The Thames Valley team from an independent fostering agency are celebrating after an Outstanding Ofsted inspection.
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 and young people are progressing with us and achieving fantastic outcomes.”
Among those giving children a home are Claudia Myrie, 38, and husband Denzel, 40, who have been foster parents with FCA Thames Valley since 2013.
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 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.”
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.
“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 that 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.
For more details, log on to: www.thefca.co.uk
