Julia Toller, social care regulatory inspection manager, gave this presentation at the Fostering Network North West conference, 19 October 2017.

1. Fostering – an Ofsted perspective
Julia Toller (Regulatory Inspection Manager)
19 October 2017
Fostering network regional conference
Fostering – an Ofsted perspective Slide 1

2. Background
 The progress of children in care and care leavers is an
important priority for Ofsted. It is incorporated in all regional
plans and across all inspection frameworks.
 Ofsted has renewed its commitment to focusing on the progress
of vulnerable and disadvantaged children in its strategic
priorities for 2016−2020.
Fostering – an Ofsted perspective Slide 2

3. Some findings
 More care leavers stayed living with their former foster carers.
 Children were more likely to experience a change in
educational placement if they also experienced an unplanned
ending.
 A large minority of children who went missing had no RHI.
 Around 77% of fostered children are White, with 22% of
children belonging to minority ethnic groups.
 Just under 10% of children were reported to be disabled.
From: Fostering in England, Ofsted, 2017
www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fostering-in-england-1-april-2015-to-31-march-2016
Fostering – an Ofsted perspective Slide 3

4. Some figures
 Approximately 70,000 children in care in England.
 Two-thirds (75%) live in foster care – approximately 50,000
children.
 Most foster children are in local authority foster care – 66%
 33% of children in foster care are in IFAs.
Fostering – an Ofsted perspective Slide 4

5. IFAs in England
Region Number of IFAs
East Midlands 13
East of England 31
London 55
North East, Yorkshire & Humber 33
North West 36
South East 60
South West 21
West Midlands 46
Total 295
Fostering – an Ofsted perspective Slide 5

6. Independent fostering agencies – 81% judged
as good or outstanding at their last inspection
(1 April 2017)
Fostering – an Ofsted perspective Slide 6

7. Consultation and pilots − SCCIF
 218 replies to online consultation.
 Meetings/webinars/events with 250+ individuals, including:
− children and young people
− providers
− representative groups, e.g. ADCS, Alliance for Children in Care, LandEx,
National IRO managers group
− social workers
− foster carers.
 Eight pilot inspections testing the SCCIF and short notice inspections of
independent fostering agencies (four IFA pilots).
Fostering – an Ofsted perspective Slide 7

8. Outcomes of consultation
 Publication of the SCCIF, for use from 1 April 2017.
 Common judgement structure
Overall experiences and progress of children and young people taking into account:
−how well children are helped and protected
−the effectiveness of leaders and managers.
 A reduced notice period for independent fostering agencies – now two working
days.
 We will usually re-inspect IFAs judged as inadequate within 6 to 12 months, and IFAs
judged as requiring improvement within 12 to 18 months.
 We are currently piloting new approaches to inspecting local authority
children’s services (for implementation in 2018) – these inspection will retain a
sharp focus on the experiences and progress of looked after children and care leavers.
Fostering – an Ofsted perspective Slide 8

9. Our inspection principles
 Focus on what makes the most difference in children’s lives:
rigorous focus on progress and experiences across all of our inspection
frameworks.
 Being clear about our expectations of providers: bringing
commonality into our expectations on inspection wherever we can e.g.
children living away from home.
 Prioritise inspection where improvement is needed most: risk-
based and proportionate.
The SCCIF and local authority inspections embodies these
principles.
Fostering – an Ofsted perspective Slide 9

10. Does the SCCIF raise the bar for good and
outstanding?
 We have not intended to raise the thresholds for good or
outstanding judgements by introducing the SCCIF.
 We will continually review the impact of the SCCIF, including
any changes in inspection outcomes – interim evaluation after
6 months and formal evaluation after 12 months.
Fostering – an Ofsted perspective Slide 10

11. Inspections of Local Authority Children’s
Services (ILACS)
 The experiences and progress of children in care and care leavers and
the effectiveness of achieving permanence.
 Inspection activity will include: a primary focus on evaluating
individual children’s experiences.
 Testing the quality of decision making at all key stages of a child’s
journey and meeting with children and young people, parents and
carers.
 We will be looking at the impact of fostering services on the
experiences and progress of children in care.
Fostering – an Ofsted perspective Slide 11

12. SCCIF feedback
Please send any feedback to:
Matthew Brazier
HMI Specialist Adviser, Children in Care
Social Care Policy
Matthew.brazier@ofsted.gov.uk
Fostering – an Ofsted perspective
@MBrazierHMI
Slide 12

13. Ofsted on the web and on social media
www.gov.uk/ofsted
http://reports.ofsted.gov.uk
www.linkedin.com/company/ofsted
www.youtube.com/ofstednews
www.slideshare.net/ofstednews
www.twitter.com/ofstednews
Fostering – an Ofsted perspective Slide 13