BLACKPOOL COUNCIL
Action Plan for Fostering Service
In response to Commission for Social Care Inspection Report (June 2006)Statutory Requirements
No. /Reg
/Standard
/Required Actions
/ Actions to be Taken /Timescale
for Action
/By Whom
1. /42 (1)
and
Sch 7
/FS 4
/Blackpool Fostering Service must ensure that systems are in place to monitor matters outlined in Schedule 7 of the Regulations.
/ A system to monitor the occurrence of accidents, injuries and illnesses, unauthorised absences from Foster Carers’ home, medication, medical treatment and first aid administered and also any measure of control, restraint or discipline will be put in place. / 1/10/06 / Team Manager andSenior Practitioner of
Fostering Service
(CS and KF)
2. /
34 (3)
and
Sch 6
/FS 8
/Blackpool Fostering Service must ensure that foster placement agreements contain specific evidence to additional support needed to compensate for any gaps in matching.
/ A Review is being undertaken, to ensure that foster placement agreements contain clear expectations of the foster carers and how the assessed needs of the child will be met, including reference to elements of matchingto be taken into consideration and identify areas where foster carers may require additional support to compensate for any gaps in matching. / 1/10/06 / Service Manager,Assessment and
Commissioning and
Team Manger of the
Fostering Service
(IW and CS)
3 /
29
/Blackpool Fostering Service must ensure that all reviews of foster carers takes place at intervals of not more than one year.
/ Blackpool Council expect 100% of the foster carer reviews to have been completed on a minimum annual basis. Action has been taken to ensure that reviews are within timescales. / 1/10/06 / Team Manager of theFostering Service and
Senior Quality
Assurance Officer
(CS and JA)
Recommendations
No. /Reg
/Standard
/Recommendations
/ Actions to be Taken / Timescale for Action / By Whom1. /
FS 30
/The Inspectors support the Fostering Service’s intention to recruit and independent Chairperson for the Fostering Panel.
/ An independent Panel Chair has been identified and the appointment process is currently underway. / Appointmentcompleted by
January 2007 / Service Manager,
Provider Services
(DMc)
2. /
FS 6
/Blackpool Fostering Service should continue with plans to develop Foster Care Assessments.
/ Blackpool will continue with its plans to develop Foster Care Assessments, using a more evidence based and analytical approach. / July 2007 / Team Manager,Fostering Service
(CS)
3. /
FS 9
/ Blackpool Fostering Service should ensure that unannounced visits to foster homes are carried out annually. / A process to be established, to record unannounced visits to foster carers’ homes and enable the Registered Manager to monitor this. / Completed / Team Manager,Fostering Service
(CS)
4. /
FS 15
/ Blackpool Fostering Service should ensure that all checks are recorded when recruiting staff. / Procedures to be revised, to ensure that information as to why previous employment ended and the gaps in employment are more clearly recorded. / Mid-October 2006 / Team Manager,Fostering Service and
Senior HR Advisor
(CS and CS)
5. /
FS 16
/ Blackpool Fostering Service should continue with the implementation of policies and procedures for placements with independent fostering agencies. /A process and procedure to monitor the placements of children placed in Independent Fostering Agencies to be established, to enable managers to maintain an overview of such placements.
/ March 2007 / Team Manager,Fostering Service and
Service Manager,
Provider Services
(CS and DMc)
6. /
FS 16
/ Blackpool Fostering Service should consider the adequacy of administrative support. /An Audit of administration for Children’s Social Care was completed in May 2006. This Audit highlighted consistencies of administration support across the whole service, with the administration team as a whole providing cover and support for colleagues in individual teams. A further Audit is to be undertaken in approximately July 2007, following implementation of the ICS system which is due to take place in January 2007.
/ July 2007 / Quality AssuranceService Manager
(IC)
7. /
FS 17
/Blackpool Fostering Service should continue with plans to increase placement choice.
/ Blackpool is in the process of completing a Placement Strategy, aimed at identifying future placement needs and evidencing placement choice for children looked after. / Three yearStrategy.
Implementation
October 2006. / Assistant Director for
Targeted Services
Service Manager,
Provider Services and
Team Manager,
Fostering Service
(SS, DMc and CS)
8. /
FS20
/ Blackpool Fostering Service should continue with plans to develop a range of policies and procedures. / Policies on health promotion and administration of medication are being adapted. / March 2007 / Team Manager andSenior Practitioner of
Fostering Service
(CS and KF)
9. /
Blackpool Fostering Service should update their foster carer handbook in line with new policies and procedures.
/ Blackpool Fostering Service is currently undertaking a review of its Foster Carer Handbook to bring it in line with new policies and procedures. / March 2007 / Team Manager andSenior Practitioner of
Fostering Service
(CS and KF)
10. /
Blackpool Fostering Service should improve the recording of supervisory visits to foster carers, to include information for management monitoring and to reflect practice.
/ The pro-forma for visits to foster carers by supervisory worker adapted to include information to reflect the practice and to improve management monitoring. / Completed / Team Manager ofFostering Service
(CS)
11. / Blackpool Fostering Service should ensure that children’s case records contain full information, which is up to date. / Protocol between Provider Services and Commissioning & Assessment to be developed, to ensure that case records contain full and up-to-date information / March 2007 / Service Manager,
Provider Services and
Service Manager,
Assessment and
Commissioning
(DMc and IW)
12. / Blackpool Fostering Service should continue to develop the short break service. / Blackpool Council has taken a policy decision to further increase its Family Link Scheme to increase short break services to children with additional needs and their families. The Placement Strategy reflects this intention. / Three Year Plan / Assistant Director,
Targeted Services,
Service Manager,
Provider Services and
Team Manager,
Fostering Service
(SS, DMc and CS)
13. / Blackpool Fostering Service should address delays in decision making. / Blackpool Council is committed to supporting Residence Order applications where it is appropriate and does provide financial support to make this possible .The Authority will continue to endeavour to reduce the period of time taken to make these appropriate decisions. / Ongoing. / Assistant Director,
Targeted Services,
Service Manager
Assessment and
Commissioning
(SS and IW)
1