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

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390293 1 SC390293 Registered provider: First 4 Care Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned and run by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may have experienced trauma. The home offers medium- to long-term care for children aged between six and 18 years of age. There were two children living in the home at the time of this visit.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2018 and has a level 5 qualification in leadership and management in residential childcare. Due to an imminent change in management arrangements, the deputy manager is currently undertaking most of the day-to-day running of the home but has yet to register with Ofsted.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The inspectors carried out this monitoring visit to the home after specific concerns were raised with Ofsted. This was in addition to another of the provider’s homes being inspected in May 2022, which revealed potential widespread organisational breaches.

p.1

This monitoring visit

During this monitoring visit, the inspectors found serious inadequacies in the leadership and management of the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Safe recruitment practice is poor. Some staff have been recruited to work in the home without necessary safeguarding checks in place. No risk assessments have been implemented by leaders and managers to mitigate any risks. Other staff had little or no relevant experience when they applied, but despite this were appointed to work with vulnerable, complex children; a role requiring a level of skill and expertise. This leaves children vulnerable to harm from adults who may be unsuitable to care for them. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390293 2 The quality and style of staff induction and training limits their ability to understand the information provided to them. In a single day, staff complete several online safeguarding courses as well as covering the policies and procedures they must follow to keep children safe. Several staff were unable to demonstrate that they understood their responsibilities following the training. For example, one staff

p.1

This monitoring visit

member did not know what whistle-blowing is. This does not equip staff with the skills or knowledge needed to deliver safe and effective care for children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Several staff supervision records were signed only by the supervisor and it is unclear if staff were physically present during the supervision sessions. Many of the records were duplicated from other records. One staff member had not been present for some of the recorded events stored in their file. This demonstrates serious shortfalls in the delivery of staff support and supervision.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Frequent requests were made during the inspection for access to specific records, including staff rotas. Managers were unable to locate or provide these to the inspectors. Managers were therefore unable to demonstrate to inspectors which staff were working in the home on a given day. This does not allow inspectors to find and evaluate the evidence needed to be reassured that the children are safe living at this home.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Managers do not have individual written agreements or procedures for staff to follow when members of the team are related or have personal relationships with colleagues in the workplace. This does not provide staff with clear working arrangements or guidance on what they should do if they need to report a concern.

p.2

This monitoring visit

A child’s risk assessment and missing-from-home protocol did not have current information about the shared concerns professionals have about the child’s safety. This may result in procedures and actions to safeguard being missed.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff said that they enjoy coming to work at the home and value the support they receive from their colleagues and managers. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390293 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/09/2021 Full Outstanding 03/12/2019 Full Good 13/03/2019 Full Good 07/02/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390293 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the children’s risk assessments and missing-from-home protocols provide staff with up-to-date information and clear direction about the actions they must take when children do not return to the home and are missing. 17 July 2022

p.4

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—

p.4

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 17 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390293 5 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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff receive regular, individualised, practice-related, reflective supervision.

p.5

Requirement Due date

Also, that supervision records provide an accurate account of the conversation and are not duplicated, and are signed by both the supervisor and supervisee.

p.5

Requirement Due date

Staff induction and training should be delivered in a way that helps staff understand the expectations of their role, aligned to the provider’s own procedures.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person should also ensure that there are written agreements that provide direction about the working arrangements when staff have a personal relationship with another staff member. Also, a procedure should be established that provides all staff with direction about how to report concerns about other staff members’ practice, when there is a conflict of interest due to the staff member’s personal relationships.

p.5

Requirement Due date

*The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.5

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

p.5

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, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.5

Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character; 17 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390293 6 the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

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;

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the circumstances are exceptional; and 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))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that workers are suitable to work with children as outlined in schedule 2 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that candidates are only shortlisted for interview when their application forms provide sufficient evidence about their suitability to work with children.

p.6

Requirement Due date

* Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must— 17 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390293 7 maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(b)(c))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered provider must develop and implement an effective system for the storage and management of records.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide inspectors with information when requested, as outlined in the Care Standards Act 2000, any information relating to the care of children, or the provider, which the regulator considers it necessary or expedient to have for the purposes of the inspection.

p.7

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.7

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.

p.7

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390293 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: First 4 Care Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspectors

Cath Sikakana, Social Care Inspector Aaron Mcloughlin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390293 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.

p.8

Inspectors

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 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 .

p.9

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9