Children's home run by First Blue Healthcare Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1280210 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 operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for two children who have had adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager took up post on 3 February 2020 and was registered with Ofsted on 29 September 2020. The manager is experienced and has an appropriate qualification.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1280210 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/05/2021 Full Good 09/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 30/09/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/02/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1280210 3

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improvement to be good

Two children were living at the home at the time of inspection. Both children are making some good progress. Two children who previously lived at the home have moved out. One child has moved into semi-independent accommodation, and the other child has moved to a different placement because the home was unable to meet their needs.

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improvement to be good

Staff work hard to sustain a nurturing relationship with children. This helps children to feel confident about their relationships with staff and supports their progress.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health and well-being are promoted. Staff ensure that statutory health assessments are completed for all children and help each child to attend all required medical appointments. Medication is stored safely, and records are maintained on the administration of medication.

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improvement to be good

The home works closely with schools and training providers to ensure that children can derive the maximum benefit from education. When there are difficulties in locating education provision, the manager liaises with the virtual head and other professionals to resolve them speedily.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to spend time with their families and friends where it is safe to do so. This helps the children to have a sense of belonging and enables them to have positive experiences and maintain links to significant people in their lives.

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improvement to be good

The inspector observed that children’s bedrooms are not well maintained. Both children’s bedrooms were cluttered with clothing, used dinner plates and bowls, and empty drinks cans and bottles. There was also an unpleasant smell emanating from one of the bedrooms. This is not conducive to creating a homely environment where children feel valued.

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improvement to be good

Children’s care plans include a range of risk assessments which identify their specific needs and how staff should best manage these. This enables children to participate in activities and events outside the home.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding practice does not promote the safety and welfare of children, in particular when children go missing from the home. For example, on one occasion, two children went missing in the early hours of the morning and engaged in criminal activity. Staff were unaware of this until the police attended the home over a week later after identifying the children on CCTV footage. This does not demonstrate safe practice and could have significant implications for the children’s safety. Inspection report for children’s home: 1280210 4 Staff discuss incidents of negative behaviour with children. This helps children to learn about the impact that their behaviours may have on their future lives. Key- work meetings help children to learn to take responsibility for their actions. Emphasis is placed on de-escalating negative behaviours. This has proved successful and the need to use physical intervention has never been required.

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improvement to be good

The manager does not consistently follow safer recruitment practice to ensure that suitable adults are employed to work with children. For example, the manager did not ensure that references were satisfactorily verified. This means that there is the potential for unsuitable adults to be allowed to work with children.

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improvement to be good

The home provides a safe environment for children to live in. A range of health and safety checks are completed to assess whether there are any hazards that could pose a risk to children. Children and staff take part in regular fire drills to ensure that they know how to safely evacuate the home in the case of an emergency.

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good

The manager of the home demonstrates a child-centred approach and a clear desire to see children experience good outcomes.

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good

Records do not demonstrate that all staff have undertaken sufficient training to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of children. For example, not all the staff have been trained in specific issues relating to the children living in the home. Furthermore, some staff have not completed training in fire safety, first aid and food hygiene. This means that staff are not fully equipped to recognise and care for children who require support in these areas.

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good

All of the staff either have a minimum level 3 qualification in residential childcare or are due to complete their course within regulatory timescales.

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good

The manager has created a supportive environment. Staff receive regular supervision. This supports the staff with their work in caring for the children, and with their own professional development. Staff commented that they find supervision supportive, and it gives them opportunities to discuss care practice and personal development.

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good

Team meetings provide an additional forum for staff to review their practice and the needs of the children living at the home.

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good

Effective working relationships exist with other professionals, such as the police, teachers and social workers. Effective communication ensures that information is shared quickly, which helps to keep children safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 1280210 5

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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 children’s bedrooms. 28 June 2022

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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

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 28 June 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1280210 6 are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi))

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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

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d)) 28 June 2022

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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. (Regulation 33 (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff training. 28 June 2022

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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: 1280210 7

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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: 1280210 8 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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