Independent fostering agencies: what Ofsted inspects and the evidence that proves it

IFAs are inspected under the SCCIF against the Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and the National Minimum Standards. Here is what each judgement looks at and the records that carry the weight.

The framework in one paragraph

Independent fostering agencies (IFAs) are registered and inspected by Ofsted under the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 and the Fostering Services National Minimum Standards 2011, using the Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF). Inspectors make three judgements — the overall experiences and progress of children and young people, how well children and young people are helped and protected, and the effectiveness of leaders and managers — and an overall effectiveness grade. Full inspections normally happen every three years, with monitoring visits in between where concerns arise.

Judgement 1 — experiences and progress

Inspectors follow children's journeys from referral to placement. They want to see:

Matching that is more than availability — a written matching record for every placement weighing the child's needs against the carers' skills, household composition and any other children placed (Reg. 11 and NMS 15).
Placement plans and delegated authority agreed at the start of the placement, so carers can make everyday decisions (Care Planning Regulations 2010, Reg. 9).
Stability — disruption meetings held and learned from; unplanned endings analysed by the registered manager.
Children's voice — the children's guide given and understood, participation in reviews, and evidence that complaints and views changed something.
Education, health and identity — PEPs attended, health assessments up to date, contact arrangements supported, life-story work and cultural and religious needs met.

Judgement 2 — help and protection

This is where IFAs are most often marked down. The evidence inspectors test:

Safer caring plans for every household, reviewed after any incident and at the annual review (NMS 4).
Allegations against carers — an allegations log, LADO referral within one working day, carers supported and informed, outcomes recorded and the fostering panel notified where approval is reconsidered (NMS 22, Reg. 12).
Missing from care — return interviews offered, patterns analysed and shared with the placing authority.
Supervising social worker (SSW) visits at least every six weeks, including at least one unannounced visit a year, with written records that show challenge, not just support (NMS 21).
Safe recruitment of staff, panel members and carers: DBS, references, right to work and Schedule 1 checks evidenced on file.

Judgement 3 — leaders and managers

Inspectors judge whether the registered manager and responsible individual know their service:

Fostering panel and agency decision maker — panel quorate and independent (NMS 14, Regs 23–27), minutes that show challenge, and ADM decisions within seven working days of receiving the panel recommendation, with reasons recorded.
Form F assessments of quality, completed within statutory timescales and signed off by a qualified social worker.
Annual reviews of every carer, the first within a year of approval and presented to panel (Reg. 28).
Training, Support and Development (TSD) standards completed within 12 months of approval (18 months for family and friends carers) with a training needs analysis per household.
Quality assurance — the Reg. 35 quality of care review, case file audits, complaints analysis and the manager's monitoring report to the responsible individual.
Notifications — Schedule 7 events notified to Ofsted and the placing authority without delay.

The documents to have ready

| Area | Evidence inspectors ask for | |---|---| | Registration | Statement of Purpose, children's guide, registration certificate, insurance | | Carers | Carer register, Form F assessments, approval letters, annual reviews, safer caring plans, supervision records | | Panel | Terms of reference, central list, minutes, ADM decision letters, appeals and IRM records | | Children | Referrals, matching records, placement plans, delegated authority, PEPs, health records, review minutes | | Safeguarding | Allegations log, LADO correspondence, missing episodes, complaints, whistleblowing | | Leadership | Reg. 35 review, case file audits, training matrix, staff supervision, notifications log, development plan |

The Independent Fostering Agency Starter Policy Pack covers the core policies above and is included with every subscription; the Complete IFA Policy & Procedure Package adds panel, Form F, review and SSW frameworks ready to brand. Use the weekly checklist in your dashboard to keep the evidence trail live between inspections.