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Polaris Quality Report

2025

Contents Introduction by CEO and CFO

Our Community

2025 in numbers

Polaris Schools

Supporting our newly approved foster parents 18 Our Quality Outcomes

2025 news stoires

Polaris Apprenticeships

Research and Innovation

Social Values

Our Strategy for 2026

Introduction by CEO and CFO

Jo August - CEO I am delighted to share our latest Annual Quality Report, reflecting on what has been another positive year for our community. At the very heart of everything we do is a shared ambition-to ensure every child and young person in our care is supported to reach their full potential. This continues to guide us in all that we do, as we build on the strong foundations established in previous years. In 2025, we have continued to grow and develop our services to support more children and young people, while maintaining our unwavering focus on quality. We have expanded our education provision with the opening of two new Polaris Schools, with further schools planned for 2026. This growth allows us to extend access to high-quality education and provide more opportunities for children to thrive within our community. We have also strengthened our fostering services through the introduction of our City & Guilds approved Prepare to Foster programme. This ensures that our foster parents are equipped with the skills, knowledge and confidence to provide the very best care and support to the children and young people we look after. We remain ambitious for our children, staff and services and we are proud to continue leading the sector in terms of quality. Our inspection outcomes once again reflect this, with several services achieving Outstanding judgements, both for the first time and consecutively.

During the year, we also took further steps to raise awareness of fostering through the launch of our Let’s Talk About Fostering podcast. By sharing real-life experiences and honest conversations, we are helping to challenge misconceptions and shine a light on the incredible impact of foster care. Alongside this, we have continued to prioritise research and innovation, ensuring we listen, learn and evolve so that we can continually improve the support we provide. I am exceptionally proud to be part of a community made up of such dedicated and passionate staff, foster and adoptive parents, and colleagues. Your commitment to making a difference in the lives of children and young people is evident every day and remains the driving force behind everything we achieve. 2025 has been a year of growth, achievement and innovation, laying strong foundations for what promises to be a very positive 2026. As we look ahead, we will continue to be ambitious for our children, young people and ourselves, striving to further enhance our services and deliver the very best outcomes for every child and young person in our care.

“I am exceptionally proud to be part of a community made up of such dedicated and passionate staff, foster and adoptive parents, and colleagues.”

Introduction by CEO and CFO

Jonathan Clark - CFO Our fundamental aim is to ensure that every child and young person we support has the stability, nurture and opportunities they need to grow, develop, and achieve a positive future. At Polaris, we combine genuine compassion with a clear focus on impact, and this report reflects both that ambition and the difference it continues to make. In 2025, we have seen this approach borne out in the achievements of our young people. As of 31st December, 94% of our 16–18-year-olds across fostering, residential, and supported living were in education, employment, or training (EET). Against a national picture in which care-experienced young people are around three times more likely than their peers to be out of education, employment or training, this is an outstanding result, and one that reflects the consistent support, encouragement and ambition of the foster parents and colleagues who work tirelessly to help our young people succeed. We are equally focused on our wider impact . Our commitment to social value keeps us true to our purpose, recognising the positive emotional, environmental, and economic contribution we make to the children, families and communities we serve. This shapes not only how we deliver our services today, but how we continue to grow and develop as a community. Investing in our people is central to that. This year we reached an important milestone becoming an approved apprenticeship training provider through the Government’s Apprenticeship

Provider and Assessment Register. This allows us to deliver high-quality, in-house training that reflects our values and standards, while supporting the continued development of our dedicated workforce. Every day, I see the dedication and passion of our foster parents, staff and colleagues, and the difference they make to the lives of children and young people. This report captures just some of those achievements and, just as importantly, our ambition to do even more in the year ahead.

“At Polaris, we combine genuine compassion with a clear focus on impact, and this report reflects both that ambition and the difference it continues to make.” 5

Our Community

Our Community As one of the largest providers of children’s services and the very first provider of independent fostering in the UK, our community of services span the length and breadth of the whole of the UK. We provide an extensive range of children’s services, which have grown and developed over our 30+ year history to ensure we can support children across a wide range of needs. By combining our community’s wide scale of services, as well as our local links, we’re transforming the future of children and children’s services.

To achieve our ambition, we want to revolutionise the sector and ensure all children have an equal chance in life. Collectively, we offer children and young people a vital sense of belonging, safety and selfworth; allowing them to enjoy today, whilst preparing them for success in later life.

In 2025, the following organisations formed part of the Polaris Community:

Our Community

2025 in numbers

2025 has been a year of growth and impact at the Polaris Community.

Here’s a snapshot of some of the key figures that define our journey and achievements this year:

We had

In December 2025, there were

We had

1692 people working for the Polaris Community

Polaris schools offering a high quality education to pupils We had

Children’s homes

children were placed for adoption by our adoption agency, Adopters for Adoption in 2025

124

Children living in a Polaris Children’s home

We had

young people living in one of our LCS Homes

2025 in numbers

Across the community, we raised

£26,668.80 for various charities

3491

455

children were receiving an education at a Polaris School

children living in our fostering homes

We ended 2025 with

Our retention figures for foster parents this year was

foster families

Significantly better than the national average

2,675

87.4%

Polaris Schools

polaris schools

Polaris Schools

In 2025, we opened 2 new Polaris Schools. The exciting addition of these schools now means that we have 13 schools opened with a further 3 awaiting registration. We have plans to continually grow our education provision over the next few years, allowing more children to receive a high quality education.

