Children's Home run by Child First Residential Ltd in Sandwell

Inspection report for children's home: 2745260 1 Registered provider: Child First Residential Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and is one of 2 children’s homes run by the provider. It is registered to provide care for up to 2 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since November 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, 2 children have moved into the home. Both children’s experiences of living in the home were explored as part of the inspection.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2745260 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/05/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/06/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2745260 3

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Summary of findings

The staff team provide good care. Children and family members provided positive feedback about the care and support staff provide and the positive relationships staff build with children. Staff understand children’s needs and support them in developing independence, building children’s self-confidence. Relationships with the wider professional network are positive and contribute to future planning. Overall, children receive good support that enables them to make progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience well-planned moves into the home. Before children move in, senior leaders speak to key members of the child’s network to gather information, which is used to help children feel at home from the very beginning. Staff are supported in their roles and are provided with bespoke training to meet the individual needs of children, for example learning about children’s preferred communication methods. The additional support provided by senior leaders has allowed staff to communicate effectively with children and support them to adjust to their new environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s needs are understood by the staff who care for them. Staff help children understand their emotions through calm and consistent support that aligns with their sensory needs. Strategies are reviewed and adapted in line with children’s progress and increasing independence. This helps children to feel safe, understood and ensures care is responsive to their changing needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with their daily routines, ensuring children have a predictable and consistent structure to their day. Children are supported to attend school. Staff maintain close contact with school staff to support children’s progress in their academic studies. When children struggle in their education setting, staff advocate for them and support them. This ensures a coordinated approach and minimises disruption to children’s education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to engage in a wide range of activities at home and in the community. They are encouraged to pursue their individual interests, helping them to build new skills. One child spoke with enthusiasm about attending football club and going to the local library. These activities support children to become part of the local community and build vital links.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback is routinely sought from family members and children’s professional network, ensuring staff reflect on and continue to develop practice. Family members speak positively about the support their children receive, particularly in helping them develop self-care skills and staff’s ability to keep children safe. Feedback from professionals was also positive, reflecting that children build good relationships with the staff who care for them. Inspection report for children's home: 2745260 4 Overall, the home is welcoming and provides children with ample space to relax. Children’s bedrooms are decorated according to their wishes and reflect their interests. However, aspects of the home detract from an otherwise homely feel, with inconsistencies in the standard of cleanliness, and broken furniture. Leaders took some action during the inspection, however, maintenance issues are not always quickly resolved. These delays could result in accident or injury.

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

Staff work hard to enable children to feel safe, building trusting relationships. They actively listen to children, ensuring they have a voice in their care planning. In addition, risks to children and strategies for managing risks are understood. Staff support children through individual sessions, discussions and play on how to keep themselves safe in and out of the home.

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

Staff respond appropriately to significant incidents and work with partner safeguarding agencies to review and escalate concerns. Risk management strategies are reviewed and updated following incidents. This enables staff to support children and reduce the risks they face.

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

When physical intervention is used, this is safe and proportionate. Managers and staff use reflective discussions to understand children’s experiences and inform future practice. Oversight from the responsible individual adds an additional layer of scrutiny, ensuring safeguarding practice remains child centred and appropriate. Professional curiosity guides staff in understanding how incidents can be avoided. Where shortfalls are identified, appropriate action is taken to strengthen staff skills and confidence.

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

Children are supported to understand the complaints process. When complaints are made, children are kept informed while their complaints are explored. Letters are written to children to explain the outcome of their complaint and are shared in an age- appropriate manner. This helps children to feel emotionally supported and listened to and to understand the outcome.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Frequent changes in the management of the home have resulted in instability for the staff team. Two managers have been appointed; however, they have not remained in post. A new manager is now in post. However, she has not yet applied to register with Ofsted and her suitability has not yet been assessed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Instability in leadership arrangements has impacted on children’s experiences because staff are not consistently and appropriately challenged on their practice. As a result, there have been delays in strengthening how children are supported and kept safe. Shortfalls were also identified in the ability of leaders and managers to challenge the wider professional network when welcoming a new child into the home and ensuring essential information is provided in a timely manner. Inspection report for children's home: 2745260 5 Feedback from staff is varied. A number of staff report feeling supported, however others said changes in the management team and staff absences have contributed to feelings of instability that have affected their development and confidence. Senior leaders have introduced additional support and training, however, learning is not yet embedded in practice because oversight and coordinated support remain inconsistent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Supervision takes place regularly, with opportunities for staff to reflect on practice. Team meetings are well attended by staff and offer opportunities to consider children’s progress and new ways of supporting them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Safer recruitment processes are in place. An induction period ensures new staff receive the appropriate level of training and insight into how to respond to children’s needs. As part of the induction process, new starters are provided with opportunities to observe practice and undertake reflective exercises. This practice allows senior leaders to identify additional support for new starters from the outset. Inspection report for children's home: 2745260 6

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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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the home is maintained to a good standard. Children’s bedrooms should be clean, tidy and free from hazards. Broken furniture should be repaired or replaced as necessary.

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Requirement Due date

Staff must ensure that children do not access areas of the home that may present a risk to their safety. All maintenance issues in the home should be addressed in a timely manner. 10 August 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—

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; 10 August 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2745260 7 ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff have the skills and experience to meet the individual needs of children in the home. In addition, that they support children in line with the therapeutic model outlined in the statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also develop and improve professional challenge, ensuring that practice concerns are promptly addressed, and improve children’s day-to-day experiences.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children's home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and the registered provider—

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure a suitably qualified and experienced manager is appointed and registered with Ofsted in a timely manner. 10 August 2026

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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: 2745260 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Child First Residential Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 11 Hollyhedge Road, West Bromwich B71 3BP

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Inspectors

Salma Ahmed, Social Care Inspector Menaka De Silva, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2745260 9 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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