Our Family Placement and Family Link teams have been
rated as being "outstanding" following an Ofsted inspection in
February.
In the inspection categories of 'helping children to be
healthy', 'helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do',
'helping children make a positive contribution' and 'achieving
economic wellbeing' the teams were rated as being "outstanding",
showing that the service provided is of an exceptionally high
quality. In the area of 'protecting children from harm or
neglect and helping them stay safe' the provision is "good".
The inspector's report highlights that: "managers and staff of
the fostering service provide a high standard of care for looked
after young people. The health and well being of young people is
paramount and a commitment has been made to their educational and
social development and their preparation for independent
living."
The report highlighted in detail the work carried out by the
teams and the improvements made since the last inspection.
These include:
- The service developing a 'user friendly' health record for
young people to keep themselves.
- The service is more proactive in helping foster carers who
smoke to give up
- A mentoring service for newly appointed foster carers is now in
place
- An increase in administrative support for the service
North Somerset Council's Fostering Service recruits foster
carers to look after children living away from home on a respite,
short-term and long-term basis. Whilst the Family Link Scheme
recruits carers to offer short breaks for children with
disabilities who live at home.
There are 85 foster carers and 16 Family Link carers in North
Somerset.
For more information about the report and its findings please
download the Ofsed
North Somerset Fostering and Family Link
Inspection Report (pdf, Jan 08, 435KB).
Our Fostering
service recruits foster carers to care for children living away
from home on a respite, short-term and long-term basis.
Meanwhile, our
Family Link Scheme recruits carers to offer short breaks for
children with disabilities who live at home.
For more information about Family Link please contact our
Family Support
Team.
For more information about fostering please contact our
our Fostering Team
