around time to prepare all the stats and information required by the inspectors prior to and during an inspection.
- Small local authorities potentially disadvantaged, especially during holiday periods
- 10 days could present a problem if a team manager or other significant member of staff is on leave for 10 days at the beginning of the notice period.
There was a belief that there should be unannounced inspections in the same way as foster carers experience unannounced visits. Fostering service providers should have their paper work up to date at all times and always maintain their standards and not be given too much notice to catch up. It is vital to the welfare of both children and foster carers that Fostering Providers have processes which enable them to meet standards and regulations on an ongoing basis in order to safeguard the welfare of all concerned not just when inspections are due.
10 days was seen as an appropriate notice periodbecause although everythingshould be in place, it is helpful to have some notice to ensure that the rightpeople are available for the inspection and the agency business continues without too much interference caused by an inspection.
Q2. To what extent do you agree or disagree that Ofsted should inspect fostering services judged to be outstanding less frequently than other fostering services?Agree
Summary of Comments
The Fostering Network believes that there is astrong argument that inspecting fostering providers which are outstanding less frequently than other fostering services is a proportionate approach. However, the frequency of inspection needs to be tempered by ensuring that standards do not drop and outstanding providers do not deteriorate and become less good and even complacent. Six years between inspections is too a long time between inspections. It would therefore be helpful to continue with the collection of a revised and mandatory annualfostering data set which could act as a trigger for a more frequent inspection if necessary,alongside the other triggers outlined below. Some respondents thought that services should only be inspected less frequently following several “outstanding” results.(See question 5)Foster carers
- Some foster carers and LA’s thought that it was better to have a lighter touch inspection for those judged outstanding than no inspection at all.
- There was a general acceptance that a less regular inspection cycle for fostering services judged outstanding would be acceptable as long as risk factors were considered.
- The feeling was that this is too simplistic a criterion and that a number of issues should be responsible for triggering an inspection, e.g. Outcomes for children
- There should be greater transparency and consistency in the cycle of inspections across services.
- Elements of children in care inspections should consider fostering.
- Consensus was that it is useful to have a number of grades – it provides a useful focus; gives incentive to work on certain areas; it demonstrates progress if moving from one grade to another. Foster carers may choose a service depending on the grading so it is helpful; it can focus the minds of elected members on where investment is needed.
- This depends on the level of communication and information sharing. "Outstanding" agencies could relax too much if the time period between inspections is very long and so not benefit from the inputs of an inspector, though they should continue to improve through bench-marking with other agencies as far as this is possible - lowly rated agencies will need time to put in place improvements.
- This may lead to some complacency in services and does not recognise that things can change quickly within fostering organisations.
- Not unless they have had at least 3 outstandings - very easy for people to become complacent.
Q3. To what extent do you agree or disagree that when determining whether an earlier inspection should be carried out Ofsted should consider the following?
Strongly agree / Agree / Neither agree or disagree / Disagree / Strongly agree / Don’t knowComplaints and concerns / x
A change in ownership or management / x
Notifications / x
Regulation 35 Reports / x
The proportion of a local authority’s looked after children placed in foster care / x
The stability of placements and placement moves / x
Comments – please indicate any other information you think Ofsted would need to consider between inspections to assess whether the inspection of an agency previously judged to be outstanding should be bought forward.
Summary of comments
There needs to be a more extensive list of triggers / risk factors including the data set to include:- Concerns to the Children’s Rights Director
One of the main difficulties fostering providers experience is retaining foster carers. Ofsted should look at how many foster carers have left and their reasons for leaving as many foster carers are unhappy with their providers but choose to resign rather than complain as the process takes so long. A high foster carer turn over can be an indication that things are not going well in the agency.
The views oflocal foster care associations
There may be concerns or issues that foster carers have about the way the service is run that are hidden by the process / system. For example, complaints raised by foster carers are often hidden and not followed through or responded to properly, but have a huge impact on foster carers.
