Quality Assurance
A dedicated team ensures that Next Step maintains its high quality of care for the children / young people we place, our carers and The Local Authority.
The Quality Assurance team promotes continuous improvement in all aspects of Next Step services. It ensures that we not only comply with National Standards - but we continue to exceed them.
It also acts as a source of information, advice and support for staff and carers across the agency and produces the Quality Care Reviews and undertakes specific work for the Next Step Management Team.
It is a team that sets our Action Plans and Business Plans and makes sure that they are understood by all staff and that they are regularly review and update all the Next Step policies and procedures ensuring that we are using best practice and current thinking.
It is the Quality Assurance team that responds to formal complaints and, where issues can't be resolved will endeavour to sort these out swiftly with all parties.
Finally, it's the job of the Quality Assurance team to liaise with The Office for Standards in Education, Department of Health, BAAF, Fostering Network and other external key stakeholders.
Next Step is the lead agency in Kent and Medway for all other agencies and represents these agencies on the following organisations, Ofsted National Stakeholders Group on behalf of Fostering network; Kent Teenage Pregnancy Partnership, Kent Safeguarding Board (sub Group) and as the chair of the Kent and Medway Forum of Independent Fostering Providers.
National Fostering Network Meetings
OFSTED Provider meetings
Pan London meetings
BAAF meetings
Liaison with Kent County Council
Liaison with Dfes on Out of Borough Placements
If you would like to view a Next Step Fostering inspection report, then click here. (LINK TO CSCI)