How are foster care agencies monitored after registration?

After registration, a foster care agency is monitored through Ofsted inspections, regulatory information and the agency’s own systems for reviewing practice. The purpose is to check that the service continues to protect children, support foster carers effectively and meet the requirements that apply to registered fostering services.

Ofsted inspections

Ofsted inspectors examine how the agency operates in practice rather than relying only on its registration documents. They may review policies, case records, training records, supervision notes, complaints, allegations, notifications and evidence of management oversight. Inspectors can also speak with foster carers, staff, managers, children and young people, and other professionals involved with placements.

The inspection focuses on the experiences and outcomes of children. This includes whether children are placed safely, listened to and supported, whether their needs are understood, and whether the agency responds properly when circumstances change. Inspectors also consider whether carers receive suitable preparation, supervision, advice and ongoing training to carry out their role.

Inspections may be scheduled as part of Ofsted’s regulatory activity or prompted by information suggesting that a service needs closer examination. The scope can vary depending on the agency’s circumstances and any concerns identified. An inspection is not simply an assessment of paperwork: inspectors compare the agency’s stated procedures with what carers, children and professionals say happens in day-to-day practice.

Information considered between inspections

Ofsted can take account of information received between formal inspections. This may include notifications about serious incidents, allegations or significant changes, concerns raised through complaints, information from placing authorities and evidence about the agency’s management. The regulator may ask for further information, contact the agency or carry out additional regulatory activity where the information indicates a possible risk.

This means monitoring is ongoing rather than limited to the day an inspector visits. An agency should be able to identify concerns promptly, record what happened, take protective action where necessary and show how it learned from the event. Repeated problems, weak records or a failure to act can indicate that the agency is not managing risk effectively.

The agency’s internal monitoring duties

A registered fostering service is expected to monitor its own performance. Its managers should review the quality of placements, the support provided to carers, training needs, complaints, allegations, safeguarding issues and whether children’s plans are being followed. Regular supervision and foster carer reviews are important parts of this process.

Internal monitoring should lead to action, not just a collection of statistics. For example, an agency may identify a need for additional training, change a procedure, increase management oversight of a placement or reconsider whether a proposed match is suitable. Records should show the decision made, who was responsible for it and whether the action improved practice.

Inspection judgements and enforcement

Following an inspection, Ofsted produces a report and reaches a judgement about the quality of the fostering service. The report explains the evidence considered, strengths or weaknesses identified and any action required. A published report can therefore help prospective foster carers understand how an agency has been assessed, although it should be read alongside the agency’s current information and your own discussions with its staff.

If Ofsted identifies concerns, it can require the agency to make improvements and may monitor whether those improvements are completed. More serious or continuing failures can lead to regulatory action, which may restrict the agency’s operation or affect its registration. The response depends on the nature and seriousness of the risk, the evidence available and whether the agency acts effectively to resolve the problem.

What prospective foster carers can ask

When comparing agencies, ask:

• What was the outcome of the agency’s most recent Ofsted inspection?
• What improvements, if any, were identified, and what has changed since the report?
• How are complaints, allegations and serious incidents recorded, investigated and reviewed?
• How will a foster carer be informed and supported if a concern affects their household or placement?
• How does the agency use feedback from foster carers, children and placing authorities?
• How are training, supervision and foster carer reviews used to identify support needs?

A responsible agency should be able to explain its monitoring arrangements clearly and distinguish between the regulator’s independent oversight and its own internal quality assurance. Ofsted’s report is an important source of evidence, but a prospective carer should also ask how the agency applies its procedures in current placements and how it responds when practice falls short.