Charity’s fostering and adult placement services found to be sector leading
The Care Inspectorate has published glowing new reports about a Scottish charity whose fostering and adult placement services have been hailed as ‘excellent’.
Kibble, a charity based in Scotland that supports at risk children and young people, has recently been named as one of the best leading charity’s to help support children in care.
Jim Gillespie, chief executive of Kibble
The organisations adult placement and fostering services have been graded ‘very good’ for how they support people’s wellbeing and ‘excellent’ for how the care and support is planned by the national body – the highest rank achievable in the Care Inspectorate’s assessment system. These grades were given following inspections that were carried out in November and December in 2023, when inspectors spoke with people using the services, as well as their families and friends alongside Kibble staff, caregivers, and external professionals.
A trauma informed model of care and highly individualised, responsive, and flexible support for caregivers and young people were amongst the highest praise of Kibble staff from the Care Inspectorate.
In addition, inspectors also claimed Kibble effectively drove improvements in its intensive fostering services (IFS) and adult placement services (APS), implementing robust processes and fully engaging young people in planning their own care.
One foster carer interviewed as part of the inspection said: ‘The children are asked and encouraged to be involved in everything that concerns them, their voice and opinions matter most of all.’
News of Kibble’s services being rated so highly has come amidst growing concerns that children in care in the UK are being placed miles away from their loved ones. Research that was published in 2023 highlighted that children feel more supported when they are placed in establishments that aren’t too far away from the neighbourhoods they grew up in. However, experts found that as of 31st March 2022, over 16,000 children were placed more than 20 miles from home.
Against this backdrop, the report further highlighted that the two Kibble services were excellent at developing innovative solutions to ensure children and young people could learn and achieve to their fullest potential while focusing on celebrating success to ensure outcomes-focused planning.
As well as this, additionally, the report on APS specifically praised Kibble’s continuing care with committed caregivers which enabled young people to develop key life skills for their future.
Kibble chief executive, Jim Gillespie, said: ‘It is testament to the hard work and dedication of our teams to have both Intensive Fostering Services and Adult Placement Services recognised as sector leading by the Care Inspectorate. The reports clearly demonstrate we have raised the standards of care and are providing continuity from early years to adulthood for optimal results.
‘We continue to invest in our services to further enhance our offering and to reach more families and young people across Scotland and beyond.’
Images: Jim Gillespie and Josue Michel
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