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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 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

A private provider operates this home. The home is registered to care for two children with learning difficulties. This is the home’s first full inspection since it was registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager in post, supported by a deputy manager. One child was living in the home at the time of inspection. The child spoke to inspectors.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have formed a good relationship with the child. Staff enjoy spending time with the child, offering a variety of experiences both in and out of the home. Staff members offer praise and encouragement to the child, which helps to develop the child’s confidence. Staff members make the child feel safe and the child can identify staff members who they can ask for help.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use communication tools that are meaningful to the child. The child has visual cues in the home to aid communication which staff update regularly to meet the child’s needs. There is an understanding in the home of how and when to use communication boards, meaning that if the child is upset, staff still understand them. Staff listen to the child’s wishes and feelings. There have been actions taken following child consultation, which has shown the child that the staff have heard and listened to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is comfortable and child friendly, with the child’s artwork and toys in the living areas. Regular health and safety checks are completed. Managers audit the checks. The staff take prompt action if repairs are required in the home

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the health needs of the child and follow plans to ensure that health is promoted. Staff take the child to routine health appointments. Staff advocated for the child around their preferences regarding treatment. The child’s wishes were understood by staff, who completed key-work sessions around treatment and appointments. This helped reassure the child about their treatment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is promoted in the home. Since moving to the home, the child has not been in full-time education. The manager has worked with the virtual school to advocate for a school place. The staff support the child to engage with a tutor in the home. The child has opportunities to learn developmentally appropriate independence skills through key-work sessions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the important people in the child’s life and enable them to maintain relationships. The child has family photos in the home and talks to staff about their family. Staff ensure that the child has access to and is available for time and calls with people who are important to them. The child knows when family time is due to take place by using a visual planner. The staff have responded to feedback to ensure that time with important people goes ahead in a coordinated way.

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

There are clear behaviour management plans for the child in the home which staff understand. An independent psychologist contributes to the behaviour plans, which Inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 3 means they contain therapeutic responses. This helps staff to support behaviour through a consistent approach.

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

The child is helped to understand their feelings, using language that is meaningful to them. The child feels able to talk about difficult feelings with staff they trust. This means that they are developing a greater understanding of how to promote their emotional well-being.

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

Staff in the home understand the age-appropriate supervision that is required for the child both in the community and at home. The child is helped to understand safety in the community through key-work sessions, which means that when they access new activities, they understand the importance of boundaries. In the home, they can use technology and cook safely alongside staff, which they enjoy.

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

Holds are used by staff to ensure safety in the home. The use of holds is proportionate to the behaviour seen and they are used as a last resort. Only trained staff complete the holds to ensure that they are used safely. During and after a hold, staff offer reassurance to the child through kind language. Debriefs also take place with staff and the child.

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

Risk assessments are completed based on known information and reviewed periodically. One of the risk assessments was not followed due to the home staff not seeing the behaviours or risks. The risk assessments need updating following significant incidents to enable staff to understand and manage any changes in risky behaviour in a timely way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by their managers. The registered manager and deputy managers are available in the home to support staff and children. There is an on-call system that has been used for additional support out of hours.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular, reflective supervision and have team meetings in which key updates are shared about the home and the child. The managers create a culture where reflective practice is encouraged and team members feel supported by one another.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are subject to safer recruitment checks. Managers seek additional references as standard. New staff have a structured induction programme which includes an increased level of supervision from a manager. This means that they have the opportunity to learn from colleagues, engage in training and develop skills required for their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training is a priority for the management team. The company invests in training from an independent psychologist, which staff find beneficial. One staff member described a positive impact the training had on how they approached helping the child to regulate their emotions and behaviours. The registered manager carries out research around the specific care and health needs for the child in the home. The research is shared with the team so that all staff understand the specific needs of the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 4 The registered manager communicates and builds effective working relationships with partnership agencies. Before children move into the home, managers seek further information, which can include meeting children, to ensure they have the information required to care for the child. The registered manager communicates with key people in the child’s life and ensures that they contribute to plans around transitions into the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have a good oversight and knowledge of the child and the home environment supported by the monitoring systems that are in place. Managers ensure that children’s records are written clearly and are child friendly. Significant incidents are overseen by managers. There have been occasions when notifications have not been submitted to the regulator. Inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 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, 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—

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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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, risk assessments must be updated following significant incidents to reflect current needs and for staff to understand and implement each child’s risk assessment in their care plans. 31 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 31 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 6

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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: 2815875 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 Wilfrid’s Road, Doncaster DN4 6AA

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Inspectors

Ali Owens, Social Care Inspector Lisa Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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