TACT East Midlands has been rated Outstanding by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted), for its work with foster carers and looked after children in the East Midlands. 

Outstanding is the highest judgement that an Ofsted inspection can bestow on an independent fostering agency. In summing up why TACT East Midlands deserved such an accolade Ofsted stated that it ‘provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions (of TACT) contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people.’

 Among the many elements of TACT East Midlands’ service that warranted high praise from Ofsted were:

• Children, some of whom have very complex needs, make exceptional progress because of the extremely high quality of individualised care and support provided by their foster carers.

A TACT care leaver said: ‘My foster carer didn’t just give me a place to live but she gave me a place in her heart. TACT and my foster carer were the main people who put me on the right path.’

• * Placement stability is a major strength, with nearly half of the current placements being of over two years’ duration.
• A real commitment to making the best matches is a significant factor in successful placements, and the rate of unplanned endings is low.
• Foster carers receive an excellent standard of support and access to relevant training. These are major contributory factors in the positive outcomes that children achieve. This includes access to a psychotherapist, the use of the children’s resource worker and highly committed and skilled supervising social workers.

One foster carer said: ‘They (TACT) are a brilliant bunch of people to work with. They return calls straight away. I never have to chase them. Our supervising social worker is brilliant. I cannot fault them.’

TACT CEO Andy Elvin said: “I am extremely proud that our East Midlands service was rated so highly, and I know that in terms of quality of provision it is the same story across the whole of TACT. It is brilliant that Ofsted has recognised the skill, commitment and expertise of our Outstanding East Midlands staff and of course our fantastic foster carers.”

TACT East Midlands has 65 fostering households and 97 children placed with its foster carers.  It is perpetually in need of more foster carers to provide safe and loving homes for children and young people in care. If you would like to find out about fostering with TACT please go to www.tactcare.org.uk or call 0330 123 2250.

*Placement refers to when a child or young person lives with a foster family.

 For more information, interviews etc. email Laura Luxton – TACT Communications Manager: [email protected] or call 07793580418.