Children's home run by First 4 Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1250196 1 `

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Registered provider: FIRST 4 CARE LIMITED Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private provider. The home can accommodate up to 2 children who have learning disabilities. Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection, and both spoke to the inspector.

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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: 1250196 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/07/2024 Full Good 23/11/2021 Full Outstanding 28/01/2020 Full Good 02/10/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1250196 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build meaningful relationships with children. Staff talk about children kindly and have used research to positively change the language used in the records about children. Staff and children are heard laughing together in the communal areas of the home, where children spend most of their time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and children enjoy exploring new places that align with children’s interests. When children engage in activities, a journal is completed that children frequently look through with staff. The journal includes photos and praise from staff, and this helps form a key part of the children’s life story work.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote education and communicate regularly with the school. Staff attend celebration events in school and display certificates in the home, which helps children to feel proud of their achievements. Staff support children with education and accompany them at school if there are difficulties, and they help to complete homework on a weekly basis. Staff ensure that the home has books in communal areas, which children read frequently. Staff support children to engage in informal learning through visiting museums and learning facts about a different country each month.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have established routines and boundaries in the home. One family member thought that the routines had helped the children to feel settled. The routines help to promote healthy lifestyle habits and have contributed to improved hygiene.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s health needs. One child, who was previously fed via a gastrostomy tube, has had their feeding tube removed and is eating a wider variety of foods. The school has recognised that since bringing packed lunch, the children are eating more during the school day. Staff help children to understand their health needs and changes to their bodies through key-work sessions. Children who were incontinent previously are now using the toilet both in the home and community, which has had a positive impact on their self-esteem and friendships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves in and out of the home are well managed. The registered manager gathers information from important people in children’s lives to better understand the children’s needs. The transition plans for moves are unique to the children. Before children move into the home, they meet the registered manager and receive the children’s guide.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Training that is specific to the health needs of children is completed before children move into the home. This means that staff are fully able to meet the needs of the children they care for. Staff write stories for children to help them understand changes in the home. The stories use communication aids familiar to children to help them understand when peers have left the home and to prepare for their own move to a new home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1250196 4

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

Children are building trusting relationships with staff. Children identify staff who they like and can ask to help them. When children inform staff that they feel unhappy, there is communication with other professionals to increase support for children.

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

Children are helped to stay safe online. Children have routines around when they use devices, and parental controls are installed. Staff are vigilant about children’s online activity and have conversations with children about staying safe online.

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

Staff supervise children in the community and help them to access activities safely. When a community group felt unable to meet the needs of one child, staff agreed to stay with the child to help them to access the activity. As a result of the supervision of staff, children do not go missing from the home.

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

Staff consider safeguarding scenarios in supervision. The scenarios help staff to think about different situations they may face and consider safeguarding actions and responses they would take. The scenarios are relevant to the needs of children who live in the home. Whistleblowing procedures have been discussed in supervision and staff are aware of how to raise concerns.

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

Risk assessments and care plans inform staff how to help children when they are upset or angry. There has been a notable improvement in one child’s emotional wellbeing and ability to manage their feelings since moving to the home. Following incidents, children are helped to repair relationships and are better able to talk about incidents.

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

Physical interventions are rarely used and are a last resort to ensure the safety of children. Information in children’s plans highlights the risks of physical intervention alongside health needs. This information is not consistent across all plans, and some staff are not fully aware of the risks associated with restraint for one child.

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

Following the use of a physical intervention, a record is made and children receive a debrief or have their wellbeing observed if they are unable to communicate verbally. The record of the physical intervention is timely but is not always detailed. Revisions have been made to forms to ensure that staff are recording with increased accuracy. Staff receive a debrief from managers when they have used a physical intervention. The reason and appropriateness of the use of a physical intervention are discussed. Greater consideration has not been given to whether a physical intervention could be stopped at an earlier point. The review of the use of physical intervention when a manager is involved is limited.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is passionate about creating a nurturing home for children to live and grow. An experienced responsible individual and a newly appointed deputy manager support the registered manager. Together, they have effective systems to help monitor the Inspection report for children’s home: 1250196 5 children’s plans and progress. The monitoring systems have been revised following a period where they were not used consistently.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a strong advocate for children. The registered manager has escalated concerns regarding future placement decisions to ensure that they are in the interest of the child and not financially motivated. The registered manager has effectively worked with and challenged practice in other settings, sharing plans and insights to help children receive continuity of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported. They receive regular, reflective supervision and attend team meetings. The registered manager embeds reflective practice with staff. Staff attend sessions with the home’s therapist, where they reflect on the presenting needs of children and how staff can support children to help them to make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are recruited using a robust safer recruitment process. Staff have a meaningful induction period, which incorporates mentoring from experienced staff and in-person and online training. The induction period is reviewed by managers at regular intervals and there is increased supervision when staff start to help develop their skills and knowledge. The registered manager has utilised performance plans to improve the practice of existing staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff sufficiency has fluctuated. A significant number of staff have been absent due to sickness for an extended period. This absence was unforeseen and meant that agency staff were frequently used. Additionally, the registered manager stepped into a caring role to offer continuity for the children. Staff have explained the unexpected absence of staff to children. However, this has been difficult for them to understand. In recognition that this was unsustainable, new staff have been recruited and are due to start once employment checks have been completed. This means that if there are further absences, children will remain cared for by familiar adults. Inspection report for children’s home: 1250196 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff fully understand the risks associated with any restraint technique used in the home. Any risks identified should be consistently reflected across children’s plans. The use of restraint must be recorded accurately. Following the use of restraint, the registered person should use the records and debriefs to fully review staff practice. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. (‘The Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraphs 9.56 and 9.59).

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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: 1250196 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

Ali Owens, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1250196 8 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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