A change in management and ownership
This is likely to be the most significant factor to consider for an independent fostering agency. Stability of placements and placement moves could be a good indicator, but it is not always clear if this is measured in a very transparent way.
Stability
This is critical but sometimes a move for a child can be a good thing if it achieves their care plan e.g. placement for adoption.
Placement breakdown and disruptions
This should be a key indicator also.A high number of placementscan be linked to poor information sharing with foster carers.
Q4. To what extent do you agree or disagree that Ofsted should inspect local authority fostering services at the same time as their adoption agency functions?Agree
Summary of comments
The Fostering Network agrees that there is a compelling argument that Ofsted should inspect local authority adoption fostering services at the same time as the adoption agency functions as it would then be possible to follow the journey of a child through the care system.There would also be the potential to gain a more coherent and full picture of the experience of children looked after in a local authority. It should also be more effective and efficient and provide a broader overall picture of the quality of service to children in care.
There were a range of views expressed by members to this question with the objections to joint inspection concentrating on the differences between the services and also posing the question around whether there should be joint inspection of fostering and looked after children.
Foster Carers
Inspecting at the same time as inspecting adoption makes sense. A lot of foster carers offer bridging foster care. This would also allow inspectors to speak to foster carers as part of an adoption inspection (which doesn’t happen now).
Local Authority
The objections were
- It was felt that nothing was to be gained from inspecting fostering and adoption services together: Steps to better co-ordinate across Ofsted are welcome, but needs to be part of wider effort to bring consistency and co-ordination and prevent issues such as sequential inspections.
- Limited synergies between the services from an inspection perspective
- Combining LAC and Fostering inspection may be more efficient
- Adoption and fostering work differently – fostering inspections would have a better fit with LAC inspections
- There is no common ground – more similarities between fostering and LAC
- Inspections should be undertaken at the same time if they are run as one service / in one team, otherwise it isn't so important potentially. However for efficiency it might be best to combine the two.
- Both are specialist services, but there is some overlap so this could be a useful approach
- They are interconnected and therefore should be inspected as whole together to ensure a holistic approach is taken for children and young people.
Q5. To what extent do you agree or disagree that Ofsted should cease to collect the annual fostering dataset and collect this data only as part of the individual service inspection? Strongly disagree
Summary of comments
The Fostering Network and our members fully support the retention of the annual collection of the fostering data set from all agencies and believe this should be mandatory. However,the purpose and content of this needs to be reviewed. National aggregated information can provide helpful information for the sector locally, regionally and nationally. If analysed in a timely manner this data could assist in the development of the system as a whole, inform national policy and provide a benchmark. Data collected would need to be cross referenced to ensure that it was not being collected elsewhere to avoid duplication.Foster carers
Foster carers found the datasets useful and advocated its continuation but suggested it would be more useful if the data was presented from a local authority/regional perspective, as opposed to the current national breakdown. It could show, for instance, if foster carers were taking on children above and beyond their approval - A system needs to be established which enables foster carers to stick to their boundaries (approval) and not feel pressured to take children they may not be able to cope with.
This annual data set should remain one of the triggers to inform inspection.It is crucial that managers are always able to provide information about their service, and to assist in this the Fostering Network are developing an audit tool to assist Fostering Providersto do just this.
IFP’s
All parties felt that the dataset should be maintained but that it should be made more effective through re-assessing the criteria that is requested and by making more efficient the turnaround and analysis process by Ofsted. There was a strong view that where data and information is requested then it is used effectively and is not ‘lost’ or filed with no given purpose.
Local Authority
The general feeling was that the data set needs to be revised and become more outcomefocused and should continue to be completed annually:
- It could incorporate and bring together the data that is required in the LA self assessment.
- If it is not considered as a separate issue there may be a tendency for it to get lost and not reported on.
