Children's home run by First 4 Care Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1256608 1 Registered provider: First 4 Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides medium- to long-term residential care for up to three children or young people between the ages of eight and 18 years old.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager of the service has 23 years’ experience of working with children and young people in residential settings, 14 years of which is in a leadership capacity. The registered manager has an appropriate level 5 leadership qualification.

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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: 28 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: 1256608 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1256608 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that impact risk assessments completed prior to placement contain further information gathered from the placing authority. Ensure that a full evaluation of how the home intends to meet the needs of the child takes place which includes any strategies to manage risks. The assessments should include any impact on safety of those accommodated in the home by considering children and young people in the local community. 31/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home.

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— 30/06/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1256608 4 the individual has the appropriate experience, qualifications and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the level 3 Diploma’); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls two years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32(1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(b)(4)(a)(b)(5)(a))

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Recommendations

 Staff need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12) In particular, to develop the skills and knowledge of staff in relation to safeguarding risks posed by criminal exploitation and gang culture.  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) In particular, to ensure accuracy and consistency when there are internal visitors to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people have developed close relationships with the staff team, which has contributed to helping them feel secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Healthcare is prioritised. The setting works in partnership with local healthcare professionals. One healthcare professional said: ‘The manager is one in a million. She always seeks advice in confidence. Children are always registered with local services and Inspection report children’s home: 1256608 5 they attend appointments. They are very good at making referrals to other agencies.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children and young people were not in education prior to their arrival at the home. Leaders and staff have worked collaboratively with other agencies to establish an appropriate plan for education that meets the individual needs of children and young people and addresses any barriers to learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have accessed a wide range of activities. They are encouraged to develop active hobbies and interests. Children and young people go on outings with staff, which provides them with social opportunities and promotes self-confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team understands the importance of promoting and enabling children and young people to have contact with family and friends. This helps them to sustain important relationships and promotes a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people are able to make choices about the day-to-day care they receive at home. The staff team promotes the use of local advocacy services. Staff have created memory books and records of positive achievements that children and young people can keep. This helps children and young people to build relationships with members of staff and each other, and improves their self-esteem.

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

Children and young people are not regularly missing from the home. On the occasions when this has occurred, the response from the staff is well coordinated.

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

Incidents are reported swiftly, and staff have worked alongside the police and other agencies to return young people home safely. The setting has a positive working relationship with the local missing coordinator.

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

Children and young people have been admitted to the home with challenging and complex needs. A more assertive approach to information gathering and evaluation prior to the point of placement would be beneficial to ensure that all risks are captured at this stage. Impact risk assessments could be enhanced to include the impact on the children who live in the local community and who socialise regularly with children and young people from this home. A requirement is made to enhance this aspect of practice.

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

Children and young people are helped to reflect on their behaviour through qualitative key-work sessions and a consistent approach to sanctions and rewards. Sanctions have become more restorative in nature and encourage the children and young people to take responsibility for their actions.

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

Risk assessments are comprehensive. There are effective behaviour management and preventative strategies for the staff to follow. On occasions, the staff have physically intervened to keep children and young people safe and to prevent injury to others. These incidents are debriefed and evaluated appropriately. Inspection report children’s home: 1256608 6 Staff access safeguarding training, including enhanced topics, such as child sexual exploitation. A recommendation is made for the staff team to improve the awareness of staff about the risks of criminal exploitation.

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

Recruitment and selection procedures are rigorous. The physical environment in the home is well maintained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and the deputy manager form a competent and passionate leadership team. Staff report that the service is well managed and the environment in the home is supportive and encouraging.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is regular. Staff access regular clinical input, which has introduced more opportunities to reflect on practice and individual skills and capabilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team has accessed a wide variety of training. The manager is introducing topics of research to the staff to further enhance their practice. One member of staff has not completed a level 3 diploma in the timescale stipulated in regulation. A requirement is made to address this matter.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External visitors to the home are screened routinely to ensure that only vetted adults are able to visit the home. However, when staff visit who are not detailed on the rota, they should routinely sign the visitor record book to ensure an accurate record-keeping practice in this area.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and staff work closely with other agencies to achieve the best possible outcomes for the children in their care. Care planning processes are child-centred and ensure that children’s needs are met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Placing authorities and other partners have provided positive feedback about this service. One social worker said: ‘I am more than happy with the care that [Name of young person] receives at the home. He is responding well to staff and becoming more settled. I believe he will continue to make good progress while he remains at the home.’

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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. Inspection report children’s home: 1256608 7 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

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Information about this inspection

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: 1256608 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: 1256608 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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