Fostering Service is excellent say inspectors

EAST Sussex County Council's Fostering Service has been given a glowing report from the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

The findings of the Commission's inspection were reported to a recent meeting of the County Council's Corporate Parenting Panel. The service was inspected against the Government's vision for children's services, Every Child Matters, and the key outcomes expected from that framework.

In four of the categories the service was judged to be performing excellently and in the fifth area examined it was judged to be good. In the closer examination of aspects of the service, including its management, staff, and support for carers and young people, the service was in most cases assessed to be exceeding required standards.

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The inspectors also praised the Fostering Service's excellent positive partnership with the East Sussex Foster Care Association.

Cllr Meg Stroude, Lead Cabinet Member for Children and Families said: "I am delighted with the findings of this inspection and really pleased for everyone involved in our Fostering Service. We have a professional,committed and highly effective fostering service and these findings reflect that. "Of course we are never complacent and are always identifying areas to improve and the inspection has helped to highlight some areas where we can do even better."

The Every Child Matters outcomes against which the service was judged are: Being healthy; Staying safe, Enjoying and achieving, Making a Contribution, and Achieving economic well-being. These are outcomes which are considered essential to well-being in childhood and later life.

The assessment was how well the service was performing in relation to young people and its foster carers across those outcomes. In its conclusion the CSCI found that the service was providing a high standard of provision and it had also taken action to address recommendations for improvement which were highlighted in the previous report from November 2005.