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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC399586 1 SC399586 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 company owns and manages this children’s home. The home provides care for up to two children who may have social and emotional needs and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. The inspector spoke to one child during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC399586 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2025 Full Good 23/05/2022 Full Inadequate 10/08/2021 Full Good 26/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC399586 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children develop trusting relationships with each other and the staff. These relationships flourish because the staff understand each child’s preferred way of communication. Children are therefore helped to express themselves. Staff speak fondly and passionately about the children they care for. Observations of children showed they are confident and comfortable in the care of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s experiences and progress are positively captured through their daily journals, which are a positive reminder to children of their abilities. The children’s voice is consistently valued and respected, with active involvement in key decisions about the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health and emotional well-being needs are well supported. Staff recognise when children need additional specialist help and advocate for them to receive it. Staff support children to manage situations that previously overwhelmed them, and children feel safe to explore their past experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have supported children with sometimes complex contact arrangements. Staff have a good understanding of the impact of this on children and the importance of maintaining strong links with family wherever possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is bright, warm and homely. It has ample play equipment, books and toys for the children. Children engage positively with the staff, who respond sensitively to their needs. Staff understand the children’s likes and dislikes and daily routines. Children reach out to staff for help and reassurance.

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

Staff know the children well and meet their needs appropriately. Children’s care plans and risk assessments are detailed, clear and regularly updated. This provides staff with the information they need to understand how to meet each child’s needs.

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

Staff only hold children as a last resort to keep everyone safe. The manager ensures that children are offered the opportunity to share their views following an incident. The manager evaluates incidents to assess their effectiveness and adapt strategies as needed. When learning is identified, the manager carries out reflective work with the staff and helps them understand how to best support the children and reduce future incidents.

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

Staff promote positive relationships between the children. When children are unkind to each other, the staff identify and address children’s actions immediately. The staff use regular key-work sessions to help the children understand their behaviour and the Inspection report for children’s home: SC399586 4 impact it can have on other children. This helps the children to develop socially acceptable behaviours.

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home. Staff are appropriately trained in safeguarding children with disabilities and demonstrate a clear understanding of the procedures to follow should a child go missing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is confident and knowledgeable and has transformed a new staff team and home into a warm, welcoming and effective living space for children. Their passion and ambition for the service are evident, and they have successfully communicated their vision for the home to staff and children alike. The registered manager has established clear systems and expectations and enabled successful arrivals for all children moving in.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective training has quickly built staff confidence and skills. Senior staff have played a key role in mentoring and modelling best practices for those new to residential care. The manager recognises that they have some work to do still in creating autonomy and confidence across the whole team, but they have development plans in place and have made this a priority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. These sessions are structured to provide a safe and supportive space for staff to reflect on their practice, explore the needs of the children, and receive guidance on their professional development. Newer staff benefit from increased supervision frequency to ensure they are well supported during their probation period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly. They are informative and there is a clear agenda. The registered manager also uses this time effectively to undertake team learning activities. This allows her the opportunity to assess the skills and knowledge of the staff and their ability to help and protect the children. The registered manager has a clear plan to develop the home and the staff team. There is a detailed workforce development plan, which has a solid focus on improving the quality of care that the children received.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s files are incomplete. Children’s records do not consistently contain a copy of the children’s care plan or their looked-after health assessment record. The manager has not effectively challenged a child’s placing local authority in a timely manner to request the key documents. This oversight prevents the children from having access to their own complete records. In addition, the registered manager cannot be assured that the staff are providing care in line with the child’s most up-to-date care plan. Inspection report for children’s home: SC399586 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that the children’s looked-after documents and health assessments are obtained and kept up to date. 12 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must request key documents, for example the children’s care plan and looked-after health assessment from the placing local authority in a timely manner. When these are not received, the registered person must escalate the concerns to the director of children’s services of the placing local authority. 12 December 2025

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: SC399586 6 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: SC399586 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

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC399586 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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