Martha H School in Wigan officially opened its doors to pupils in September this year. Named in honour of Wigan’s trailblazing first female councillor, Martha Hogg, our new school offers a nurturing, inclusive space for young people aged 5–18 with autism and/or social, emotional, and mental health needs. The newly refurbished school building includes: • Sensory garden • Cosy reading nooks • Creative classrooms • Outdoor learning & forest school

In February, Barraclough Hall School in Huddersfield welcomed their new pupils. The former Bryan Wood Care Home has been transformed into a state of the art, therapeutic learning environment. Named after Lucy Barraclough, a pioneering sportswoman and advocate for women’s football, Barraclough Hall can accommodate up to 40 children aged 5-18. The school features: • Outdoor learning areas including a forest school and a courtyard sensory garden • A bike shelter to ease congestion in the area • Themed calm spaces

COSMICSchools Polaris

COSMIC At Polaris schools, we use the COSMIC model – a relational and trauma-informed approach to supporting children with social, emotional and mental health needs, neurodivergence, developmental trauma, and other complex experiences. We understand the children we support often struggle with connection, communication, and relationships, which can negatively impact their learning and life chances. Our comprehensive approach equips both staff and students with the necessary skills, knowledge, tools and practices to foster connection, communication, and growth within a nurturing and inclusive school environment.

This approach helps create a strong sense of belonging, safety, and self-worth, supporting each child not just academically, but emotionally and socially too. 12

Polaris Schools

COSMIC is underpinned by; •

•

Child Centred Framework; Placing the child at the core of all our efforts. By understanding and nurturing each child’s unique inner world, constellation of relationships and psychological development, we help them build a strong sense of self-worth and identity Understanding and Responding to Needs; Dedicated to deeply understanding the unique needs, behaviours, and challenges faced by each child Integrated Communication and Emotional Support; Inclusive communication with approaches such as Language that Cares, recognising that all behaviour is communication Holistic and Inclusive School Culture; A whole-community approach that creates a nurturing and inclusive school culture. Our environment is designed to make every child feel valued, supported, and secure. Expert-Led and Trauma Informed Practice; Developed by our Head of Therapy is grounded in expert-led, trauma-informed practice. Our team of specialists, including psychotherapists, psychologists, and speech and language therapists, provide ongoing training and support to our staff.

What makes COSMIC unique? •

It recognises that trust and connection must be built intentionally, not assumed.

•

It supports staff to meet children where they are, adapting relationally and developmentally.

•

It equips staff with practical tools, language and strategies from psychology, therapy and education.

•

It focuses on nurturing existing relationships rather than introducing multiple new professionals.

•

It helps make the invisible work of building relationships visible, conscious and purposeful.

COSMIC also supports staff to: •

Develop their own relational awareness and reflective capacity.

•

Consider the child in the context of their ‘constellation’ of relationships – their personal COSMOS.

•

Understand how each child’s environment impacts the way they learn, relate, and grow.

•

Polaris Schools COSMIC

A young person in Apple Orchard School had been out of education for 18 months before joining the school. With the right support and guidance, they have now gone on to attain 6 qualifications!

Due to the dedicated effort of staff members at ISP Whistable school attendance has improved to 93%. A large part of this is due to the effort made to have and maintain good working relationships with parents and foster parents

“On our first ever viewing at ISP school, we was greeted by Mr Rumble, he was kind, gentle and most importantly focused on P’s interests and immediately P felt at ease and made conversation with him which we didn’t do at any other school. P has high complex emotional and physical needs and very high trauma and ASD/ADHD. Myself and most importantly P felt safe all the staff members made us feel extremely welcome. It has been the first time that P has felt wanted in a school environment It has been the first time that P has wanted to go to school and managing full day school days. Although P still shows and displays these behaviours he is slowly learning strategies from the support from this school. As a carer who cares for a child with high disability, to have finally found a school that does not judge, does not make you feel bad but actually supports you and most importantly supports P. The communication is excellent. I have generally given up on the school system and how they are failing children, however the ISP school has given me hope and has been outstanding in their practice. In all honesty, this school has changed mine and P’s life. We will forever be grateful, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.” - A letter from a parent whose child attends ISP Whistable. 14

Polaris Schools

“After I dropped J into school this morning I saw J with his class friends and TA out on the swing/ playing field. He looked so happy, running around, swinging on the swing, I could tell from his body language how relaxed and content he was. It was so lovely to see. Then when i collected him this afternoon firstly I saw him with his class friend at the window.. huge smile, waving at me, then his TA popped out as J had asked her to ask me how much longer had he to stay. He actually wanted to make sure he had a few more minutes left to stay at school. It makes my heart so happy knowing that he’s at such an amazing school who obviously care and support him exactly how he needs to be cared for and supported. His happiness, his smile, the way he walks in every morning with no tears. With all the struggles we have at home and with day to day life with J it’s so nice to have this one made a little easier for both J and us as a family. We as a family and especially J feel extremely lucky and grateful that he belongs to Selwyn Hall.” - An email from a parent whose child attends Selwyn School

This year, Easthorpe school have introduced targeted attendance systems to support improved engagement. This is working well and Individual pupils are achieving attendance of 96.3%. “He is thriving and in the best place for him.” -A parent whose child attends Easthorpe

“Since coming to ISP School, I have been given many opportunities to succeed and improve my skills. The staff have helped me at my own pace and shown me new strategies. The staff have been patient and understanding and helped me to achieve my goals.” -A Pupil at ISP Teynham

“We viewed many schools but none felt quite like this school” 15

Polaris Schools

Polaris Community also provides an impartial Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) that aims to make a positive and lasting difference for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) and their parents and carers. We do this by providing timely confidential, impartial information, advice and support through our online resources, at events and workshops, via our helpline service and through individual casework. This service makes a huge difference to families trying to navigate the complex system.

