Fostering agency has ‘significant shortfalls’

AN independent fostering service has been criticised for “widespread failures” that are putting the welfare of children and young people at risk.

Based in East Bridgford, Star Fostering Ltd was previously rated “good” by Ofsted, but now the Government organisation has a number of concerns about the service’s ability to safeguard children.

Following a full inspection from Monday, December 11, to Friday, December 15 last year, inspectors deemed the organisation to be inadequate in all key areas. This includes the overall experience of children and young people, how well they are helped and protected, and the effectiveness of leaders and managers.

The report points out “significant shortfalls” in the fostering agency. It states: “There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.”

Inspectors found the overall experience of children was mixed, with some making “good progress” and others not having their safety or wellbeing needs met. Similarly, some children had “long-term stability with their foster families” but others did not, and the agency did not currently record endings for why this is, meaning children could be unclear over why their placement ended.

Another concern addressed was how foster carers were supported to manage children’s cash safely if the children were in receipt of disability benefits, as the children’s records did not evidence this yet, and also did not show how the money was spent on their behalf. The report goes on to list a number of statutory requirements that must be carried out before March 15. These include the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of placed children, set out a procedure to be followed in the event of any allegation of abuse or neglect, and keep written records of allegations of abuse or neglect.

A spokesperson for Star Fostering said: “Ofsted undertook a monitoring visit on January 30 and were pleased with our progress and the Compliance Notices were then lifted on February 2 2024.”

However, this has not been confirmed by Ofsted, who cannot comment on reports until they are published on its website.