- Ofsted should use this information as a monitoring tool and indicative of those agencies that might be failing - collation of this information should be mandatory.
- Assuming that the dataset actually informs national policy and resource allocation, then a centralised annual census is probably a more efficient monitoring mechanism than delegating this to individual inspectors. It is important for Ofsted to keep a central record as they are best placed to do this.
Q6. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the following are appropriate judgements to make when inspecting a fostering service?
Strongly agree / Agree / Neither agree or disagree / Disagree / Strongly agree / Don’t knowOverall effectiveness / x
Quality of service provision / x
Outcomes for children / x
The safety of children / x
Leadership and management / x
Summary of comments
Quality of service provision
This should take into account the achievement of the training, support and development standards for foster care and further development of foster carers including the Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce.
Outcomes for childrenWe support the shift to an inspection that looks at outcomes for children. Some of these outcomes are the specific responsibility of children’s social workers and we would welcome linking and cross referencing to inspections of services for children in care. There was a general view that these are all appropriateindicators - though overall effectiveness and service provision overlap with the other three - it depends what measures are used to assess these areas of evaluation.
The safety of children
This could be termed “safeguarding of children” as a generic umbrella term which includes the safety of children and much more.
Foster Carers
Foster carers should be involved in planning meetings, andreceive placement plans for children and young people. Foster carers should be invited to the first review.
tFN online survey and foster panel chairs
Fostering is vital to the welfare of children in care and team work is important. A good team needs good leadership and management and that involves listening to the voices of all concerned especially the children themselves. This is not always the case and communication is often poor at all levels and a hierarchy system still exists.
Q7. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the promotion of equality and diversity should be addressed throughout the inspection framework rather than considered as a separate judgement?Agree
Summary of comments
Members were split on this issue. On balance, the Fostering Network believes that equality and diversity should be integrated throughout the inspection framework. However, we would want to know in more detail how this will happen and what evidence will be collected to ensure that equality and diversity are demonstrated throughout. We would also want to be reassured that inspectors were fully trained to understand what the expectations were and what judgments they would make and how they would make these judgments on this crucial issue.The Fostering Network have looked at the report writing guide for inspectors which has reassured us to some extent and think that it would have been useful to attach this as an appendix to this consultation.
Participation
The other issue that we wish to raise under this section is that of participation.We believe thatthe principle of participation is an underpinning integral part of an inspection as opposed to a one-off stand alone event and as such needs to be considered at relevant points throughout an inspection.
Foster Carers
Foster carers felt that a separate judgment for equality and diversity is needed otherwise it might be sidelined. They felt that it is too individual and integrating it, could, over time, lead to it loosing its essence. If Ofsted were to proceed with this proposal, there needs to be separate prompts for equality and diversity within all the judgment areas.
In considering equality and diversity, inspectors should explore the length of time from agreement to have placements until actual placements are made. This view was primarily in relation to respite/short term fostering. Foster carers reflected that some times, long term foster carers are expected to take on disabled children, who they are not appropriately matched with but theydo not receive respite due to cost. Respite carers for disabled children sometimes waited excessive periods therefore before being used for respite.
Inspectors should speak to pre-adoptive parents, seek the views from children post adoption and check whether foster carers’ concerns about the adoptive family have any influence.
Foster carers felt that there should be more contact between Ofsted and service users throughout the year.
IFPs
Opinions were split on this issue.
Local Authority
The general consensus was that equality and diversity should continue to be addressed throughout the inspection framework.
tFN online survey and fostering panel chairs
If equality and diversity were incorporated this would need to be a meaningful exercise, not a tokenistic, tick box exercise. One respondent gave the following example:
We have had social workers suggest we feed a child guava and mango because it is mixed race, when previously he was being brought up by his white mother and her parents. His black father was also brought up in theUK and has no contact with the child at all. It is false promotion of his cultural identity pretending that certain fruits being offered = the answer!
Q8. Do you have any further comments?