PolarisCOSMIC Schools

“You made a huge difference to every stage of my son’s journey; without your advice I would be unaware of what was on offer. I have been able to educate my sons school to what he is able to access. Your team have been a lifeline in a stressful and worrying time”.

“I always appreciate the way your team are able to breakdown complex information and deliver it in an informative and comprehensive way”.

“SENDIASS has been a great source of support. Very prompt and professional. I left an initial message not knowing what to expect but desperate for help and was contacted almost straight away and given an appointment for the following week. SENDIASS has been amazing in a time where I am very anxious about my son’s future and unable to cope at times with the task ahead in terms of securing my son’s EHCP. You have been raising the EHCP issues with the relevant authorities on my behalf, have explained the process to me and listened and captured what I need to communicate. You have given me a lot of information and advice and continues to support me in the appeal process and has diligently kept me informed. You are calm, reassuring and extremely knowledgeable and I feel that I am in very good hands. I am very grateful for SENDIASS continuous support at a time where I am not able to advocate for my son due to crippling anxiety brought on by uncertainty, but I am getting better and stronger and can see the light at the end of the tunnel”.

Supporting our newly approved foster parents

Supporting our newly approved foster parents At Polaris, we recognise that foster parents are at the very heart of what we do. This year, our new and refreshed City and Guilds approved Prepare to Foster course became fully embedded across all our fostering services. The new course provides foster parents with the skills and knowledge to be able to offer high quality care to the children and young people we support.

228 participants have either received or are on their way to earning City & Guilds certification for taking part in our newly refreshed Prepare to Foster course

274 staff members completed the ‘Train-the-Trainer’ course, across teams such as fostering, participation, administration, recruitment, and referrals.

Supporting our newly approved foster parents

“I just feel honoured that I’ve been able to enjoy my first ever few months of the fostering journey with Fostering People. You guys have been awesome from the first phone call until now. I look forward to many more years with you guys. Thank you so much for everything. You guys really do rock.”

“An amazing process from start to finish I felt really set up and supported and loving our fostering journey so far!” “Thank you for your ongoing support! We can’t imagine fostering with anybody else. The team are able to balance professionalism with love and support for their families. You are all SO friendly which makes any interaction an enjoyable one. Thank you.”

I really liked it and found it incredibly useful. It was well timed - early in the assessment process - and was a great platform to be taught and to ask questions. I liked it a lot. I really liked it and found it incredibly useful. It was well timed - early in the assessment process - and was a great platform to be taught and to ask questions. I liked it a lot.

“The whole process from our first enquiry to panel was brilliant, everyone’s professionalism and kindness has been outstanding. We feel very supported as new qualified carers. I feel confident in asking for help if required or pointed in the right direction.”

“Prepare to Foster is not only supporting new foster parents, it’s equipping them with confidence, therapeutic insight, and relationship-based tools that make a difference to the children and young people we support.”

Our Quality Outcomes

Our Quality Outcomes This year we continue to lead the sector in terms of quality. Polaris community inspection outcomes are, once again, most favourable in comparison from a quality perspective.

Quality Outcomes Comparison to Market Polaris Regulated services 11

Market Regulated services 17

136

2424

5656

599 Outstanding Outstanding

Good Good

Requires Requires Improvement Improvement

Outstanding

Good

Requires Improvement

Inadequete

Currently, 30% of our services are rated Outstanding and 100% of schools and fostering agencies ‘Good’, ‘Outstanding’ or equivalent. In 2025, several of our services achieved outstanding, some for the very first time, and others for consecutive years, 20

Our Quality Outcomes

Congratulations to Alison Capp and everyone at ISP Teynham who received its second consecutive Outstanding rating from Ofsted. The report commended them on placement stability and keeping children and young people with foster families long term and creating an environment which allows ‘everyone to thrive and develop’ as well as supporting teenagers’ transition to adulthood and independence.

A huge congratulations to Melanie Murphy and the entire FCA Yorks & Lincs team who achieved ‘Outstanding’ in all areas with inspectors praising the agency’s strong support for foster families and the sense of belonging children feel.

Congratulations to Kate Knight and the team at FCA Thames Valley team who celebrated its second consecutive Outstanding rating from Ofsted who commended the team on making children’s participation a ‘high priority for all’ and ensuring all children’s voices are heard.

Our Quality Outcomes

Following their very first Ofsted Inspection this year, Hayley Haughton and the team at ISP Midlands were rated Outstanding. This fantastic result is a testament to the dedication, compassion and commitment of the whole fostering community at ISP Midlands– from team members and foster parents, to the children and young people.

Huge congratulations to the team at Dove Denby House who also received an Outstanding outcome in 2025. The inspection highlighted how the children are thriving because of the consistently high quality care that they receive.

Dove House also received an outstanding rating this year. The report said “Children benefit from being cared for by staff who are committed, child centred and demand the very best for children. Staff provide exceptional care to children in a warm and nurturing environment. Children continue to flourish, be confident and make excellent progress. Well done all!

