Children's home run by First 4 Care Limited in Doncaster

Inspection report children’s home: SC399586 1 SC399586 Registered provider: First 4 Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides medium-term to long-term residential care for up to two children or young people aged between seven and 18 who may have a learning disability and/or emotional and behavioural difficulties. The newly appointed manager of the service has worked for the organisation providing care for children and young people for two years. She has worked in a supervisory capacity as the deputy manager of another children’s home and has experience of caring for adults with learning disabilities. The manager is in the process of applying to Ofsted for registration. She is currently working towards a level 5 qualification in leadership and management of residential childcare settings.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 15 November 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC399586 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/11/2017 Full Good 14/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/08/2016 Full Good 15/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC399586 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children ─

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure ─

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14(1)(2)(b)(iii)) 30/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if ─

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance. (Regulation 24(1)(b)) 30/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (‘a quality of care review’) at least once every six months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating ─

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. 31/01/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC399586 4 The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(1)(2)(c)(5))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people are cared for in a warm and nurturing environment by a competent and committed staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people with complex needs and disabilities are helped to access community resources and enjoy regular outings with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Healthcare needs are prioritised and met. One young person has made considerable improvements to his diet. With the support of the staff team, he is enjoying a much wider range of food and drink that have a greater nutritional value. This contributes to improved physical health and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people attend school regularly and are making good progress in all areas of their education. The staff team encourages them to read and to explore their individual talents, such as singing and painting. This helps to build their confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Communication needs are understood and met. Children and young people have made good progress in their ability to express themselves through noises and gestures. One Inspection report children’s home: SC399586 5 young person can verbalise his routine and the staff repeat this back to him, which helps him to feel more secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s and young people’s cultural and religious needs are met. Children and young people at the home have a halal diet. Food is stored and prepared appropriately to ensure that religious practices are observed. The staff team enjoys celebrating religious festivals with children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person is developing skills for independence. He can complete some basic household tasks and can meet some of his basic needs. There is no suitably updated plan with defined measurable goals to evidence whether he can function safely in a semi-independent environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people who live at the home have limited ability to verbalise their wishes and feelings. House meetings take place frequently where children and young people are encouraged to make choices about their day-to-day care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team works well with families to ensure that they are involved in the care of their children and young people. The staff team ensures that children and young people can have meaningful contact with their families. One parent said: ‘If I could give them seven stars, I would.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been no safeguarding incidents or matters requiring notification to Ofsted at the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff team takes a positive approach to behaviour management. Children and young people who display heightened behaviour are helped to manage this without the need for physical intervention.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children and young people have high levels of supervision and support. One young person has epilepsy. A clear and comprehensive plan is in place for staff to keep him safe in the event of a seizure.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The front door of the home is fitted with a sensor alarm. The staff team also uses a monitoring device to provide extra supervision for one young person during the night. This has been agreed verbally with parents and the placing authority, but written consent has not been provided as required by regulation.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Risk management plans are detailed and tailored to meet the individual needs of the children and young people.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The physical environment in the home is well maintained and regularly checked for hazards. Fire evacuations take place at frequent intervals.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff have benefited from safeguarding training and know how to report concerns Inspection report children’s home: SC399586 6 when necessary to keep children and young people safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a newly recruited manager. She is supported by a deputy who knows the needs of the children and young people extremely well. They successfully prioritise and meet the needs of the children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team reports that they are well managed and supported by effective leaders. The team has accessed a varied training programme which provides them with the knowledge and skills that they need to meet the individual needs of the children and young people at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The workforce development plan in place to monitor the development of staff does not reflect the most current information. A good practice recommendation is made to ensure that this is updated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s quality of care review does not identify actions for further development of the service or demonstrate that the views of stakeholders have been considered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has plans to simplify the record-keeping processes in the home. On occasions, records are not written in a factual and child-friendly way. A best practice recommendation is made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The service is providing good-quality care that is meeting the aims and objectives as detailed in the statement of purpose. Leaders have fully met the requirements made at the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from the placing authority is very positive. One social worker said: ‘I think that both (names of children and young people) have made excellent progress. My observations are that they are happy and settled and that they have both formed positive relationships with a number of carers.’

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out Inspection report children’s home: SC399586 7 under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC399586 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: First 4 Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 313 Goodison Boulevard, Doncaster DN4 6TP

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Inspector

Nicola Thomas: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC399586 9 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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