Ofsted Fostering Reports Medway Kent
Ofsted reportsThe Hazel Project is made up of two fostering organisations; Diverse Care and Xcel 2000, both of which have been rated “Outstanding” by Ofsted.
Diverse Care
December 2025
Outstanding
Overall experiences and progress of children and young people
Outstanding
How well children and young people are helped and protected
Outstanding
The effectiveness of leaders and managers
“Children are thriving and making excellent progress. Relationships between children and their foster parents are built on trust, and the belief that children can achieve and will excel in life. ”
“Foster parents have high aspirations for children in their care. They proactively and imaginatively support children to pursue new hobbies and participate in social engagements. One child said of their foster parents, ‘They help me have fun, enjoy myself, and have a lovely, amazing time.’”
“Children’s achievements and milestones are celebrated routinely, during weekly meetings and via a newsletter, as well as exceptionally, at events such as the awards ceremony. Those working within the organisation appreciate the significance of children’s triumphs because they understand the starting point for each child. ”
“Staff at this agency are committed to achieving stability and longevity for children. Children develop meaningful attachments within their fostering families and are supported to develop a sense of belonging. Children are meaningful participants in family life, such as participating in family holidays, choosing their own pets and taking on roles at family gatherings. Care offered to children by extended family members helps to solidify children’s identity as a valued member of the fostering household. ”
“Children willingly express their views and have various opportunities to voice their opinions to influence the care that they receive. Children’s feedback is actively used to guide the agency’s development. The innovative development of a child-friendly ‘quality of care’ report keeps children informed about how their views have made a difference and gives them an insight into how the agency operates. ”
Xcel 2000
November 2025
Outstanding
Overall experiences and progress of children and young people
Outstanding
How well children and young people are helped and protected
Outstanding
The effectiveness of leaders and managers
“Children receive exceptional care from warm and committed foster parents. The care that foster parents provide enables children to feel part of the family. Children speak positively about their experiences with their foster parents. One child said, ‘This is the best place that I have ever lived… we have all that we need.’ Children thrive and make exceptional progress. Their relationships with their foster parents are not limited to when they are living there; they extend to when they have moved away. This is an excellent demonstration of the family-like ethos of the organisation.”
“The progress of other children has been exceptional. This is due to the safety and stability created by their foster parents. This has manifested in their educational outcomes and social development, as well as their resilience in navigating major life events. Other children with little experience of school have made accelerated or above-expected progress in school.”
“A particular strength of the organisation is the education and engagement team. They provide a diverse range of support to foster parents and children to enable them to achieve their goals. Strong partnerships between this team and other professionals create ambition and high expectations.”
“Children and their foster parents receive opportunities that enable positive life chances. This includes training and development provided to foster parents that impact the way that they work with children. For example, the communication training that foster parents receive affects the way that they care for children, and impacts children’s life experiences.”
“Creating a nurturing community is a core aim of the organisation. It supports the retention of foster parents and staff and generates greater stability for children. Children’s participation is meaningful and innovative. They receive training in areas such as keeping themselves safe online and first aid. The youth forum creates opportunities to hear children’s views and respond effectively. There is involvement of children in the recruitment of staff and foster parents.”