Our Quality Outcomes

Massive congratulations to Heather Sheridan and the Orange Grove North West team who achieved a fourth consecutive ‘Outstanding’ rating in 2025, clearly evidencing the consistently high level of care provided. Inspectors found that children are happy, settled and thriving, highlighting the warm, trusted relationships they build with their foster parents describing the care as “impressive”.

Following their first Ofsted inspection since becoming a regulated service, Leaving Care Solutions have achieved the highest possible rating - Grade 1. Over three days, inspectors visited three regions, meeting with staff, young people, and leadership. Throughout the inspection, they observed how the LCS team are deeply committed, exceptionally skilled, and unwavering in their dedication to the young people we support. Huge congratulations to Josh Williamson and the entire LCS team. Congratulations to Sarah Green Plumb and all the team at FCA Eastern who received an Outstanding judgement following their inspection in December. The report said “The strong bonds built ensure that the children become core members of the family. Children develop a strong sense of stability, love and belonging. Foster parents speak warmly about children with love and care. They consistently provide children with experiences that enhance their lives. Living with their foster parents has, in most cases, given children much better life outcomes and, in some cases, has been life changing”

Our Quality Outcomes

Children in care say they “love life now” as FCA North East were also rated Ofsted Outstanding this year. The team, led by Catherine Todd, were commended by Ofsted for ‘helping children to settle, build trusted relationships with their foster families and feel loved and cared for’. One child said: “Life is amazing right now because I feel loved,” and another said “when I moved into care, yes, it was devastating. I always felt sad and angry. I moved to live with [foster parents]. Now I love life.”

Congratulations to Bayview Thortindale who received their third consecutive outstanding rating this year. The inspector praised the home for careful planning for children, supporting children with their health and education and promoting independence. bay view childcare every child matters

“The children are happy and safe in the home and enjoy spending time with the manager. staff team. The children are protected by a highly trained, knowledgeable and competent. Staff implement clear boundaries, routines and structure to create a space for the children to feel emotionally safe.”

Our Quality Outcomes

Dove Barwick House also received their third consecutive outstanding rating in 2025. The inspectors spoke positively about thoughtful planning, the unwavering support of staff, their commitment to the children they care for and their work with birth families. One parent said, ‘Staff have been amazing, it has been a home-from-home. They stuck with us, and our relationship and bond will continue.’

Dove Pennine View received their fourth consecutive outstanding rating with inspectors praising the atmosphere in the home, how valued and appreciated young people feel and how the views and wishes of children are of ‘paramount importance’. Children live in a home that is full of laughter and positivity. They have strong, trusting relationships with staff. This helps children to continue to make exceptional progress in every area of their lives. All children were spoken to during this inspection. Children flourish and enjoy living in this home. Spending quality time with children is a priority for staff, who show a genuine interest in the children’s day. One child said, ‘There is nothing they could do better.’

2025 news stoires

2025 news stories Sharing real-life stories from across our fostering agencies is a brilliant way to raise the profile of not just our community, but fostering as a whole. In 2025, Let’s Talk About Fostering - the brand-new podcast from Polaris - was launched to do exactly this. Most foster parents and staff will tell you that until you work in fostering or foster for yourself, the realities of fostering remain a mystery! So, the podcast aims to bust open common myths and misconceptions and shine a light on the real power of and people behind foster care. The first season is now well underway, and has welcomed guests including CEO Jo August, care-experienced staff members like Jess from FCA Thames Valley and Nikita from ACS and foster parents from across our community. It covers themes like ‘could I foster?’, ‘fostering as a man’, and ‘it takes a village’, with lots more insightful conversations on the way. Every story shared is another direct line into the power of fostering from the people who live and breathe it everyday. Please watch and listen on YouTube, Spotify, Apple and Amazon, and share it far and wide. Happy listening!

Congratulations to Amanda and David Eyeington from Orange Grove Three Shires who won Foster Parents of the Year award at the National Children and Young People Awards 2025. A very well-deserved award for an exceptional couple.

2025 news stoires

This year, we had some surprise new residents in one of our Area Camden homes. The children and staff loved watching them hatch and waddle around safely under their mother’s watchful eye, and even set them up a paddling pool for them to enjoy. It was a beautiful reminder of the joy and wonder nature can bring right to their doorstep!

In July, at a ceremony in Episkopi, BFSWS Cyprus announced the 2025 Young Stars Award winners. The event recognised and celebrated the outstanding contributions and accomplishments of our young individuals within British Forces Cyprus. During the afternoon guests heard some fabulous citations about our nominees. All aged under 18, they were recognised for going above and beyond to achieve for themselves, to help others, or to make a significant difference to the community they live in. We heard about young people who have defied the odds, made that extra effort, or made a difference.

In 2025, our Selwyn school opened its much-anticipated trim trail. This bought much excitement and delight to all of our young people; from watching it being built through to completion and the grand opening which saw young people flock to use it. This has helped children immensely for various reasons including: improving motor skills, collaboration, regulation and most importantly….fun!

We’re proud to announce that, in 2025, Polaris Community has successfully completed the latest assessment of our ISO 9001:2015 certification. This marks the eighth assessment we have completed, demonstrating the consistently high standards and quality at which we operate.

Head of Service for BFSWS Cyprus explained,

“Our mission is to make a positive and lasting difference to children, families and adults in the military communities we serve. And we hope that the Young Star Awards go a little way to helping us achieve that goal.’

2025 news stoires

One of our young people, Brooklyn, received a personal letter from the great Sir David Attenborough following his superb efforts with raising money for the RSPCA in 2025. He raised a total of £167 through a raffle and cake sale for this great cause.

