Children's Home run by Park Blue Homes Limited in Durham

Unique reference number SC453372 Inspection date 12/12/2013 Inspector Nicholas Murphy Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 17/10/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Brief description of the service

The home provides care and accommodation for a maximum of three children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned and operated by a private provider.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements Adequate : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be adequate .

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Overall effectiveness

At the last full inspection on 9 October 2013, the home was judged to be inadequate overall. Since then, the home has made satisfactory progress in addressing almost all of the identified breaches of regulation and standards. The home provides a sound quality of care, taking account of the individual needs of young people. The nurturing approach of the staff makes young people feel settled and cared for. This has contributed to the achievement of good outcomes for young people in areas such as health and education.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are able to express their views and know that staff will listen. Staff place the welfare of young people at the forefront of their practice and daily routines are centred around them. It is evident that the relationships between young people and staff are strong and trusting.

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Overall effectiveness

The home keeps young people adequately safe. Staff have better skills and knowledge in relation to safeguarding as the result of specific training. However, the practice and recording of fire drills is an area for improvement.

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Overall effectiveness

Although the home’s management has been successful in rectifying most shortfalls, weaknesses remain in some areas. These include young people’s placement plans; some other records and documents that the home is required to keep; and the quality and frequency of staff supervision.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) maintain in the children’s home the records specified in Schedule 4, specifically that the register in respect of children accommodated records their address on leaving the home. (Regulation 29(1) Schedule 4 (1(d)) 27/12/2013

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure that children understand the purpose and content of their plan and the reasoning behind any decisions about their care, specifically that there is evidence of children's involvement in their plans (NMS 25.1)  ensure that each child’s placement plan is monitored by a key worker within the home who ensures that the requirements of the plan are implemented in the day-to-day care of that child (NMS 25.2)  ensure that there is an emergency escape plan that all staff and children are familiar with and have practised, and specifically that records of fire drills detail which children and staff took part and what was done to make the exercise more realistic (NMS 10.9)  ensure that the home has a written development plan, reviewed annually (NMS 15.2)  ensure that staff are provided with regular supervision by appropriately qualified and experienced staff (NMS 19.4)  keep a written or electronic record detailing the time and date and length of each

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Recommendations

supervision held for each member of staff, including the registered person. (NMS 19.5)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are becoming more resilient. They are better able to deal with setbacks and have a more positive view of themselves. Young people have varying degrees of commitment to doing things for themselves, but all have made progress in this area since coming to live at the home. Young people are in good health. Some have made important decisions about what they need to do now to ensure they have a healthy adulthood. For example, one young person is looking forward to getting their new glasses, and completing appointments with the orthodontist. They explained, ‘I want my eyes and teeth sorting out for when I am older.’ The incidence of smoking has reduced markedly, and there are no issues with other kinds of risky behaviour.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have full attendance at school and are doing well. Some have made excellent progress both academically and in terms of their behaviour and attitude within school. One independent reviewing officer said of one young person, ‘The change in their performance at school is really good.’ Young people take pride in the progress they make and can see how living at the home has contributed to this. One young person said, ‘I think being here has helped me to do better at school.’

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people take full part in the life of the home. Apart from keeping their own rooms tidy, they will help out with household chores such as peeling potatoes for tea. Young people also enjoy taking care of the horses and other animals, even getting involved in the less pleasant tasks like cleaning out the piggery!

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people derive great benefit from seeing family and friends. Some contact takes place within the home, providing a safe and comfortable environment for family members to spend time together. For some young people, seeing friends from their home area is particularly important. They are able to spend unsupervised time away to socialise, and can also have their friends to stay at the home for sleepovers. It is commendable that the home supports and encourages this, helping young people to experience what their peers in the community enjoy.

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Quality of care

Staff take an active interest in the young people, spending time with them in a group and individually. They have a good awareness of the differences between the young people and the need to tailor their approach accordingly. Relationships between staff and young people are warm and affectionate. As a result, young people trust the staff to put their welfare first and advocate on their behalf when necessary.

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Quality of care

Staff respect the views and opinions of young people. There are a number of avenues that young people can use to express their views. For example, the ‘grumbles book’ is always available for young people to tell staff if they are not happy about something. Staff respond by writing a note against each entry, demonstrating that they listen. In addition, young people can raise issues more confidentially, for example to their key worker, or via the formal complaints process. One young person said, ‘Staff always listen to what I say.’

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Quality of care

Each young person has a reasonably detailed placement plan which is written with reference to their specific needs. However, there is no evidence that young people contribute to their plans or understand their content and purpose. Additionally, young people’s key workers do not always monitor plans to ensure that they are up to date. As a result, plans do not reflect changing circumstances and so are not as effective as they might otherwise be.

