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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2575463 1 Registered provider: FIRST 4 CARE LIMITED

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and run by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there were two children living at the home. The inspector spent time with both children.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 11 October 2023

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2575463 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/10/2023 Full Outstanding 24/01/2023 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 2575463 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are cared for to an exceptionally high level. Their needs and vulnerabilities are strongly understood by the adults caring for them. Care is provided by a consistent and loving staff team. This supports children to make sustained and ongoing progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children like living in the home. This is reinforced by the professionals and family members who know the children well and who say children are calm and settled living here. One professional said, ‘His behaviour tells us he is really settled. He gets predictable care, which he needs.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported to access an abundant number of activities and opportunities. Staff and managers strive to ensure that children gain new experiences. For example, one child was helped to overcome their anxiety and went in a swimming pool for the first time, and another went on a holiday. Staff ensure that these moments are captured in children’s memory books so they can look back fondly at their time at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from the trusting relationships staff have forged with them. Staff are attuned with the children’s individual communication methods and can anticipate the children’s needs due to how well they know them. They liaise with partner agencies such as school to further promote the children’s communication development. As a result, children continue to make progress in communicating their needs and wishes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home itself is personalised to each child. It is full of photographs of the children and the house dog. Children are at ease around the dog and benefit from his affection and enjoy taking him for a walk. This helps children to exercise while having fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Both children attend education and make notable educational progress. Staff and managers have developed positive working relationships with school staff to further ensure the children receive consistent messages.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported to celebrate their individual cultural needs and experience other cultures. The manager strives to establish positive working relationships with parents. This means children can see parents and staff working together in their best interests and celebrating together. For example, parents are encouraged and feel comfortable attending the home to celebrate religious festivals.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Children are kept safe by those adults caring for them. The manager ensures that children have up-to-date and personalised care and safety plans. The plans give staff an clear understanding of children’s risks and behaviours, as well as providing guidance to Inspection report for children’s home: 2575463 4 follow to reduce or manage risks. Staff respond swiftly and take effective action when children’s risks change.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

There is a highly proactive response to children’s health needs. Staff understand the procedures and plans for when children experience seizures. Staff do not delay in seeking medical attention. The manager ensures that children receive timely and relevant assessments to further understand their health needs. A social worker spoke highly about the quality of the risk assessments and has shared the template as good practice with other children’s homes.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Staff have high aspirations for the children. Children gain independence through well- thought-out personalised goals. This approach has supported children to make sustained and new progress towards gaining independence skills, for example with trying new foods, managing their personal care and completing household tasks. This has significantly improved the children’s lives and is supporting their transition to adulthood.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Significant incidents and the use of physical intervention are extremely rare. This is due to staff’s ability to de-escalate children’s heightened behaviours effectively. This is done in a personalised manner such as distraction through singing. Staff use creative strategies to ensure that children are supported to learn from their behaviour. As a result, incidents continue to significantly reduce. The manager has a strong level of oversight of any incidents and ensures he spends time with children afterwards. This helps him to understand if there are any further changes needed to children’s plans from their behaviours.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Staff understand how to safeguard children effectively. They know how to respond and articulate what they would do should concerns about staff conduct, or a child’s safety, arise. Staff and the manager report any concerns about partner agencies immediately.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

There are strong working relationships with partner agencies. The staff and managers share information about the children effectively. They ensure that reports are prepared in advance of statutory meetings taking place. This enables good, timely multi-agency working in the best interests of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The stable management and staff team provide the children with consistency. Staff and the manager speak about the children in very high regard. They strive to want the best for children and advocate on their behalf.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they are supported by the manager and deputy manager. The team works well together and there is a positive morale. There is a focus on staff development. This enables children to be cared for by staff who feel valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff receive a robust induction. This supports them to become familiar with the children’s needs and how to support them. Staff receive a high level of training. Training Inspection report for children’s home: 2575463 5 is specific to the needs of the children. This enables children to be cared for by staff with the relevant skills and knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective auditing tools in place. This allows him to have a good oversight of all aspects within the home. He is supported effectively by his deputy manager, and they work well together.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular discussions in team meetings and supervision sessions. Supervision sessions for those staff who do not have a key-worker role do not always discuss the children. This limits all staff accessing reflective practice that supports their learning and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regulation 44 reports lack analysis to inform if safeguarding practice is embedded. There is limited consultation with the children and those important to them. Leaders and managers have not taken effective action in a timely manner to address the concerns. This prevents there being effective independent oversight of the quality of care for children. However, during the inspection, the responsible individual did make alternative individual personal arrangements to be in place with immediate effect. Inspection report for children’s home: 2575463 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 registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a) (4)(a)(b)) 6 March 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should make sure they have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2575463 7

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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. Wilfrids Road, Doncaster DN4 6AA

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Inspector

Jess Elliott, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2575463 8 and inspects 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 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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