Quality and Safeguarding in Foster Care

What we do to keep children and foster carers safe

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Safeguarding in our Foster Care Service

Diagrama Fostering has a safeguarding theme which runs through everything we do. Our foster carers are fully trained in this area to understand the importance of following safeguarding procedures so that working in this way becomes second nature. All our foster children have up-to-date risk assessments which are shared with foster carers, local authority social workers - and the children where possible. Diagrama Fostering runs safeguarding training annually to ensure that we remain up to date about safe practices and new developments in the field.

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“Close relationships between children and young people and their foster carers underpin good safeguarding. One young person said that she felt comfortable talking with her foster carers about anything. She said: ‘I used to hate going home. I was on the streets and not going to school. I now love spending time at home with my foster carers and go to school regularly”

Ofsted inspection, 2019

Who monitors our foster care service for quality

The quality of Diagrama’s Fostering Service is monitored (and inspected) by a number of qualified professionals:

  • Foster carers receive at least one unannounced visit a year to their home by the supervising social worker, and a minimum monthly supervisory visit.
  • The Registered Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fostering Service and monitors matters identified in the Fostering Services National Minimum Standards and Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 (Regulation 35(1)) to ensure the standards are adhered to and the service is developing to meet the needs of a range of children.
  • The Fostering Service is inspected by Ofsted in accordance with regulation.
  • Foster carers are also encouraged to be involved in the development of the service. As an organisation, Diagrama uses a variety of arrangements to monitor and evaluate the quality of its services.
  • Complaints and allegations received by Diagrama’s fostering service are reviewed and considered individually at the time of receiving them. All complaints and allegations are taken seriously and reflection is made in regards to learning opportunities from this. Diagrama Fostering follows Working Together to Safeguard Children Guidance (2015) in managing complaints and allegations. In addition, complaints are reviewed on an annual basis; this also includes any allegations made about staff/carers.
  • The fostering service works within a performance management and quality assurance culture. Statistical information, file audits, schedule 6 and 7 responsibilities and reviews of all work are embedded within the service. This includes the views of case managers; children and young people looked after and foster carers and their birth children where applicable. Quarterly reports are completed in a timely fashion and sent to the Chief Executive and Trustees of Diagrama; but are also made available to Ofsted and local authorities.
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Safeguarding arrangements are sound. The agency ... tenaciously ensure the protection of children’s welfare.

Ofsted inspection, 2019

Diagrama Fostering uses a variety of arrangements to monitor and evaluate the quality of its services. These include:

  • Reviewing and reporting mechanisms operating within the meetings of the Board of Trustees, the Finance Committee, HR Committee, Senior Management Team and Management
  • Reviewing and reporting mechanisms operating within the meetings of the Board of Trustees, the Finance Committee, HR Committee, Senior Management Team and Management
  • Regular supervision and appraisal of staff and panel members.
  • Regular monthly, quarterly and annual management/progress reviews/reports.
Find out more about Foster Care Training
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Our foster carers receive exceptional training to maintain high standards of care

Our training is delivered by subject experts and aims to provide all our foster carers with a broad range of skills and understanding of the types of challenges they may face when fostering or adopting a child. All our training comes with practical guidance too with tools and resources required to provide a child or young person with a safe, loving environment. Our foster carer training programme is ongoing and regularly updated.

Find out more about Foster Care Training