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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC399586 1 SC399586

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First 4 Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to two children who may have learning disabilities and emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. There are currently two children living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private company. The registered manager left in May 2021. A manager was appointed but left prior to registration. Since October 2021, the deputy manager ‘acted up’ until she left the organisation in January 2022. A new manager has since been appointed and is in the process of applying to be registered.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was conducted in accordance with statutory guidance following the regulator receiving concerns from the local authority designated officer. This was in relation to care planning, staff conduct, and risk management of two children living at the home. The inspector followed the health and safety guidelines in respect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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This monitoring visit

The children living at this home have complex learning needs that include self- injurious behaviour, emotional dysregulation, autism spectrum disorder, and they are non-verbal. The children require consistency of care, structured routines and staff who have the necessary skills and experience to apply this support in their day-to- day care and practice. This has not always been the case and, as a result, the children have not received the high standard of care and nurture they require.

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This monitoring visit

Concerns were raised with regards to the conduct and practice of three members of staff. Additional concerns were also raised around the supervision of the children and whether staff have rigorously followed the children’s care plans. One child was observed to be alone in the back of the car when they should have been supported by a staff member. The provider has cooperated with the local authority to Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC399586 2 investigate and address these concerns, and this visit reassured the inspector that agreed actions are being followed.

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This monitoring visit

Two out of the three staff no longer work at the home, and the remaining staff member is receiving additional mentoring and guidance at another home. Risk assessments, behaviour support plans and care plans are well documented. Systems are now in place to ensure that staff have read and understood these documents. Additionally, they have been discussed in a team meeting and during individual supervision sessions.

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This monitoring visit

New and existing staff have very recently undergone and refreshed their training in therapeutic play, attachment, and developmental trauma. However, it is too early to measure the effectiveness of this training as it is yet to be embedded into practice. That said, staff told the inspector that the training was informative and that it has given them a better understanding of the child’s world.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector is satisfied that staffing levels are suitable in the management of risk and harm. However, on occasions, the home would benefit from additional staffing as the children are not being exposed to community-based activities that require a higher staff ratio.

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This monitoring visit

The home has experienced a period of instability with no consistent managerial oversight and leadership. Managers have come and gone, and some have lacked the necessary experience to meet the required regulation. Staff have felt unsupported and worn out due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Core staff have worked long hours and covered shifts during staff sickness. This is undoubtedly a contributory factor but inadmissible when caring for vulnerable children.

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This monitoring visit

Not all requirements set at the last inspection have been explored at this visit. These will be reviewed at the next full inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/08/2021 Full Good 26/02/2020 Full Good 14/08/2018 Full Good 15/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 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, 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)) 24 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and 24 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC399586 4 have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) 18 February 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. Staff supervision must enable staff to reflect and act on how their own feelings and behaviour may Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC399586 5 be affected by the behaviour of the children they care for. The registered person should debrief staff following a significant incident. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, pages 53 and 39, paragraphs 10.11 and 8.15)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC399586 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: First 4 Care Limted

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 16 St Wilfrids Road, Bessacarr, Doncaster DN4 6AA

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Inspector

Cath Sikakana, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC399586 7 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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