Upon our most recent Ofsted inspection Match Foster Care is absolutely delighted to have been rated as ‘Outstanding’!
Since opening in 2012, Match Foster Care has strived to support foster parents and the children entrusted in their care to the very best of our abilities. However, being formally recognised for our dedicated work as a team is something we are incredibly proud of.
We welcome potential foster parents based in the West Midlands who can help us maintain our excellent standards and who also share our core values to get in touch.
In the meantime, here is an overview of some of the October 2023 Ofsted inspection report findings.
A Summary Of Our 2023 Ofsted Report
An opening summary explaining the reasoning behind the inspector’s findings and overall ‘Outstanding’ rating was provided.
Summarising the overall feedback of Match Foster Care, the report stated: “The independent fostering agency provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the independent fostering agency contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people.”
One comment that was particularly appreciated by our team was that “children’s progress is at the heart of this agency”. For us, this statement resonates with the very reason that our founder, Carrie Marsh, originally set up Match Foster Care. So to have this formally recognised by Ofsted over a decade later shows that our core values are still very much apparent.
The positive sentiment was equally reflected when inspectors interacted with the children under our care, as the report stated: “Children develop safe and secure attachments with their foster families. This helps children to feel a sense of belonging. Throughout the inspection, the inspectors received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback from children about their experiences living with their foster carers.”
Looking at the work of our wider support team, such as our social workers, educational support workers, therapeutic support workers, and our registered nurse, there was some equally fantastic praise. This included stating that “the agency goes above and beyond to ensure that children’s health needs are met” and that “all children attend education and are making outstanding progress.” Furthermore, “the agency’s house therapeutic service provides a high level of support for the children and foster carers.” It added that “for one child, life-story work has been remarkable in supporting them to understand their journey into foster care. As a result, this child has a stronger sense of self and identity”.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Ofsted for their extremely kind praise of our team. Also to thank everyone from the Match Foster Care team for their individual efforts to provide the very best outcomes for the children and foster families that we work with.
How Can Match Foster Care Support Me As A Foster Parent?
With locations in Droitwich and Stoke, Match Foster Care provides foster care services across the West Midlands.
In particular, Match Foster Care specialises in the core areas of short-term fostering, long-term fostering, respite foster care, and fostering siblings.
We identify potential foster parent candidates through the fostering assessment process. This involves assessing the ability of the candidate to provide a stable home for the child based on their background, lifestyle, and overall personal attributes.
If accepted, the foster care training process helps foster parents become best-prepared for their role. Active foster parents are then given access to support workers, education workers, a registered nurse, and a therapeutic practitioner. All of this is there to provide additional resources as foster parents navigate the many challenges of their role.
Financial support is also provided to foster parents in the form of foster care payments and can be as much as £25,000 a year for looking after a teenager. The Foster Care Relief also provides a tax exemption of up to £18,140 per household.
Overall, throughout each area of training and support needed, Match Foster Care guides foster carers ensuring they feel fully equipped for what can be a demanding yet incredibly rewarding part to play in the lives of young people.
Please get in touch to find out more.
