Outstanding: foster agency celebrates Oftsed’s top marks

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@rdg.today

THE Thames Valley team from an independent fostering agency are celebrating after an Outstanding Ofsted inspection.

Reading and thank our partners who have helped make this possible.”

The initiative is a partnership between Reading Basingstoke Community Rail Partnership, Reading Borough Council’s Safer Streets Council, Network Rail, and Great Western Railway.

The Reading Basingstoke Community Rail Partnership is a not-for-profit organisation which aims to promote the rail services and stations covering Reading, Reading West, Green Park, Mortimer, Bramley and Basingstoke and link communities with their local railway. It works to support rail travel by litter picking at stations, completing art and gardening projects, and undertaking community development projects, timetable liaisons, and transport policy development. n For more information, contact: lucy@hampshirecommunityrail. co.uk or call 0755 1781 711.

Foster Care Associates (FCA) received top marks in every area for the care it provides to the 61 children in its care.

It says the Ofsted inspector was particularly impressed with the agency’s commitment to understanding children’s cultural and ethnic needs and its respect for culture and diversity throughout the whole organisation.

The FCAs’ report read: “Children make excellent progress as a direct result of their foster care placements arranged by the agency. Foster carers have all the qualities needed to make a real difference to a child’s life through their commitment, resilience, empathy and understanding.”

Kate Knight, the registered manager at FCA Thames Valley, was thrilled with the verdict.

She said: “This inspection highlights the ambition and passion that our staff and foster parents have for our children and young people.

“We place our children at the centre of what we do and they are actively involved in shaping the services we offer with opportunities to give feedback at every stage.

“Our children are progressing with us and achieving fantastic outcomes.”

Among those giving children a home are Claudia Myrie, 38,

DELIGHTED: Claudia and Denzel Myrie have been fostering with FCA for many years, they’re thrilled with the Ofsted inspection can be difficult to get through but the whole team works hard to provide the best possible care for our children.

“To be outstanding you need to be genuine and make the people in your care your priority. There isn’t one rule for all. If you can treat people with kindness and love, everything else can be taught.” and husband Denzel, 40, who have been foster parents with FCA Thames Valley since 2013.

At the time of the report the Thames Valley agency was supporting a total of 61 children across 55 fostering households, but there are currently more than 80,000 children in care throughout the year, and that number is growing.

Claudia wants others to consider fostering.

“I think it’s important for people to realise that foster care could impact a family at any time,” she said.

“Children need care for all sorts of reasons. Their parents might be really unwell, or sadly have passed away or unable to look after them for a whole host of reasons.

They have one birth daughter, who is seven, and, for the last nine years, two foster sons who are now 15 and 19.

They also support a parent and child placement.

Claudia said: “It brings me so much pride to belong to an outstanding fostering agency like FCA. An Ofsted inspection

“If you think you could become a foster parent, then look into it, start having the conversations and remember that there are so many children out there who need you. You can really change someone’s life.”

It is estimated an additional 3,000 foster carers will need to be recruited year-on-year, for the next three years to accommodate the influx of children coming into care. n For more details, log on to: www.thefca.co.uk