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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 1 Registered provider: FIRST 4 CARE LIMITED

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company and can provide care for up to 2 children who have a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

There are interim management arrangements in place as there is no registered manager in post.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home and spoken to as part of the inspection.

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of the child at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Physical intervention incidents are not recorded in detail. This restricts the regulator in assessing whether the provider responds appropriately to the child’s needs when there is a risk of harm.

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Findings from the inspection

 The home’s management arrangements are ineffective. This impacts the monitoring and oversight of the home and how well the child is helped and protected.

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Findings from the inspection

 Staff are not always providing care to the child in line with the child’s plan.

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Findings from the inspection

 The language used in some written records is blameful and suggests the child is threatened with consequences for their actions.

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Findings from the inspection

The assurance inspection was completed due to a serious safeguarding incident which occurred in the home. This incident resulted in an injury to a child. There were also increased concerns identified through the visits and reports from the independent visitor regarding the use of physical interventions by staff at the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The child’s individual plan is not consistently reviewed or updated following incidents, physical interventions or displays of unwanted behaviours. As a result of this the opportunities to reflect, learn and adapt strategies to reduce further incidents are missed.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are holding the child to manage behaviour. Some holds are applied for extended periods and staff do not always follow their training guidance. This has led to situations where the child is held until calm, rather than strictly to prevent immediate harm, which is not appropriate practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff use guides alongside holds to manage behaviour. These are referenced in the incident records. There are no separate or clear records detailing the use of guides. This means managers cannot assess whether guides are being used safely, or in a way that supports positive outcomes for the child.

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Findings from the inspection

There is a lack of reporting to Ofsted when serious incidents take place. The monthly visits and resulting report by the independent visitor have raised concerns about the lack of notifications. This raises concerns about the regulator having timely and independent oversight of safeguarding incidents.

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Findings from the inspection

Written records completed by staff and managers are not consistently of a good standard. Some records include language which is not therapeutic to manage behaviour. For example, one record stated that the child was told they would have Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 3 their iPad removed if they did not comply. Where items are removed because of behaviour, this is not recorded or evaluated. This prevents managers from reviewing whether the response was fair and proportionate and was in the child’s best interests.

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Findings from the inspection

Monitoring and review systems are ineffective. This impacts the manager in identifying safeguarding concerns and ensuring effective oversight to evaluate any incidents. Some recent changes have been made to strengthen management oversight but these are not yet embedded in practice.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has failed to identify areas of poor practice. This has resulted in limited management oversight. Managers are not challenging staff to support the care of the child being in line with the statement of purpose.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have access to training to understand and support the needs of the children. Training is not provided for all the specific needs of the child. This means that for one health condition staff have not had specialist training to fully understand the impact for the child. This is not reflected in the child’s plan.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is warm and welcoming. The child likes their bedroom which is decorated to reflect their likes and dislikes. Professionals shared how they feel the child is happy in the home and is making progress. The child shared that they like their home. While the child experiences some positive relationships and a welcoming environment, there are shortfalls in practice and leadership.

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Findings from the inspection

Widespread concerns were found throughout this inspection. However, before the end of the inspection, senior leaders had offered assurances to the regulator that immediate actions would be taken. These assurances prevented Ofsted from taking any higher enforcement action. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/06/2025 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 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, for risk assessments to be updated following significant incidents to reflect current needs and for staff to understand and implement each child’s risk assessment. 30 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

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— 30 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 6 lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that management oversight is clear and accurate across documents pertaining to children and that staff and professionals are being challenged if standards of care for the child are not meeting expectations.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; 30 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 7 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii)(b)(ii))

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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)) 30 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 8

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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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Inspectors

Kate Jackson, Social Care Inspector Mel Turner, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2815875 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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