Adopting one child can be life-changing, but one dedicated couple began their journey with Adopters for Adoption back in 2017 and went on to adopt three brothers, determined to keep siblings together. When the opportunity arose to also adopt the boys’ twin brothers, they didn’t hesitate, growing their family to five young children, all under the age of 7. As their family expanded, so did the practical challenges of space and transport. With the perseverance of the parents and the support of their Adopters for Adoption social worker, they were able to secure the additional help they needed to move into a larger home and were able to secure funding for a larger vehicle so they are now able to travel together, as a family. The move has been transformational for everyone, especially their eldest son, who is proud to have a bedroom of his own and the reassurance of knowing he truly belongs. It’s a powerful example of the difference commitment, advocacy and the right support can make in keeping siblings together and helping children thrive.

Headway Adolescence Resources hosted their very own Summer Festival, in memory of their much loved team leader Libby who passed away in December 2024. To continue to keep Libby’s memory and personality alive, they gathered the whole team together to host the event that included a Live DJ, BBQ, face and glitter paining and much more. The team successfully raised over £700 for Lupus UK, a charity close to Libby and her family/friends hearts.

Our ACS foster parents Marva and Lionel Warmington, featured in Series 4 of BBC One’s ‘Extraordinary Portraits,’ hosted by Bill Bailey. The Warmingtons, who have been fostering for 30 years, have been fostering with ACS since 2012. Marva and Lione have the most incredible and powerful stories to share and together the couple have worked closely to provide culturally sensitive care for vulnerable children from a wide variety of backgrounds, using their skills and experience to enable children to maintain strong links with their cultural identity.

2025 news stoires

Budwood homes embraced a little inter-house competition, encouraging the kids to transform their outdoor spaces into vibrant, colourful gardens. Not only did this initiative aim to enhance their surroundings for a relaxing summer, but it also provided the young gardeners with invaluable skills in horticulture!

FCA and FCA Scotland proudly hosted a Charity Fundraiser Weekend, “Going the Extra Mile Together.” Over the course of the weekend, colleagues, foster parents and children from across the organisation came together with a shared goal of raising funds for a range of inspiring charities and rack up as many miles as possible – whether that be running, walking, cycling or swimming. Each agency chose their own charity to raise money for, meaning each one had a special reason for raising money. Throughout the weekend, the energy and enthusiasm shared was truly uplifting.

Together, a very impressive 2,856.05 miles were covered and an outstanding £3,854.00 raised for the chosen charities.

In late 2023, Fostering People Scotland was successful in securing funding from The Corra Foundation to develop a resource that would help Scotland improve its educational outcomes for care-experienced people in line with recommendations from The Promise. After months of hard work, School Through My Eyes was launched. School Through My Eyes is a child-led training resource for professionals who support careexperienced children and young people with their Education. It consists of training videos from young people and professionals, case studies, activities, and lots of helpful resources to be able to implement recommended change.

Polaris Apprenticeships

This year, we achieved a major milestone for the Polaris community when we were approved as a registered apprenticeship training provider through the Government’s Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR).

We have kicked things of by offering Level 4 and 5 apprenticeships in Children, Young People and Families. These qualifications are closely aligned with the work we do across our fostering, residential, adoption, and education services.

This exciting development means we can now deliver high-quality, in-house apprenticeship training that reflects our own values, standards and commitment to excellence — and most importantly, it helps us invest even more in our incredible teams.

We also became an approved NCFE centre in March, giving us even more flexibility to expand our learning and development offer.

Polaris Apprenticeships

Our Head of Learning and Development, Ellen Copperthwaite led the application process and shared:

“The children and young people using our services will benefit from a workforce trained to our own high standards. And my ultimate goal is to open up these opportunities to young people in our community - especially those who may be struggling in traditional education settings.” We’re also excited to announce the appointment of Clare Makepeace as our new Apprenticeship Services Manager. Clare, previously a trainer within the Learning and Development team, brings a deep understanding of Polaris values and the training needs of our staff. Clare shared:

“We want to help both new and existing staff build meaningful careers through apprenticeships. This is a fantastic opportunity to grow our talent from within”

This is just the beginning. At the start of 2026, we had 5 learners on the journey with us. Our goal is to expand the number and type of qualifications we offer year after year — and eventually extend these learning opportunities to the young people in our care. 31

Polaris Apprenticeships

External Apprenticeships To ensure we continue to meet our workforce development needs, we have worked closely with donor organisations to secure additional funding to continue funding external apprenticeships. During 2025, these collaborative efforts were highly successful, with donations of over £650,000 secured.

During 2025, we have enrolled 100 staff members onto apprenticeships, an increase of 10% on 2024.

At the end of 2025, we had 158 members of staff enrolled on apprenticeship programmes

50 members of staff have completed their apprenticeships during 2025, an increase of 31% on 2024

Polaris Apprenticeships

Through developing existing staff’s further education, the Polaris Community is not only providing opportunities for staff but ensuring continuity of teachers for its SEND and SEMH pupils. Most recently, teaching assistant Hannah Hattersley who works at Ormston School has started a Level 6 apprenticeship in teaching. Funded by ASDA’s levy transfer, Hannah’s apprenticeship enables her to train as teacher while continuing to work with the same pupils, maintaining stability for children and young people with additional learning needs, who will greatly benefit from consistent and familiar teaching staff.

