'Good progress': Shropshire foster care agency that was repeatedly slated by Ofsted wins praise for major improvements
A Shropshire foster care agency that previously came under fire for "serious and widespread shortfalls" has made significant improvements, an inspection has found.
Flying Colours Foster Care, based near Whitchurch and operating across Shropshire, was found to have made "good progress" since being acquired by a new company in July, which brought in a new management team.
The agency had faced repeated criticism from Ofsted since January this year after inspectors identified multiple failings and that "no action" had been taken to address them. A monitoring visit in the summer reported no improvement.
Following the acquisition on July 18, the previous registered manager and responsible individual left the agency, and new leadership took over.
After a follow-up inspection on September 22, Ofsted reported that "good progress had been made" and that several requirements for improvement set out in a previous compliance notice had been met.
Inspectors commended the new management for their "prompt action" to address concerns.
"Children are settled; they are happy where they live and have positive relationships with their foster carers," the report stated.
"A new manager has been appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted. They have also recently been appointed to manage the acquiring agency, so are currently overseeing both agencies until the transfer process is completed. The manager demonstrated that they understand their role, and they have been proactive in identifying and addressing previous shortfalls.
"The new responsible individual has good oversight of the agency. They have been fully involved in the acquisition process and in creating an action plan to make the necessary improvements. They are providing the manager with regular, good-quality supervision and ongoing support.
"They have a clear understanding of the transfer process and the actions that are needed to ensure that staff, carers and children are not impacted by the changes.
"Monitoring of the agency has significantly improved. Thorough audits have been completed of all records, and any gaps have been addressed promptly. Staff are receiving regular, good-quality supervision, which helps the management team to quickly understand the children’s and foster carers’ needs.
"A new recording system has been introduced so that all staff can access files easily. A tracking system has also been implemented, which is helping managers to monitor required documents and actions."
At the time of the latest inspection, the agency had four fostering households caring for six children. A new responsible individual had also recently been appointed.
The report noted that the agency's policies and procedures had been "reviewed and updated," providing clear guidance for staff and foster carers.
Ofsted also highlighted progress in staff training, saying shortfalls had been identified and a plan put in place to address them. Some training has already been booked, and expectations for required learning are now clearly set out.
"Staff have also been asked to identify any additional training that would support them in their roles, and this will be provided in due course," the report added.
"The new manager has already enrolled on the required management course and has also completed additional training to assist them in their role."
Ofsted said the agency is also completing overdue foster carer annual reviews and has taken action to strengthen safer recruitment.
The full report can be read here.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.