Diagrama’s Fostering agency won praise from Ofsted in an inspection earlier this year for offering a ‘child-centred service within nurturing placements, which promote individual needs’.
Ofsted found children were benefitting from good attachments, which enabled them to thrive and maximise their potential. The report said: “The agency offers a range of interventions to meet complex needs, including personalised therapeutic support. Children have good educational and health outcomes and they enjoy being part of a family.
Diagrama’s comprehensive support and training was also highlighted: “The agency provides a wide range of training and support to foster carers. Foster carers highlight they have ‘never had this much training’. They enjoy the flexibility of online training.”
The supervising social work team also won high praise, being described as ‘fantastic’ and ‘really supportive’. Foster carers told inspectors that it ‘makes a difference when you have someone who gets you’ and that they felt their supervising social workers were with them ‘step by step’.
The charity’s approach to safeguarding was singled out for comment for the extensive training offered to foster carers and staff. The report also noted: “Foster carers learn empathetic parenting which helps them think, feel, communicate and behave in a manner which helps children feel safe. The agency has a creative vision and model of care, which encompasses social pedagogy.”
Inspectors found Diagrama excelled in the range of therapeutic support services it provides for children. “This enables children to receive good health outcomes, which effectively meets their complex needs. Therapeutic interventions include systemic psychotherapy and undertaking assessments to inform future care planning. They benefit from tailored support and multi-disciplinary working with the children and adolescent mental health services.”
And external social workers described the care provided as ‘excellent’.
Fostering manager Catherine Moore said: “Fostering manager Catherine Moore said: “We are very pleased that our team has been recognised for the professional and caring service it provides. Diagrama's approach is one of transparency and partnership - we recognise foster carers are fellow professionals and work alongside them to give children and young people the best opportunities to fulfil their potential.
Chief executive David McGuire said: “We are very proud of our fostering team who have worked hard to develop the service since its transition. Our staff and foster carers have shown great dedication and have embraced the changes with enthusiasm. We look forward to developing the service further.”
Diagrama acquired the services from Cabrini Children’s Society in 2014 and the Fostering Foundation (London) in 2015.
Diagrama is now recruiting new foster carers. All carers are offered a comprehensive support package, receive generous allowance payments, 1:1 support, holiday cover and free access to therapeutic services. You can find out more about becoming a foster carer and what the role involves here.