In early 2025, our Quality Assurance Lead for Fostering, Ruchi Chawla successfully completed The Multiverse Data Fellowship (Level 4), a workbased apprenticeship designed to build advanced technical data skill. Following this great achievement, Ruchi has secured a new position within the Polaris Community as a Senior Quality Intelligence Lead and will be leading some community wide work on how we gather intelligence and monitor the quality and efficacy of what we do, working strategically with the Senior leads for the relevant business areas.

apprenticeships 33

Research and Innovation

Research and Innovation At Polaris, we recognise that research and innovation matter because the world around children is constantly changing. That’s why in 2025, we have taken part in several research programmes and pilots, while also creating space to listen and learn through webinars, shared findings, and practitioner voices, helping us continually improve the support we provide to children and families.

This year we have worked closely with the research group Revealing Reality, an award-winning insight and innovation agency who work with a variety of clients including the ICO, Ofcom, Children’s Commissioner.

Not only have we listened to the research, but some of our children and young people have even taken part!

Research and Innovation

Revealing Reality hosted a webinar for the Polaris community to present the findings of their recent research on Roblox. It was well attended by both our staff members and several foster parents. You can find out more about the research here.

Children’s Data Lives This year, Revealing Reality started a new longitudinal study for the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which started to analyse children’s experiences and interactions around data. We were pleased to be given the opportunity to help with recruiting for this research. You can find out more about the research here.

Community & Connections As part of a recent piece of research on Community & Connection, Revealing Reality have spoken to lots of different people across the UK, from 18 - late 60s to understand their day-to-day experiences and how they’re feeling about their relationships, their local communities and the wider world at the moment. We are pleased that several members of the community participated in this research. You can find out more about the research here. 35

Research and Innovation

This year FCA Yorks and Lincs piloted a new process to utilise software to instantly translate the design and content of key guides and documents into different languages. This has resulted in a much quicker turnaround time, ensuring the young person has all the information they need more readily and are able to concentrate on settling in to their new home.

In May 2025, we were pleased to be joined by Delph Chollet, a senior researcher from the Children’s Society, who presented the findings of The Good Childhood Report 2024. The session was well-attended by people from across Polaris and gave us the opportunity to consider how we can help improve the health and wellbeing of young people in our care.

At Polaris, we recognise that all agencies working to support children and young people want to spend the time where it matters. As technology is advancing, it can save us all time and allow us to concentrate on the things that really matter. That’s why, in 2025, we agreed to be part of a pilot where Ofsted trial the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist in developing inspection reports allowing for a more efficient process.

Polaris is committed to continuously monitoring progress in the field of AI and adapting our approach in an appropriate and proportionate way as new capabilities emerge. As a result, this year we released our Polaris Artificial Intelligence (AI) Position Statement. This statement is intended to acknowledge the increase in the use of AI software (such as ChatGPT) and offer guidance on best practice in line with GDPR. Moving forwards, we will be evaluating where we can further utilise AI within our services, ensuring it is always used in an ethical way.

We are always really keen to partner with organisations to increase opportunity and impact for children and young people, share learning, and collaborate on research, innovation and best practice. We welcome conversations with external organisations who are aligned with our values and interested in working together.

Social Values

Social Values The Polaris Community has a united commitment to measure and maximise our social value, defining it as: The positive emotional, environmental and economic impact we have on the Polaris community and wider society. This ensures we remain focussed on the values at the heart of our organisation while striving to enrich our social value for those we serve and the wider society. We will achieve our Social Value commitment through the delivery of our services to children, young people and families and through the continued focus on social value driven business processes. We measure this commitment through our Social Value Pledges giving us a year on year benchmark to increase the Social Value we provide. This includes opportunities we offer staff, foster parents, adopters and our children and young people, but also how we work with suppliers, create job and training opportunities and our impact on the environment. Over the next few pages, you will be able to read each of our pledges in detail and see the activities we have undertaken across the community to meet these.

Social Values

Health and Wellbeing We pledge to support individuals to understand and improve their emotional and physical wellbeing.

Talkin’ Tables Akrotiri is part of a prize-winning UK initiative aimed at reducing loneliness and supporting wellbeing. Since launching monthly sessions in September 2025, the group has grown steadily, with around 70 members in its Facebook community and 10–15 people attending each meet-up. Open to anyone feeling isolated or new to the Cyprus bases, the sessions provide a welcoming space that encourages

Pupils and staff at ISP Whitstable School took part in a creative community project to promote positive mental health and kindness. Supporting the work of The Baton of Hope, a mental health charity, pupils painted stones with uplifting messages which were placed along Whitstable’s beaches as part of the county-wide Baton of Hope Tour. The initiative helped spread positivity, raise awareness of mental health, and reinforce the message that support is always available.

connection, conversation, and social inclusion. BFSWS Cyprus Volunteer Coordinator Sharon Thomas, said “Moving to Cyprus, away from our family and friends can be isolating for many of us. Talkin’ Tables is a great way of meeting new people who are all in the same boat as you. It’s a space where you can turn up alone and know there will be someone there to greet you”

Social Values

One of our children in Orange Grove Foster Care has recently launched ‘Brave Bands’ after being inspired by their welcome book provided by Orange Grove. For every brave band purchased, another one is sent to a child going into foster care for the very first time to remind them they are not alone and to ‘hold strong’. The young person said “We only have one main message, Be Brave. I didn’t want to have loads of different ones because I like that everyone gets the same message. I designed the logo myself. It’s two hands holding the sun above the sea. The hands mean holding on to your braveness, and the sun means that every day is a new day and the sun always rises. And the sea is comforting, I find the ocean really calming.”

