Children's Home run by First Blue Healthcare Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2726993 1 Registered provider: First Blue Healthcare 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 operated by a private organisation. The home is registered to provide care for up to 2 children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living in the home. Both children spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2024 and is suitably qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 2 December 2025

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2726993 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/12/2025 Full Good 11/09/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2726993 3

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Summary of findings

Overall, some children have made progress since the last inspection. However, some safeguarding arrangements and management systems require improvement. Consequently, shortfalls in these systems have had an impact on children's overall experiences of living in the home.

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Summary of findings

Since the last inspection, 2 children have left and 2 children have moved into the home. There have been a high number of challenging incidents, which have resulted in 2 children having to move out of the home, which has had an impact on their overall progress, experiences and stability.

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Summary of findings

Children are supported to access education and experience opportunities to try new things and engage in fun activities.

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improvement to be good

Children do not live in a home environment that is consistently maintained to a good standard. Some areas of the home were cluttered and untidy. Bathrooms and parts of the kitchen and conservatory required cleaning, and children's belongings were not stored appropriately. Furthermore, broken furniture was identified in one child's bedroom. While some immediate action was taken to address these issues, these shortfalls do not provide a consistently welcoming, homely and nurturing environment for children.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers do not always demonstrate sufficiently child-centred decision- making when considering whether children can safely remain living in their home. For example, a child was moved out of the home at a critical point in their education, shortly before sitting their GCSE examinations. Leaders and managers did not fully consider the potential impact that this move would have on the child's emotional wellbeing and educational progress. As a result, the child experienced unnecessary disruption and uncertainty during an important period of their life.

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improvement to be good

Despite this shortfall, children's moves into and out of the home are managed well. This helps children to understand what to expect from their new living arrangements and supports them to feel welcomed and settled when they move into the home.

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improvement to be good

Children benefit from sharing nurturing relationships with staff. Staff demonstrate care and affection, helping children to feel valued and supported. Staff were observed to have positive interactions with children and demonstrated a good understanding of children's individual needs when responding to them. This has resulted in children developing positive attachments to the adults who care for them. Inspection report for children's home: 2726993 4 Staff promote and support children's regular school attendance. The manager and staff are proactive in challenging decisions and barriers that may prevent children from accessing education that meets their individual needs. When children are not in formal education, staff work creatively and collaboratively with education professionals to identify and provide meaningful learning opportunities. This ensures that children continue to engage in learning and develop their knowledge, skills and confidence.

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improvement to be good

Children are provided with a wide range of activities and experiences that reflect their individual interests and preferences. For example, children have enjoyed activities such as go-karting, trips to the beach and visits to soft-play centres. These opportunities enable children to have fun, build their confidence and develop social skills.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff do not consistently assess children's risks effectively. They do not ensure that there are clear plans in place for staff to take action to manage children's risks. When incidents occur, managers do not consistently adapt the way they manage the changing risks for children. This has the potential to compromise children's safety.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the potential impact of criminalising children living in their care. Their ability to implement meaningful and restorative consequences, in line with the home's therapeutic approach, is variable. For example, on one occasion, staff called the police and a younger child was arrested and taken to the police station on their own without support. This response was not proportionate or child focused and does not reflect the home's stated therapeutic model of care. However, other consequences, when used, are generally proportionate.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff take allegations seriously and ensure they are investigated. However, information-sharing with the relevant professionals is not consistently effective. On one occasion, a social worker was not promptly informed of a significant and serious safeguarding concern. Additionally, they only became aware of the concerns when contacted by Ofsted. This delay in information-sharing hinders professional oversight and limits the ability of the wider network to respond promptly to safeguard children and promote their welfare. However, when investigations are completed, children are kept informed of the outcome, which helps them to feel listened to and reassured.

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improvement to be good

When physical intervention is required and used by staff, it is used safely, proportionately and always as a last resort to ensure the safety of children. Staff use de-escalation strategies, such as distraction, playfulness and calm voices, to support children to feel calmer. Children are offered the opportunity to speak to an independent adult following incidents, although, on one occasion, this did not occur. Overall, children and staff can reflect on incidents, which helps to develop staff practice and promote children's wellbeing.

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improvement to be good

Staff search for children when they go missing and try to maintain contact with them. Staff work with family and friends to gather information to locate children. Furthermore, Inspection report for children's home: 2726993 5 they work closely with the police to ensure that children return home safely. Children are offered opportunities to talk about where they have been and are welcomed home without judgement. This supports children to feel valued and cared for.

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

The registered manager is experienced and keen for children to do well. However, the home's leadership systems are not yet consistently effective in making continual improvements to the care that children receive. Monitoring and review systems do not consistently identify shortfalls in staff practice or inaccuracies in records. Records are not always accurate and do not consistently reflect the actions taken by staff. As a result, opportunities to identify and address practice issues at the earliest stage are sometimes missed.

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

Feedback from staff is mixed. Some staff report feeling burnt out and say that they do not always feel sufficiently supported during periods of increased pressure. Leaders and managers have implemented measures to promote staff wellbeing, including making adjustments to rota arrangements and providing opportunities for respite. While these plans demonstrate a commitment to supporting staff, they have not always been effective in easing the impact of ongoing staffing challenges.

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

Staffing shortages have led to an increased reliance on agency staff. At times, this has reduced the stability and consistency of care provided to children. The lack of a consistent staff team has contributed to an increase in incidents and has limited staff's ability to respond to children's complex needs effectively. Consequently, 2 children moved out of the home because staff were unable to keep them safe.

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

Feedback from professionals is positive. They value staff and the managers' understanding of children's individual needs. During a challenging period when there were significant safeguarding concerns for children in the home, the manager thought creatively and worked closely with other professionals and the children to manage some risks. As a result, children felt cared for even during their most challenging moments. Inspection report for children's home: 2726993 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— that staff—

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the risks to children are constantly assessed and managed according to their needs. Staff must have clear guidance on how to manage specific risks to keep children safe. Managers and staff must also consider the impact of using the police to teach children about safety and the long-term impact of criminalising children. 30 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 the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; 30 August 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2726993 7 ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff wellbeing is prioritised and there are enough staff to meet the needs of the children in the home while maintaining consistency in the staff team. They must also ensure they have robust oversight of the home and staff practice to ensure that shortfalls are addressed promptly.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

seek to involve each child's placing authority effectively in the child's care, in accordance with the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children's home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all relevant safeguarding information is shared with children's social workers in a timely manner. 30 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children's home's overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children's needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 30 August 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2726993 8 understand and apply the home's statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home's statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child's welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the home environment is clean, tidy and a welcoming space for children to spend time in. Damage to the home must be addressed in a timely manner, including replacing broken furniture.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording, including the actions taken by staff. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2726993 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider: First Blue Healthcare Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Seighford Hall, Clanford Road, Seighford, Stafford ST18 9NL

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Inspector

Menaka De Silva, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2726993 10 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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