Social care · Social care interim inspection
Children's Home run by Park Blue Homes Limited in Wiltshire
Summary
Tracey Ledder (lead), Michelle Oxley
What we read, and from where
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- Inspection datesingle source
2 Feb 2017
- Inspectors AI-checked
Michelle Oxley, Tracey Ledder
- URN verified
SC482872
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
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Tone of the report
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Reads more critically than most reports of this type.
How the report reads, start to finish
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Strengths
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No standout praise found.
Concerns
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- The current care documentation fails to provide staff with clear direction or specific details in respect of expectations on them in a parentling capacity In its current form this could lead to some confusion and inconsistencies in practice. p.2
- Changes in staffing and a lack of previous experience in this specialist area of work have created some gaps in knowledge. p.2
- The current management arrangements in the home fail to offer the skills and knowledge required to improve practice quickly. p.3
Next steps
Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.
- In particular, the registered manager must demonstrate that they have the knowledge and skills required to effectively be in day-to-day control of the home. 10/04/2017 p.5
- In particular, they must ensure that up-to-date placing authority care plans are obtained in line with the care planning statutory guidance and that all young people have detailed care plans produced by the home. 10/04/2017 p.5
- This regulation refers to all behaviour interventions including restraint, sanctions and searching. p.6
- At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. p.7
- This is in line with the „Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection‟. p.7
What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Care & placements7
“In order to meet the care planning standard, children must:” p.5Progress & outcomes3
“They have made good progress from their starting points.” p.3
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 8
- Words of findings
- 1,264
- longer than usual (typical 904)
- Reading level
- Fairly hard
- Flesch 52, typical 48
- Average sentence
- 22 words
- Next steps
- 5
- typical 4
- Hedged sentences
- 12%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
children and young people since the most recent full inspection
This home has not yet had a full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .
p.2
children and young people since the most recent full inspection
Not all the requirements made at the last inspection have been fully met. This in part is due to an absence of knowledge and experience in this specialist area of work. This leaves the service with a lack of solid foundation from which to build. There is a willingness from leaders and managers to learn and to get things right.
p.2
children and young people since the most recent full inspection
There has been some naivety by leaders and managers in respect of admissions to the home. One young person was admitted to the home without all of the necessary information. This led to a chaotic period that significantly impacted upon the stability of the home and on the other children and young people. There is evidence that the director has learned from this and has put steps in place to minimise the risk of this happening again in the future.
p.2
children and young people since the most recent full inspection
Not all sanctions used in the home are effective. Some sanctions are repeated a number of times without evidence of them impacting on young people‟s behaviour. Not all sanctions are currently recorded in line with regulation but good arrangements are in place to reflect on incidents with young people. Sanctions are not very well thought out, and the use of friendships and relationships to gain compliance has led to unnecessary incidents.
p.2
children and young people since the most recent full inspection
The current care documentation fails to provide staff with clear direction or specific details in respect of expectations on them in a parentling capacity In its current form this could lead to some confusion and inconsistencies in practice. The home is planning to update and implement new care planning documents.
p.2
children and young people since the most recent full inspection
Some of the language used within documentation in the home is inappropriate and fails to reflect the nurturing environment that is provided for children and young people. This practice could lead to confusion for staff in terms of expectations on them and the labelling of children inappropriately.
p.2
children and young people since the most recent full inspection
Changes in staffing and a lack of previous experience in this specialist area of work have created some gaps in knowledge. At times this impacts on the quality and consistency of care. There is evidence that there is a culture of child-focused practice but this needs to be underpinned with knowledge and experience to support the home continuing to make progress.
p.2
children and young people since the most recent full inspection
There is a real willingness from child-focused senior leaders to move this service forward and for it to be a good home for children and young people to live in. The current management arrangements in the home fail to offer the skills and knowledge required to improve practice quickly. This shortfall impacts on the service.
p.3
children and young people since the most recent full inspection
Children and young people live in a nurturing and homely environment. They have good relationships with the staff who care for them. These relationships are built upon mutual respect. When children and young people raise concerns about their care, they are listened to and action is taken to resolve the matter. Young people stated to the inspectors that they liked living in this home. They reported that staff looked after them well and that they felt settled.
p.3
children and young people since the most recent full inspection
Children and young people benefit from some positive aspects to their care. They are provided with opportunities and experiences that will give them lifelong happy memories. These memories are captured in personalised books that the children and young people will take with them as they transition into adulthood.
p.3
children and young people since the most recent full inspection
Children and young people are in education and they are all motivated to learn and attend. They have made good progress from their starting points. Incentive programmes in place support children and young people to achieve and aspire. Children and young people hold aspirations about their futures that are encouraged by the staff who care for them.
p.3
Information about this children's home
This home is registered to care for up to five children and young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning needs. This children‟s home is one of two owned by a small company.
p.4
Recent inspection history
Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/08/2016 Full Requires improvement 08/01/2016 Full Good 14/10/2015 Full Inadequate
p.4
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 (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.
p.5
Requirement Due date
13. The leadership and management standard
p.5
Requirement Due date
In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must ensure:
p.5
Requirement Due date
(1) that they enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children's home, in order to: (a) help children to fulfil their potential (b) promote their welfare.
p.5
Requirement Due date
(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos set out in the home's statement of purpose. In particular, the registered manager must demonstrate that they have the knowledge and skills required to effectively be in day-to-day control of the home. 10/04/2017
p.5
Requirement Due date
In order to meet the care planning standard, children must:
p.5
Requirement Due date
(1)(a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home (b) have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.
p.5
Requirement Due date
(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure:
p.5
Requirement Due date
(b)(ii) that arrangements are in place to manage and review the placement of each child in the home. In particular, they must ensure that up-to-date placing authority care plans are obtained in line with the care planning statutory guidance and that all young people have detailed care plans produced by the home. 10/04/2017
p.5
Requirement Due date
10/03/2017 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children‟s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(b)) The registered person must ensure that 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 the name of the child; details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a
p.5
Requirement Due date
description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure ('the user'), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure.
p.6
Requirement Due date
The registered person must additionally ensure that 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”) has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. This regulation refers to all behaviour interventions including restraint, sanctions and searching. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i–viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 10/04/2017
p.6
What the inspection judgements mean
At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the „Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection‟.
p.7
Information about this inspection
Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference that adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.
p.7
Information about this inspection
This 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 Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the „Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards‟. the guidance Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .
p.7
Information about this inspection
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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,
p.8
Information about this inspection
The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .
p.8
Information about this inspection
Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .
p.8
Information about this inspection
Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted
p.8
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