Children's home run by First 4 Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1256608 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

The home is managed and operated by a private provider. Then home was registered with Ofsted in July 2017 and is registered to provide care for up to 3 children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2025 and is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection 3 children were living at the home. The inspector spent time with all 3 children during the inspection.

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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 outstanding

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1256608 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/03/2025 Full Good 20/02/2024 Full Good 30/11/2021 Full Outstanding 18/12/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1256608 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from a nurturing, stable and child-centred environment where staff are deeply committed to promoting children’s welfare, happiness and development. Staff provide a warm, homely atmosphere that reflects children’s individual identities, interests and needs. Children’s bedrooms are thoughtfully personalised, and communal areas have been carefully adapted to meet children’s sensory and communication needs. This environment enables children to feel settled, secure and valued, contributing significantly to their emotional wellbeing and sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make excellent and sustained progress across all areas of their development since moving into the home. Their progress is meticulously tracked, with achievements recognised and celebrated. Staff develop and implement highly individualised plans that clearly identify specific goals and are regularly reviewed to reflect each child’s progress and evolving needs. Professionals consistently report the positive impact of the home on children’s lives and highlight significant improvements in outcomes, emotional stability and overall quality of life since admission.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Moves into the home are well planned and tailored to children’s individual communication styles, emotional needs and personal circumstances. Staff use creative and innovative approaches, including personalised video clips and photos, to ensure children are familiar with their new environment and the staff who will care for them. Families are actively involved in the moving-in process, with opportunities to visit the home before placement. These highly individualised arrangements support children to settle quickly and positively, reducing anxiety and promoting emotional security.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff want the children to experience a range of activities both within the home and in the local community. Staff will actively seek opportunities to enable the children to try new things that help them learn and progress. Activities are captured in photos and videos, and these are kept for the children and shared with families. Children have been able to learn new skills and build confidence and this has made them feel proud.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children attend education and make measurable progress. Staff hold consistently high aspirations for children and actively promote learning, resilience and perseverance. Strong and effective partnerships with schools ensure that children’s educational progress, targets and support needs are closely monitored and reviewed. Children’s attendance in education is excellent and provides them with stability, routine and a positive learning experience that supports their progress and long-term goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are highly supported to use innovative, child-focused approaches to help children learn and develop at their own pace. Practice is reflective and responsive, and staff demonstrate a clear understanding of each child’s strengths, needs and preferred ways of learning. Children are encouraged, celebrated and supported to achieve their potential. As a result children feel cared for and respected and happy living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256608 4 Children receive an exceptionally high quality of care that has a lasting impact on their lives. Staff consistently go above and beyond to ensure children feel safe, nurtured and empowered which has resulted in excellent outcomes and progress for all children living in the home.

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

Safeguarding practice within the home is highly effective and embedded in everyday care. Children are protected from harm through thoughtful planning, skilled interventions, and strong leadership oversight. As a result, children feel safe, supported and secure, which enables them to thrive within a stable and protective home.

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

Children’s care and risk management plans are clear, robust and consistently reviewed and enable staff to identify emerging risks promptly and take appropriate action to reduce potential harm. Staff demonstrate a thorough understanding of children’s individual risks and vulnerabilities and work proactively to ensure children remain safe and feel supported at all times.

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

Staff take time to work alongside children to explore risk in a meaningful and accessible way, adapting their approach to meet children’s individual communication needs. This enables children to develop a clearer understanding of keeping themselves safe while being supported to try new experiences and increase their independence. Individualised communication tools are used consistently and effectively and empower children to express their views and participate in decisions that affect them.

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

Staff are highly skilled in using de-escalation techniques to support children when they become upset. Where physical intervention is necessary to protect a child or others, this is used only as a last resort and is proportionate and in line with children’s individual plans. All incidents are comprehensively recorded, reviewed and subject to clear management oversight. Staff spend time with children following any intervention and offer reassurance, reflection and emotional support. This helps children to feel safe, valued and cared for.

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

The registered manager demonstrates strong and proactive leadership in safeguarding arrangements. Before any child moves into the home a comprehensive assessment is undertaken to identify potential risks, behaviours and compatibility with children already living there. Recent moves into the home have been well planned and risks clearly understood and shared with the staff. This careful matching and planning ensures stability within the home and prevents unnecessary disruption for children.

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

Staff receive high-quality, specialist training that enhances their knowledge and confidence in safeguarding practice. The registered manager actively promotes innovative approaches and reflective learning and ensures staff practice remains consistent and informed as well as child-focused. Staff demonstrate a strong understanding of children’s support plans, individual needs and vulnerabilities, enabling them to provide safe, nurturing and responsive care. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256608 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home benefits from a highly effective and aspirational registered manager. The registered manager consistently demonstrates high expectations of herself and the staff team. She is committed to continuous professional development and ensures that learning from training and research and legislative updates is shared meaningfully with staff. This ensures practice remains current and informed while strongly focused on delivering excellent care and positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff speak positively about the quality of supervision they receive. The manager provides regular, purposeful and reflective supervision that encourages staff to evaluate their practice and understand the impact of their work. Specialist and tailored training is prioritised by the registered manager and enables staff to meet children’s complex and individual needs. The registered manager and deputy manager are highly visible and actively involved in the day-to-day running of the home which creates a strong sense of support and stability and offers reassurance for both staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager exercises robust and effective quality assurance systems. Practice within the home is routinely reviewed, and outcomes for children are closely monitored. Staff are encouraged to reflect on incidents and learning is shared individually and in team meetings. The registered manager encourages a culture of learning and ambition and staff are supported to be aspirational for children and to continually raise standards of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partnership working is a clear strength of the leadership team. The registered manager works closely with a range of professionals to ensure children’s plans are implemented effectively and reviewed regularly. Professionals comment on the high quality of communication between the staff at the home and partner agencies. One child’s school specifically highlighted how helpful staff are in supporting transitions to and from school and in sharing key information daily. This effective communication enables school staff to respond to children’s needs promptly and appropriately, enhancing children’s educational experience and emotional wellbeing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager demonstrates strong professional curiosity and accountability. When concerns were identified regarding the quality of reports produced by an independent visitor, the registered manager acted swiftly and decisively to address the issue. She ensured that independent oversight was meaningful and accurate and focused on children’s lived experiences, progress and outcomes. This proactive response reflects the registered manager’s commitment to transparency, safeguarding and continuous improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were raised following this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256608 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: 1256608 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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Inspector

Lisa Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1256608 8 regulates 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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