Children's Home run by First Blue Healthcare Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2591708 1 Registered provider: First Blue Healthcare Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private organisation and is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since November 2024. A new manager started work in December 2024. The manager has not yet submitted a complete application to register with Ofsted.

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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

Date of last inspection: 14 November 2023

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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: 2591708 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2023 Full Good 16/11/2022 Full Outstanding 21/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2591708 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home and three children have moved out. At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home, and they spoke to the inspector.

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improvement to be good

The three children who left had unplanned endings which were not in line with their plans. Staff and managers felt that behaviours displayed by the children were too challenging. As a result, staff were unable to keep children safe. Two children moved to another home within the organisation and one child moved closer to family.

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improvement to be good

Children have their privacy and access restricted without a clear rationale for this. For example, door motion sensors are activated on each bedroom door when children enter and leave their bedrooms in the night. Managers do not review this to determine if these restrictions are appropriate, meaning that children may have limits placed on their privacy unnecessarily.

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improvement to be good

Relationships between children and staff are natural and caring. Staff know the children well and provide a loving home environment. Input from the organisation’s therapist provides staff with insight to therapeutic parenting approaches that have helped to build positive bonds.

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improvement to be good

Children are motivated to achieve in education. Staff advocate strongly for children to receive the education that they deserve. For example, when children are in part-time education and they want more hours, staff and managers ensure that children’s views are heard and actions are implemented. As a result, one child whose attendance was very limited is now attending full-time education and has positive aspirations for their future employment.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health and well-being are promoted. Children have access to all required health services. When further support is required, child and adolescent mental health services and the organisation’s therapist are consulted, to provide an additional layer of medical care for children. One child’s parent said, ‘The home is the best place for them.’

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy spending time with their family and friends. Staff promote and facilitate time for children with the people they are closest with. One child’s family spent the day at the home on Christmas Day and cooked dinner for the household. These experiences assure children that the relationships with their family and friends are a priority to those caring for them. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591708 4

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improvement to be good

Children have not always been safeguarded effectively. When children raise concerns, safeguarding processes are not followed consistently. For example, the reporting of disclosures of harm has been significantly delayed at times, resulting in delays to managers carrying out appropriate investigations. Despite these shortfalls, when managers are made aware, appropriate action is taken.

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improvement to be good

Staff lack professional curiosity at times, leaving children in vulnerable situations. On one occasion, despite children presenting differently to their usual routine, staff were not curious and did not check on their well-being. As a result, children were missing from the home for most of the evening without staff’s knowledge. When children attempted to contact staff, they were unable to do so and required the police to return them home. This does not provide children with assurances that staff will protect them.

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improvement to be good

Medication arrangements are not consistent to ensure that children remain safe from harm. For example, one child was left with medication that had not been prescribed for them, despite previous concerns of misusing medications. Following this, the child informed staff that they had overdosed and required medical assistance.

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improvement to be good

When children present with behaviours that can be challenging, staff try their best to de- escalate situations. Staff receive training in behaviour management, the PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy) model of care and additional input from the therapist.

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improvement to be good

Children can identify trusted adults that they feel keep them safe. Children know who to go to should they have a concern, and feel comfortable to speak to staff should they need to raise anything. One child said she feels safe.

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improvement to be good

Recruitment of staff is safe and effective. Managers have systems in place to ensure that only safe adults care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Management arrangements have been inconsistent. Since the last inspection, the home has had three different managers and three responsible individuals. This can lead to confusion and instability for children and staff. There is now a clear management structure, with a new manager and responsible individual in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers’ monitoring and review systems are ineffective. Disclosures that have not been recorded in the correct formats have not been identified. Delays in recordings of almost six months have not been highlighted through managers’ monitoring systems. As a result, there have been delays in notifying the regulator of significant events. One disclosure was not notified, meaning that the regulator was unable to have effective oversight. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591708 5 Actions identified from investigations following concerns about staff practice have not always been followed up. One action for a member of staff to be referred to disciplinary did not take place, with no clear rationale as to why. This leaves the potential for people to be caring for children who may not be suitable to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers’ reviews of the quality of care provided for children lack clear evaluation of how improvements can be made. Actions in the reports are not specific with no timescales or information as to how they can be achieved. Managers have also not established a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Despite shortfalls identified, leaders and managers have completed several learning reviews, with actions set to bring about improvements. Actions are in their infancy and have yet to be firmly embedded in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff say that they feel supported. Regular supervision and team meetings take place, offering staff opportunities to reflect on practice, discuss development opportunities and raise concerns should they need to. This shows a commitment to supporting and developing staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Children are supported by a stable and consistent team of staff. When additional staff are required to support the home and care for children, managers ensure that the staff used from other homes are known to the children. This helps to provide continuity of care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591708 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, The 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 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— that staff—

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand their responsibilities with regard to recording and reporting disclosures. Staff should also understand their responsibilities to protect children in relation to their medication, and when they are away from the home. 27 February 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591708 7 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

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.

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that monitoring systems are effective to bring about improvements, and ensure that recording and reporting are accurate. 27 February 2025

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that bedroom door motion alarms are not used as a blanket approach. Where motion alarms are used, these must be assessed and kept under regular review. 27 February 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591708 8 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child — is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the regulator is informed of all significant incidents as required by regulation and that when notifications are made, this is done within the required timescales. 27 February 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure systems are in place to review the quality of care for children effectively and that actions for improvement are clear and attainable. 27 February 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591708 9

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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: 2591708 10

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Childrens home details

Registered provider: First Blue Healthcare Limited

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Childrens home details

Registered provider address: Seighford Hall, Clanford Road, Seighford, Stafford ST18 9NL

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Inspector

Kev Brammer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2591708 11 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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