Over three days, a team of four inspectors from the Health Information and Quality Authority met with our staff, our foster carers, and the children in our care. They reviewed files, sat in on meetings, visited homes, and asked the hard questions.
We are really pleased to share that Origins Foster Care was found to be fully compliant across all five standards assessed in this focused inspection, Standards 9, 10, 14, 17 and 19, covering safeguarding, child protection, foster carer assessment and approval, reviews, and management and governance.
What the inspection found
The inspectors noted a number of things that genuinely means a lot to us.
Children told inspectors they felt listened to. One child said simply, "people listen to me." That, more than any compliance judgment, is what we are here for. Another child described the link worker supporting her foster carers as the “best social worker…”.
Foster carers spoke openly and positively about their experiences , about feeling valued, supported, and part of a community. They described their link workers as responsive and knowledgeable and spoke about the importance of Origins caring not just about the children in care, but about their own families too. Origins Foster Care was described by one foster carer as “absolutely amazing” and this sentiment was echoed throughout inspector’s engagement with foster carers:
Referring to their link worker, one foster carer commented, “she is like part of the family” and “the kids love her”.
The inspection found that Origins Foster Care was committed to supporting foster carers and children in their care to be part of the wider foster care community. Foster carers described the service as warm, personable and supportive, noting that staff were attentive to their individual needs and that foster carers had developed positive relationships with their link workers. Foster carers told inspectors that Origins Foster Care demonstrated appreciation for their role by acknowledging important times of the year and making efforts to show that they were valued through events such as ‘Appreciation Day’.
Foster carers told inspectors about the online support groups they can avail of, as well as meet ups with other foster carers, summer events and coffee mornings, all which lead to a sense of feeling a part of a wider fostering community. Foster carers also spoke of being involved with an advocacy service for supporting all foster carers. Their involvement with this service, highlighted for foster carers the quality of support they receive from Origins Foster Care
Professionals spoken to by inspectors commended Origins Foster Care service on their excellent communication and the firm relationships which link workers build with carers and the children. One professional commenting “she knows them like her own family”.
Inspectors found that our safeguarding systems were robust and embedded throughout the service, not just ticked boxes, but genuinely woven into how we make decisions day to day.
The assessment reports prepared for the foster care committee were described as comprehensive and of a high standard. Foster carers who had been through the assessment process themselves described it as thorough but positive, which matters to us, because we want people to feel respected throughout that process.
Reviews of foster carers were found to be timely and well-prepared, with strong administrative support systems in place. And our governance arrangements, the oversight structures, auditing, supervision, and strategic planning were found to be clear and effective.
A word of thanks
None of this happens without the people who make up Origins Foster Care. To our foster carers, thank you. You open your homes and your hearts, often in complex and demanding circumstances. The inspectors saw the commitment you bring, and so do we, every single day.
To our link workers, team leaders, and administrative staff, this inspection reflects your work. The relationships you build, the records you keep, the calls you make at 9pm when a foster carer needs support ,it all matters.
And to the children who spoke with inspectors, thank you for your honesty and your trust.
We know there is always more to learn and always room to grow. We will keep asking ourselves where we can do better. But for now, we are proud of what this inspection reflects, a service that genuinely puts children first, and the people who make that possible every day.
The full HIQA inspection report is publicly available here and on the HIQA website.
Reach out for any questions and enquiries. A member of our fostering team will get back to you as soon as possible.
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