FCA South Western Team Celebrates Ofsted Outstanding

We’re proud to share that FCA South Western has been rated Outstanding by Ofsted following its latest inspection.

This incredible achievement reflects the dedication, compassion and hard work of our foster parents and staff across the region. It highlights the life-changing impact they are making every day – providing children and young people with the stability, care and support they need to make a difference in their life and for their future.

Children at the heart of everything

At FCA, children are at the centre of everything we do, and this was clearly recognised throughout the inspection. Ofsted noted that “children do exceptionally well” in the care of FCA South Western foster parents – a powerful reflection of the nurturing, consistent family environments they provide.

Foster parents were also praised for being “fierce advocates” for the children in their care, helping them feel safe, heard and supported as they rebuild their lives.

A therapeutic approach that makes a difference

FCA South Western’s therapeutic approach continues to be a key strength, with tailored support making a real and lasting impact.

Ofsted recognised this, highlighting that the support provided is “making a measurable difference to children’s outcomes.” One example included a sibling pair who, after arriving with a challenging relationship, have since developed a positive bond and been able to remain together.

The report also commended the role of therapeutic support, describing it as “invaluable in helping them develop practical, bespoke strategies that make a positive difference.”

Helping children to thrive

Foster parents across the region were recognised for the strong, trusting relationships they build with children, with Ofsted noting how they “quickly establish routines and boundaries to help them thrive.”

Karen and Wayne, who have been fostering with FCA South Western for five years, shared their experience:

“With FCA, you get a brilliant network of people around you, there’s always therapeutic support, and they’re always there when you need them. FCA really is a wonderful agency to work with.”

They also reflected on the impact fostering can have:

“We had a little girl placed with us, and it actually gives me goosebumps to talk about her journey. From the moment she arrived to when she left, she became a totally different little girl. Watching that transformation was just incredible.”

Children’s voices were also central to the report, with feedback including:

“She’s my rock” and “I can be me because of my foster parent.”

 

Strong leadership driving continued improvement

This Outstanding judgement marks a significant milestone for FCA South Western, following steady improvement over recent years – from ‘Requires Improvement’ in 2019, to ‘Good’ in 2023, and now ‘Outstanding’.

Leadership and management were also rated Outstanding, recognising the strength, vision and commitment of the team.

Registered Manager Naomi Pollard said:

“The power of foster care is an incredible thing which we are fortunate to see the positive effects of every day. All of our staff and foster parents should feel very proud of the work we’re doing to transform the lives of children and young people in the local area.”

She added:

“There are still lots of myths and misconceptions surrounding fostering, but we’re welcoming anyone interested in making a difference to children’s lives in the local area to please get in touch to find out more about the foster care journey.”

This Outstanding result is a testament to the strength of the FCA community – from foster parents to staff – all working together with a shared purpose: to give children the opportunity to feel safe, supported and valued.

We’re incredibly proud of everyone involved in FCA South Western and the difference they continue to make every day.

Interested in fostering?

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent with an Outstanding agency, we would love to hear from you.

Enquire now via our online form, or call 0800 023 4561 to speak to the team.

Together, we can continue changing children’s lives.

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FCA Eastern Celebrates Outstanding Ofsted Result Across All Areas

FCA Eastern is celebrating after receiving an Outstanding rating in all areas following its latest Ofsted inspection.

The report recognises the life-changing impact the team have on children and young people across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, praising the agency for providing long-term homes where children experience “love, belonging and stability.”

Ofsted noted:

“Living with foster parents has, in most cases, given the children much better life outcomes and, in some cases, has been life changing.”

This powerful endorsement reflects the dedication and support of FCA’s foster parents and staff, who work together to create safe, nurturing environments where children can recover from early trauma and begin to thrive.

Transforming children’s lives

The inspection report highlighted the profound difference foster families are making. One child who entered care unable to walk due to neglect is now able to walk thanks to the care, patience and encouragement of their foster parents.

Children’s voices were central to the inspection. One young person shared:

“I am happy that I will be living with them until I am an adult.”

The agency was also praised for its commitment to “staying put” arrangements, supporting young people to remain with their foster families beyond the age of 18 where appropriate – ensuring stability as they move into adulthood.

Another child spoke warmly about their experiences:

“We have had some lovely days out with the agency where we do lots of fun things, like wall climbing and holding reptiles. I have held a snake, that felt very weird, but it was great fun.”

A culture where children’s needs are ‘threaded through the agency’

Ofsted described how children’s needs are “threaded through the agency,” reflecting FCA Eastern’s deeply child-centred approach.

At a time when the UK faces a national shortage of nearly 7,000 foster parents, FCA Eastern has continued to grow its fostering community – carefully recruiting, training and supporting foster families to meet increasing local need.

Foster parents receive tailored, wrap-around support including:

  • Dedicated supervising social workers
  • Therapeutic guidance and reflective practice groups
  • Out-of-hours support
  • Ongoing specialist training

One foster parent said:

“I feel like my supervising social worker is in my corner no matter what and I trust her completely.”

Another shared:

“We can’t praise our supervising social worker enough – she is a lifeline.”

Strong leadership and therapeutic focus

Since the previous inspection, FCA Eastern has strengthened its leadership, with the registered manager driving continued improvement and embedding therapeutic approaches throughout the service.

Ofsted recognised this progress, noting the leadership team’s focus on supporting staff, foster parents and children in meaningful and sustainable ways.

Jo Alexander, Fostering Service Manager at FCA Eastern, said:

“Providing the right care for children who have often been through so much in their lives is a real team effort. I am incredibly proud of this result. Our foster parents and staff members are all amazing people who truly want to make a difference to the lives of children and we can hand-on-heart say that we are doing just that.

Fostering, when done properly, is a powerful tool which affects not just the young people in our care, but society as a whole too. Our goal is to show children and young people that just because they can’t live with their own families for whatever reason, they are still valued, appreciated, and loved and there is always a family willing to welcome them in as one of their own.”

 

Working together for local children

FCA Eastern works closely with local authorities across the region to ensure children receive the right care, at the right time, in the right home. Feedback from partner agencies was described by Ofsted as extremely positive.

At the time of the inspection, FCA Eastern was supporting 73 children across a range of placements, including emergency, short-term, long-term and parent-and-child fostering.

This Outstanding judgement reflects not only the professionalism of the service, but the warmth, nurture and community spirit that define FCA’s fostering families.

Interested in fostering?

If you live in Norfolk, Suffolk or Essex and are interested in becoming a foster parent with an Outstanding agency, FCA Eastern would love to hear from you.

Enquire now via our online form, or call 0800 023 4561 to speak to the team.

Together, we can continue changing children’s lives.

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