Children's home run by First Blue Healthcare Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2560648 1 Registered provider: First Blue Healthcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a private provider. It offers care and accommodation for up to three children aged between eight and 17 years who have experienced early childhood instability that has led to trauma and/or associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager was registered with Ofsted in April 2021 and is undertaking a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2560648 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children's home: 2560648 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children have moved into the home and four have moved out since the home opened in December 2019. Two children moved on successfully in line with their care plans. Two children’s placements ended early due to safeguarding concerns. When the home could no longer keep them safe, the children have moved to new placements that are better suited to meet their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a supportive and nurturing environment. Staff have a good understanding of children’s needs and work with them to meet their individual targets. As a result, children make good progress relative to their individual circumstances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children have access to a range of health services to promote their physical and emotional well-being. Medical consents are in place and staff are clear about the health decisions and responsibilities that are delegated to them. The arrangements for the controlled storage and administration of children’s medication are safe and effective. Staff work closely with all health professionals and specialist services to promote children’s health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend an education provision that is appropriate to their abilities. Attendance rates are good and this supports the academic progress that each child is making. This is a significant achievement in relation to some children’s starting points. Staff work in partnership with education departments and other relevant professionals to make sure that children have every opportunity to reach their full potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children retain positive links with their family and friends. Staff support these arrangements and have re-established children’s links with family members. This approach ensures that children stay in contact with those who are significant in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well maintained and decorated. However, the toilet has a lid on it that is ill-fitting and not fulfilling its purpose. This is not ensuring that the provider is providing a safe and well cared for environment for the children living in the home.

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

Staff work in partnership with other agencies, including the police and youth offending team, to keep children as safe as possible. Staff also support children in understanding how to reduce risks to keep themselves safe. Care plans, behaviour management plans and risk assessments all contribute to meeting children’s changing needs for safety and protection. Inspection report for children's home: 2560648 4 However, risks identified in the impact risk assessment are too generic and not always relevant to the child. For example, one impact risk assessment scored a child as at risk of posing aggression and fire-starting, with no evidence to support this. This means that children’s presenting risks are not accurately recorded.

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

The manager and staff work well with children to manage and de-escalate situations. As a result, the need to restrain children to keep them safe is not common. Records show that any physical interventions are used only as a last resort and only to keep children safe.

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

The manager ensures that staff comply with locally agreed protocols for children who go missing. When children do go missing, staff liaise with the police and complete detailed records of actions taken and appropriate individuals contacted. Children have access to an independent person to speak to on their return home. This provides information that may help in protecting them from going missing again.

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

Staff carry out a range of key-work sessions that give children the opportunity to reflect on their behaviours. Staff recognise aspects of risk-taking behaviour and safeguarding concerns with children and plan individual sessions accordingly.

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

Children live in a home that provides physical safety and security. Regular health and safety checks ensure that everyone is kept safe. Records show that children and staff regularly practise evacuation of the building so that they know how to respond in the event of an emergency.

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

Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. These procedures promote the safety of children by preventing unsuitable adults from working with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post since April 2021 and is undertaking a level 5 qualification in leadership and management. The manager demonstrates a clear commitment to improving outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All members of staff spoken with gave positive comments about the manager’s supportive leadership of the service. Staff are all qualified or working to gain the relevant qualification for their roles. Staff receive regular supervision, along with annual appraisal. Regular team meetings and daily handovers keep staff informed about children’s daily activities and progress. This supports staff care practice in delivering a service for children who present with diverse needs and challenges.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well trained and competent. They have good access to training opportunities to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills that they need for their work with children. Inspection report for children's home: 2560648 5 The home has been through a difficult period due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Children have found the situation challenging. They have benefited throughout from the flexible leadership and a caring and resilient staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has established effective working relationships with external professionals, including the police, education professionals and placing authorities. This partnership approach means that children are benefiting from the full range of support and guidance provided by other professionals to promote their safety and well-being. Inspection report for children's home: 2560648 6

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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, 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to repairs to the bathroom toilet. 6 March 2022

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 6 March 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2560648 7 This specifically relates to ensuring impact risk assessments are accurate and inform admissions to the home.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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 for children's home: 2560648 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: First Blue Healthcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Nurture Childcare Services Ltd, Seighford Hall, Clanford Road, Seighford, Stafford ST18 9NL

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Inspector

Dave Carrigan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2560648 9 to 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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