This year, STARS hosted an art journaling participation day for the children and young people who access their services. Art journaling combines elements of art and journaling and offers a unique and creative way to express yourself and strengthen your mental well-being. The children and adults alike all had a great time!

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, we were honoured to welcome Thomas Dunning as our guest speaker at our live event. Thomas shared his powerful story and insights into mental health, resilience, and recovery. Thomas Dunning is a passionate mental health advocate who draws strength from his own experiences with Borderline Personality Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and PTSD. As the founder of Mental Health Runner, he uses

running as both a personal coping strategy and a way to inspire others on their mental health journeys. Through his advocacy, Thomas challenges stigma and promotes the message that a healthy body supports a healthy mind. His powerful, personal perspective brings depth and authenticity to the conversation around mental health.

Social Values

Social and Community We pledge to challenge perceptions and stereotypes, building strong, diverse and inclusive communities.

2025 was another successful year for Polaris People. Watch this video to find out more! 40

Social Values

To mark Neurodiversity Celebration Week in March, we encouraged people from across the community to take part in a Door Decorating competition. There were lots of creative and inspiring entries. Children from Elm class at Easthorpe School won the competition. They wanted to celebrate what makes them unique as well as what unites them as a group.

We know that people learn in different ways, and we want to make our training content as accessible as possible. This year, we started the process to ensure any new e-learning courses are accompanied by an optional voice-over. We also hosted our first training session in a neuro-inclusive way which featured regular breaks to allow for processing of the content.

Social Values

Environment We pledge to encourage everybody across the Polaris community to make positive changes to protect the environment.

The Polaris Community is aligned with the UK Government and UNFCCC by committing to achieve net zero by 2050. We are already monitoring our greenhouse gas emissions and taking active measures to make reductions where possible as set out in a Climate Change Action Plan and Social Value Strategy.

Electric cars are considered to be more environmentally friendly than petrol and diesel cars, due to their zero tailpipe emissions. Polaris have a fleet of company owned and leased vehicles with around 26.9% either being electric or hybrid. Polaris have made a commitment to gradually make the transition to low or zero emission vehicles. We have set a goal to increase the percentage of electric/ hybrid fleet year on year.

FCA Cymru have been busy taking part in beach cleans

Social Values

Exciting news for Ormston School, thanks to our wonderful pupils and staff. They’ve officially earned the RHS Level 2 School Gardening Award! Over the course of completing three levels, pupils have contributed to garden plans, learned new skills, and used the garden to support wellbeing.

In March, over 20 foster parents and young people from FCA North West’s Eco Group met up at a local nature reserve to spend the day making bird boxes. There was a lot of sawing and sanding and hot drinks to keep warm, each family made a real sturdy box that will benefit the nesting birds for many years to come.

We are phase 3 ESOS (Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme) compliant and are taking active measures to reduce our energy usage within offices, by making use of low energy and eco-friendly options. Phase 4 compliance will be due in December 2027.

Social Values

Apple Orchard

To mark Earth Day 2025, students at Apple Orchard took action on climate change. Guided by humanities teacher André, they explored its causes and impact, sharing their findings through presentations. Inspired to make a difference, our Student Council members secured a donated apple tree sapling from a local garden centre and planted it on school grounds — a fitting tribute to both our name and our planet. The tree now stands as a lasting reminder of their commitment to sustainability and the power of student initiative!

Polaris have pledged to review when energy contracts come to an end, the viability of moving to greener energy, which is now part of our review process. Polaris currently have 41% of sites that use renewable energy, whilst 21% of sites use nuclear energy, which is also a zero carbon energy source. Polaris have a plan to reduce the percentage of traditional energy source sites for electricity to less than 3% by 2030.

Polaris encourage greener and more sustainable options and therefore provide staff and Foster Parents with discounts through the ‘Green Shop’ which ranges from companies who use recycled and sustainable materials, National Trust membership, bicycle sales and companies who have made their own commitments to sustainability and the environment.

Social Values

Employment and Volunteering We pledge to provide a positive working environment for all parts of the Polaris community and to be supportive of individual career and personal aspirations.

Social Values

Our People, their Stories Ashley Hughes, Head of HR Operations, Polaris Community

“I joined the Group in November 2019 as a HR Advisor supporting several fostering companies. After 18 months, I was promoted to HR Business Partner for LCS and newly acquired Residential services before being further promoted to Senior HR Business Partner. I was promoted again in September 2025 to Head of HR Operations. One of the key opportunities for me that has made a difference, would be our Group Diversity initiative, Polaris People, now in its fifth year. When I joined Polaris, I noticed what felt like a key thing we were missing, a Group that works to embed the values of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. I created a proposal for how it would run and what it would involve, and our Operations Board supported this. I’m incredibly proud of all that has been achieved with the Diversity Champions, with highlights including a stall at Reading Pride 2024, and

numerous guest speakers across Mental Health, Disability and Black History Month. Flexibility has always been there, on a give-andtake basis, which has helped to support my worklife balance. Polaris has been a very supportive community – sadly in 2021 my grandfather passed away after a long illness, and at the same time I was quite unwell with Covid. My manager at the time was incredibly empathetic, and made what was a really tough time far easier to cope with. I truly believe the development opportunities at Polaris are limitless – if you have the appetite for it, there is always so much that you can get involved in. To have a senior leadership team who are so passionate about the work we do as a community, and who are genuinely open to ideas for continuous improvement is really refreshing.”

