Shortfalls in fostering service
A number of concerns with Walsall Council’s fostering service have been raised following a ‘mock’ inspection commissioned by the authority itself.
Care chiefs called in a former Ofsted inspector to carry out a review of the service and identified shortfalls including a failure to consistently meet key statutory requirements, a lack of management oversight and an absence of a development plan.
A report to the corporate parenting board, which meets on Monday, said "urgent remedial action” needed to be taken and a plan has been drawn up to address the issues.
The inspection, which was carried out in March, said Walsall fostering service was found to: not be consistently meeting key regulatory requirements, be unable to adequately evidence their knowledge of carer’s capacity or how support contribute to placement stability and improving outcomes for children, have an absence of management oversight and direction, have an absence of auditing activity to monitor compliance and service priorities and have no service development plan or link to LA priorities.
The action plan sets out work fostering service bosses will carry out to alleviate concerns raised in the inspection.
Work will include ensuring the service can prove it is compliant with all its statutory requirements, learn from audits and complaints and give evidence of due consideration of matching carers to children and the supervision of foster carers.
The report said: “The fostering service has not been independently inspected since 2013 when Ofsted inspection arrangements for local authority fostering services were incorporated into the single inspection.
“In light of the importance of the service in the delivery of looked children outcomes and the role of that provider services will have in the new inspection framework it was agreed to commission a mock inspection of the service.
“The methodology of the inspection mirrored what would be undertaken in Ofsted inspection and was undertaken by a former inspector with considerable expertise in regulated services.
“A number of shortfalls in practice were identified by the ex inspector.
“An action plan was drafted and tabled at directorate management team in April. At this meeting it was agreed the action plan will form part of the Ofsted improvement plan and monitored by the corporate parenting board.”
