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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2575463 1 Registered provider: First 4 Care Limited

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Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private company. It provides care and support for up to two children with learning disabilities. The home offers short- to long-term care, depending on the needs of the child.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered in December 2020 and is suitably qualified.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out the last full inspection of the home in March 2022.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out due to specific concerns which were brought to the attention of Ofsted. This was in addition to another of the provider’s homes being inspected in May 2022 which revealed potential widespread organisational breaches.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is reliant on agency staff to cover vacant night shifts in the home. Although the manager has reduced disruption to children’s care, by using regular agency staff, the manager has failed in his due diligence to ensure that agency staff are appropriately vetted. The manager has failed in his accountability to children in this regard by being overly reliant on third-party safe recruitment processes. This has left children vulnerable to harm.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual provides support to the manager of the home. However, the responsible individual’s approach to supervision is ad hoc, unstructured and does not capture the manager’s views. The responsible individual has misunderstood the purpose and value of supervision. Consequently, key issues, such as the manager’s development and oversight of the home, are not sufficiently considered in the supervision process. This practice also leaves the potential for misguided managerial decision-making. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2575463 2 The organisation provides training opportunities for staff. It is standard practice for staff to undertake up to seven e-learning packages in one day during their induction period. The inspectors questioned the likelihood of staff being able to retain and recall the learning from the various courses. The manager acknowledges that this

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This monitoring visit

may not be realistic and plans to raise this issue with senior management.

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This monitoring visit

Permanent members of staff at the home receive a structured induction programme. Staff told the inspectors that they valued their induction programme and felt listened to and supported by their manager. The induction programme enables new staff to learn at their own pace and raise any issues that may concern them regarding the care of children. This approach improves staff’s confidence in their role and equips them with the necessary skills and awareness to become competent carers.

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This monitoring visit

Staff receive training in safeguarding children. The manager ensures that staff keep up to date with current safeguarding developments through team meetings and supervision sessions. All staff demonstrate their understanding of safeguarding processes and their responsibility to initiate these if necessary.

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This monitoring visit

The manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision which is meaningful and structured. This aids staff’s development and provides the opportunity for them to have protected time to reflect on their practice and offer their views on the care of the children. This also empowers staff to understand and accept their responsibilities and accountability to the children and their colleagues.

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This monitoring visit

Children continue to make good progress in the home despite the identified shortfalls. The manager oversees a committed team of staff, which provides the foundation for children to make progress. Staff members spoken to by the inspectors all said that they value their manager’s support.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are aware of their responsibility to evidence, through the home’s recording systems, the care that they provide to children. Written records are coherent, legible and easy to follow. This promotes accountability from the staff team, but also transparency for parents, professionals and the regulator.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

08/03/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2575463 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

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b)) 17 July 2022

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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 individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if— 17 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2575463 4 the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 are incomplete;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2;

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the circumstances are exceptional; and

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Requirement Due date

the registered person ensures that the individual is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties, pending receipt of any outstanding information on the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2, which is then considered satisfactory by the registered person. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This refers to taking reasonable steps to ensure that all workers, including agency staff, are suitable to work with children as outlined in schedule 2 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

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Requirement Due date

It also refers to ensuring that a system is in place to monitor and check that appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service certificates are available for all staff, including agency staff.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2575463 5

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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: 16 St Wilfrid’s Road, Bessacarr, Doncaster DN4 6AA

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Inspectors

Steve Guirey, Social Care Inspector Evelyn Chafota, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2575463 6 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under

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Inspectors

the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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