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Quality of care

Staff have a satisfactory awareness of young people’s health needs. Some young people have eating issues. Staff monitor their diet and work with them to design menus which take account of personal preference while remaining nutritious. The home liaises with local health providers, ensuring that young people have access to the services they need to maintain and improve their health. Staff support young people in accessing specialist services such as those addressing psychological health needs. As a result, the emotional well-being of young people is improving.

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Quality of care

Staff are supportive of young people’s education plans. The home transports young people whose school is not in the local area. This enables young people to maintain attendance at their preferred school and ensures that they benefit from this continuity.

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Quality of care

The home offers a range of activities to young people. There are horses and other farm animals on the site which the young people enjoy looking after. All the young people go horse riding. Many of the staff have expertise in this area and so are able to develop young people’s skills safely. In addition, other recreational and cultural pursuits are nearby, and staff encourage young people to try new things. One young person has developed a strong interest in gymnastics, regularly attending the local club. This promotes physical fitness as well as enabling them to build social relationships.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is adequate at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff promote positive behaviour through the use of encouragement, praise and more tangible incentives. Rewards vary for different young people, depending on their age and identified needs. As a result, sanctions are rarely necessary and the use of physical restraint is infrequent. There is a general sense of good order and productivity within the home. One independent reviewing officer said, ‘The home is very, very positive. It gives the young person stability, which has undoubtedly helped in improving their progress at school and elsewhere.’

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has a positive approach to managing young people’s safety. Staff have an adequate understanding of good practice in relation to keeping young people safe. In day-to-day living, staff take the initiative in making sure that young people do not come to harm. For example, when a young person is out socialising with friends, the home arranges to contact them on their mobile at specific times to check they are alright.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There is very little bullying. The high levels of staff supervision ensure that any friction between young people rarely develops into anything more serious. The number of times when young people go missing is low, and has reduced further over recent weeks. Staff have a reasonable awareness of locally agreed policies to manage any incident and thus reduce risk to young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The house and grounds are safe. Staff assess the risks arising from all activities undertaken by young people so that danger from hazards can be avoided. Arrangements to manage fire safety are generally acceptable. However, records of fire drills do not identify which staff or young people took part. There is therefore no way of knowing who has practised evacuation of the building. There have been no fire drills at night, nor have any exercises included the simulation of blocked escape routes. This means that drills are not as realistic as they could be which reduces their effectiveness.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are adequate .

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Leadership and management

At the last inspection a number of statutory requirements and recommendations were made. The registered persons have addressed the great majority of these in full, resulting in a number of improvements. A record of complaints has been set up, allowing better monitoring and evaluation. The registered persons now have a better understanding of when to notify other professionals of child protection concerns. As a result, one particular historical incident has been appropriately investigated and satisfactorily resolved.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager has amended records of sanctions, physical restraints and room searches. This aids accountability for the use of these measures. The home has revised its staff recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure that only suitable people are appointed. Furthermore, all staff have completed or are undertaking the required induction process. Unqualified staff are enrolled on training which will lead to formal qualification. These improvements in management practice mean that staff are better equipped to promote the welfare and safety of young people. The home has put in place risk assessments in respect of the animals on site, thus keeping young people safer. All staff have undertaken training in safeguarding, delivered by the local children’s safeguarding board (LSCB). This has given staff knowledge and awareness of child protection concerns, and how to recognise and report them.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager has revised the Statement of Purpose, which ensures that it now contains the necessary information for parents and placing authorities. External monitoring undertaken by the registered provider is much improved, and now takes clear account of the views of young people, staff and parents. Finally, the home’s procedures in respect of young people who may go missing are now clearly compatible with the policies of the LSCB and the local police protocol.

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Leadership and management

One recommendation was made to put in place a development plan for the home. The registered provider has partially addressed this. However, the plan does not cover a sufficiently long timescale and does not contain information on financial viability. This makes it difficult to be assured of the home’s continued operation and resources.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager ensures that there are sufficient staff on duty to meet the needs of the young people. This includes the provision of additional staffing where necessary, for example, to maintain adequate oversight of young people who are at particular risk. Staff report that they receive adequate support from senior staff and the Registered Manager. However, formal staff supervision is not regular or sufficiently frequent and does not have sufficient focus on the needs of young people. Furthermore, supervision records do not evidence the duration of each session.

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Leadership and management

Records are generally well kept. There is a minor omission in the admission and discharge register which the Registered Manager rectified during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the Inspections of children’s homes – framework for inspection and the evaluation schedule for the inspection of children's homes.

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