Social Values

Kate Taylor, Operations Director, Foster Care Associates

Michala Pennington, Headteacher, Becker School

“My journey at Foster Care Associates started 12 years ago as a student social worker on placement. Once qualified I accepted a position as a ASYE social worker in FCA Midlands. Over the years I steadily developed my experience and practice progressing through differing roles from Senior Supervising Social Worker, Fostering Service Manager, Registered Manager and more recently, Operations Director. I have always embraced any training and development opportunities that have presented, from completing the AYSE programme, to being supported to become a Practice Educator and completing a level 5 in qualification, which was essential for my role as a Registered Manager. I have accessed a wealth of internal courses and conferences which have been inspiring and influential in my career. As my career has progressed, as has my personal life; I have two children Martha and Wilf both of whom love the Big Sing Off and enjoy being included in all the activities that FCA offers. I have been well supported by managers who understand the challenges of being a working mum, and I truly appreciate the culture of compassion and flexibility when at times I’m juggling family life alongside my work commitments. I remain committed to FCA and Polaris as I truly believe that I can realise my ambition to make a difference to children’s lives whilst maintaining my own development, wellbeing and practice. Polaris is a special place with special people and opportunities all to inspire and influence the best possible care for children, young people and families. In September 2024, I began an exciting journey as a SEN teacher at the soon to be opened Becker School. It was a privilege to be one of the first teachers at the school and to see how the school has transformed and grown from 3 pupils to 20 pupils. I was the KS2 teacher for 6 months.”

“At the start of the Spring term of 2025, I was promoted to Deputy Head, which was a great honour. In this role, I ran the school under the guidance and direction of Sarah Chatterton, who had just become our Executive Headteacher. This position lasted around 6 months, where I was offered the opportunity to become Headteacher. In September 2025 I was appointed Headteacher of Becker School and have been in the post for just over 5 months. I have an amazing staff of 20, who are so inspired and passionate about our young people. Coming to work each day is not a challenge or a chore – I love working at Becker and with our children. During my time as the Deputy Headteacher, I gained knowledge of the company through the L5 Leadership course; meeting people from fostering, adoption, residential and social workers as well as key people within Polaris who, were delivering the training. Meeting the Governors termly, has allowed me to share my successes, aspirations and areas for growth here at Becker and meet the key stakeholders. Having Sarah Chatterton as my mentor, her faith and recognition of my abilities to become a member of Senior leadership was extremely complimentary. Work-life balance is an important aspect and have found this balance working at Becker School. My experience working at Polaris has so far been very rewarding; having opportunities meet people withing the organisation, invitations to the Leadership Conference, visit other schools and work with other Headteachers. Support and guidance is always available and everyone is genuine, friendly, approachable and extremely helpful – nothing is too much trouble.”

Social Values

Leadership We pledge to lead our organisation ethically and act as a positive role model for our sector and the wider community.

This year senior leaders and managers came together once again at the annual senior leadership conference. This year’s theme was “the voice of the child” where the importance of keeping the child’s voice central was emphasised. The conference is a valuable opportunity to network, share good practice and unite in our joint ambition to continue making a difference to the lives of children and young people

Our City & Guilds accredited Leadership & Management Programme continues to go from strength to strength. This year we delivered to a further 48 inspiring leaders and current managers.

Social Values

This year, the pilot version of our new Leadership Magazine was launched. In 2026, the magazine will be published on a quarterly basis and circulated to all leaders and managers within Polaris. It will offer a space to spark ideas, share good practice and support the leaders in our community. In the first edition, we launched our three new training pillars. Going forwards, we will use these to inform the training we offer those leading the Polaris Community.

With these pillars in mind, we have started planning for an exciting Leadership Learning Festival due to be held in 2026. The event will include several different learning and development opportunities targeted at leaders and managers.

Social Values

Education and Skills We pledge to support people across the Polaris community to engage in education and training opportunities.

We had

3 people complete their Social Work Degree Apprentices in 2025

We continue to welcome Work Experience students across the community with a Year 10 student spending a week with our Learning and Development department in 2025.

50 members of staff have completed an external apprenticeships during 2025

In 2025, we had

7886 attendees on 510 training sessions

Social Values

As of 31st December 2025, 94% of our 16-18 yr old young people (fostering, residential and supported living), and 95.87% (fostering) were in education, employment or training (EET). This is higher than the ONS figures for the whole population where 93.8% of 16-18 yr olds in England were EET in 2024. This is an amazing achievement and is a testament to ongoing support that our Foster Parents, Social Workers and Education Advisors are providing to keep our young people in education, employment and training.

It’s not just people within the community we support with training and development. In 2025, 4 managers from the Polaris Community attended South Bromsgrove High School to assist with their Mock Interview Day for year 11 students who will be taking their GCSE exams this academic year. The aim was to give the students a feel for real interviews and improve their confidence and interview techniques in preparation for their applications to sixth forms, colleges and apprenticeships. In total Polaris staff interviewed around 30 students, around a tenth of the total students.

Our Strategy for 2026

2025 was an exciting year for our community and has laid strong foundations for what promises to be an even more impactful 2026. As we look ahead, we remain focused on leading the sector in terms of quality and continue to to transform the future of children’s services and improve outcomes for every child we support. There has never been a more exciting time to join our community. See our website for more details.

Thinking ahead 52