Children's home run by First 4 Care Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1250196 1 Registered provider: First 4 Care Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home provides medium- to long-term residential care for up to two children or young people aged between seven and 18 who may have learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The newly appointed manager of the service has worked within the organisation, in the role of 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 who have learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1250196 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/03/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1250196 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.3

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 30/11/2018

p.3

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.3

Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.3

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.3

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.3

Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.3

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure.

p.3

Requirement Due date

Within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’)—

p.3

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. 30/11/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1250196 4 Within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(i)–(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

p.3

Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it.

p.4

Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (‘the quality of care review report’).

p.4

Requirement Due date

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(2)(b)(3)(5)) 30/11/2018

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is modern, well maintained and comfortable. Children and young people have personalised bedrooms that are decorated according to their wishes and interests.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has recently moved into the home. The transition was extremely well coordinated and managed. Leaders and staff met with parents, educational staff and social care professionals to devise a comprehensive plan of his routines and needs.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people have close bonds with a nurturing and dedicated staff team. One young person said: ‘I am happy here and have lots of people I can talk to.’

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people who have complex healthcare needs are supported to access specialist services and treatment to improve their physical and emotional health. Medication is stored and administered safely.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people attend and achieve in their educational settings. One young person is being supported to establish aspirations for future employment. The staff have recently worked in partnership with an educational setting to ensure that they provide a consistent level of care for one child. One education professional said: ‘The staff from the home visited to gather as much information as possible. [Name of child] does seem settled and happy.’ Inspection report children’s home: 1250196 5 Children and young people are supported to have a say in the way their day-to-day care arrangements are delivered. The staff hold regular house meetings and encourage children and young people to make choices about activities and mealtimes.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people are informed about their rights and entitlements through a children’s guide. One young person is receiving formal support from an advocate.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person has developed skills for independence. These skills include cooking, travelling independently and completing basic household chores. The staff ensure that children and young people have access to community resources and social opportunities.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team understands the importance of working closely and sensitively with the families and important figures in the lives of children and young people. One parent said: ‘They have gone above and beyond. The staff are great, everything is great.’

p.5

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

Children and young people do not go missing from this home. Incidents of challenging behaviour are rare. When incidents occur, they are well managed and comprehensively recorded.

p.5

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

Risk assessments are detailed and identify all known risks to the safety of children and young people. The strategies for managing risk are implemented by the staff team, which reduces the risk of harm.

p.5

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

Behaviour management plans contain positive strategies for distracting and defusing challenging behaviour. The staff use the strength of their relationships with children and young people to help them reflect on their behaviour.

p.5

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

On the rare occasions that sanctions have been given for negative behaviour, they have been proportionate. Sanctions have not been recorded in detail, and have not been evaluated through debriefs with children and young people and the staff.

p.5

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

The staff have had suitable safeguarding training and know how to keep children and young people safe. The physical environment in the home is well maintained and checked regularly for hazards.

p.5

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

Safe recruitment procedures ensure that staff are suitably vetted, and that background checks are conducted.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a child-centred and committed manager. She is supported by a competent deputy manager. The staff report they are happy in their roles and feel the service is well managed. Inspection report children’s home: 1250196 6 The staff benefit from regular and varied training opportunities which provide them with the necessary skills to care for children and young people to a good standard. Training is tailored to the needs of the children and young people at the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team has not had regular supervision to meet the stated frequency of the organisation’s policy. A requirement is made to address this shortfall in practice.

p.6

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.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Care planning processes are highly effective. Children and young people are making good progress across all aspects of their development.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Placing authorities and other partners have provided very positive feedback on this service. One social worker said: ‘[Name of young person] has come on an awful lot since she has been there. It is a credit to the home that she has developed so much.’ Inspection report children’s home: 1250196 7

p.6

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.

p.7

Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out 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: 1250196 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: First 4 Care Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Nicola Thomas: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1250196 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9