Children flourish as Hemel fostering agency is rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted
A fostering agency which supports children and families in Hemel Hempstead has been judged as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.
ISP Fostering was inspected by Ofsted in February this year, improving on its last rating of ‘Good’ to achieve ‘Outstanding’ in all areas.
The report said the agency goes above and beyond for the children in its care and its team of foster parents in a number of ways, including nurturing their physical and emotional health, preparing children for the future and described the agency as ‘genuinely inclusive’.
Ofsted said: “Foster carers demonstrate exceptional acceptance, curiosity, and advocacy, consistently challenging discrimination and celebrating diversity… Ensuring that children feel safe, valued, and proud of who they are.”
Children at ISP are described by Ofsted as having ‘exceptionally positive experiences.’ Through participation groups the children are actively approached to give feedback, which directly impacts their care, through group activities and one-to-one conversations.
ISP promotes long-term homes for children with many living with their foster families permanently and some remaining in their homes post-18 in ‘staying put’ arrangements, where children continue living with their foster families despite being a legal adult.
Two young people cared for by ISP have progressed to university, something only 13 - 15 per cent of care-experienced young people do on average according to Universities UK, with Ofsted saying this: ‘reflects the agency’s commitment to their success.’
The report said: “Foster carers speak positively and fondly about the children, expressing pride in each child’s achievements. Children thrive in nurturing, stable and highly responsive homes where they feel genuinely valued, heard and respected.”
Ofsted rated the effectiveness of leaders and management as outstanding in its own right, the report described the agency’s leadership as ‘inspirational.’
Jane Partridge, registered manager at ISP Fostering since 2018, said: “This Ofsted report is such a brilliant read and celebrates so many attributes of our agency. It is wholly representative of the dedication and passion of our team of foster parents and professionals.
“Fostering is not easy to do, and it really does take a village to provide this level of support and care to our children and young people and to our foster parents, too.
“I am so proud of this judgement and to have so many areas of the work we do commended by Ofsted. We want fostering to be a positive experience for the whole family and have seen first-hand the incredible things we can achieve when we work together.”
At the time of the inspection, the agency had 49 fostering households caring for 47 children who were unable to stay with their own families.
According to latest statistics from the government there are 999 children in care in Hertfordshire.
ISP Fostering is a therapeutic agency which provides enhanced, trauma-informed care to children with complex needs. The agency is inviting anyone interested in fostering in Hemel Hempstead to get in touch for more information by visiting the website or calling 01494 792 999.