A therapeutic fostering agency in Essex has been awarded the highest possible rating in all three categories of its latest Ofsted inspection for their third consecutive inspection – cementing its reputation as one of the most successful therapeutic fostering providers in the country.
Mosaic Foster Care achieved Outstanding ratings for children’s experiences and progress, safeguarding, and leadership and management following a week-long inspection in January. The inspection report was finally published last month. This is the third triple outstanding rating the agency has received with previous inspections in 2022 and 2019. Only one other agency in England is believed to have achieved this record of Ofsted inspection success.
Inspectors praised the agency for providing “highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good”, helping children recover from trauma and build stable family lives.
The report highlights how children placed with Mosaic foster parents experience remarkable progress, often after multiple placement breakdowns before arriving at the Southend-on-Sea based agency.
Inspectors noted that many children remain with their foster parents long-term, with a high proportion continuing to live with their carers beyond the age of 18 through “staying put” arrangements – evidence of the deep bonds formed within families and an attention to outcomes over commercial gain.
A therapeutic model delivering stability
Founded by Andre Palmer, Mosaic Foster Care was created to provide a different kind of fostering service – one built around therapeutic support for both children and the families who care for them.
The agency’s in-house therapeutic team and specialist support workers form a central part of the model, ensuring foster parents receive immediate help when challenges arise rather than having to wait for access to NHS services.
Inspectors described the therapeutic approach as “central to the agency’s success”, highlighting the responsive support carers receive through regular consultation, reflective practice and specialist training.
Andre Palmer said the latest inspection reflects years of work building a culture focused on stability and long-term outcomes for children.
“We started Mosaic because we knew foster parents needed more support if they were going to help children recover from trauma and build stable lives.
This report confirms what we’ve always believed – when foster parents are properly supported, children in their care thrive.”
Foster parents at the heart of success
Ofsted also highlighted the strong relationships between Mosaic Foster Care staff and their foster parents, noting that carers consistently report feeling exceptionally well supported.
Because supervising social workers maintain smaller caseloads, they are able to build deep relationships with families and respond quickly when support is needed.
This approach has helped the agency achieve an exceptional placement stability rate of 95%, compared to a national average of 68%.
“Children experience stability, form trusting relationships and make progress that exceeds expectations,” inspectors wrote in the report.
Real families changing children’s lives
Behind the inspection outcome are the foster parents who provide homes for children who cannot live with their birth families.
Among them are:
Bev, a single foster parent who has transformed the life of a young person who had previously struggled to settle elsewhere. They remain with Bev age 20, in a staying put arrangement.
Alan, who began fostering at the age of 68, proving it is never too late to change a child’s life.
Thelma, who fosters alongside her son, creating a unique family environment for the child in their care.
Livvy, whose husband made the decision to leave work so the couple could foster together full-time.
Tracey, who has fostered 8 young people over 15 years
Their experiences highlight the diversity of people who become foster parents and the life-changing difference they can make.
Demand for foster parents remains critical
Despite the success of agencies like Mosaic, the UK continues to face a significant shortage of foster parents.
The agency is now encouraging more people across Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, North Kent and Worcestershire to consider fostering.
Andre Palmer said:
“The reality is that there are many more children who need stable homes than there are families available to provide them.
The incredible work our foster parents do every day shows what’s possible when the right support is in place.”
