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

The children’s home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered by Ofsted in December 2018. She has a level 5 qualification in leadership and management and has the relevant experience and knowledge for the role.

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Information about this children’s home

Two young people have left the home since the last full inspection in February 2019. At the time of this inspection, one young person was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 18 to 19 December 2019

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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: 5 February 2019

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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

05/02/2019 Full Good 28/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1256608 3

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Recommendations

 Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, ensure that all staff understand where to locate the fire equipment.  It is essential that homes understand what will be required of them before they accept responsibility for a child’s placement, to avoid disruption and instability for the child in future and for other children in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56. paragraph 11.5) In particular, improve the quality of information in the impact risk assessments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person currently living at this home is settled and making good progress in many aspects of her life. She is growing in confidence and self-esteem and enjoys a settled placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of relationships between staff and the young person is a key strength in this home. Staff work hard to develop trusting and caring relationships with the young person. Over time, this allows the young person to express her feelings and begin to come to terms with past experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When education progress is interrupted, there is clear evidence that every effort is made to challenge barriers and to promote the young person’s participation. Staff have effective links with the relevant agencies. This ensures that the young person can access the correct placement and has every opportunity to achieve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team is supporting the young person to develop her independent living skills, in line with her current care plan. These include practical skills and also working on being a good neighbour and developing appropriate and positive peer relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build constructive relationships with the young person’s family to promote contact. As a result, the young person has reconnected with family members and benefits from improved relationships with those who are important to her.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well maintained, safe and comfortable. The young person’s bedroom is attractively presented and personalised, based on her wishes and preferences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback about the service and quality of care that the staff provide is excellent. The Inspection report children’s home: 1256608 4 young person’s social worker described this care as ‘fantastic’. Parents also acknowledged the positive work the staff undertake with the young person.

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

The young person feels safe, and this is reflected in her strong sense of investment in the home. The opportunity to reflect, combined with good advice from staff, has enabled her to make better choices about keeping herself safe. As a result, risk-taking behaviours, such as substance misuse and going missing from home, have ceased.

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

Staff work sensitively with the young person to ensure that she has ample opportunity to discuss issues that might worry her. Staff pre-empt situations which could cause a change in behaviour and develop plans with the young person to help manage these more effectively. As a result, the young person is settled and has developed very strong relationships with the staff team.

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

All the young people who have lived at this home since the last inspection have benefited from carefully planned transitions to the home. However, the assessment of risk in relation to new admissions is less robust. The assessments do not fully demonstrate what impact the admission of a young person may have on the risky behaviours of others in the home. This has the potential to weaken the overall effectiveness of the home’s matching process and therefore requires some revision.

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

Staff receive regular safeguarding training that enables them to recognise and respond to child protection concerns. Managers and staff respond quickly when concerns arise and liaise well with partner agencies. This helps protect the young person from harm.

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

Regular fire evacuation drills are carried out to ensure that the young person is rehearsed in how to leave the home should there be a real emergency. However, not all fire equipment, such as fire extinguishers, are easily accessible to staff. To date, this has not had a negative impact on the young person. Action is required to ensure that the home remains a safe place in which to live.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a very ‘hands-on’ approach and knows the young person in her care very well. She is child focused and committed to delivering and maintaining good standards of care. The manager promotes a clear ethos that is caring, supportive and safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff have access to appropriate training and reflective supervision opportunities that stretch and challenge their care practice. Staff said that they are very happy working at the home and enjoy working with the young person. Staff feel very well supported and that their skills and experiences are valued by their colleagues and the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is suitably resourced and delivers the services and support outlined in the statement of purpose. The manager monitors the home effectively to ensure that the Inspection report children’s home: 1256608 5 young person is making progress and that any emerging areas for development are swiftly identified and addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals and parents spoke positively about the levels of communication established by staff and the manager at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have developed effective working relationships with professionals involved in the care of the young person in placement. This ensures that the young person benefits from a holistic package of care and support, resulting in their making good progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Suitable action has been taken to address the requirements raised at the last inspection. This demonstrates good learning from inspection activity.

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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 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: 1256608 6

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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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Inspectors

Ceri Evans: social care inspector Cath Sikakana: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1256608 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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