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

Inspection report children’s home: SC453372 1 SC453372 Registered provider: Richard Parker

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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 children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to four children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private provider. The manager has been registered since 2013.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 24 to 25 September 2018

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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 children’s home: SC453372 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/07/2017 Full Good 11/01/2017 Full Good 17/11/2016 Full Inadequate 01/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC453372 3

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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, 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 The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— That the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(e)) In particular, the registered manager should monitor the home’s allegations management file to ensure that all relevant documentation is present. 10/11/2018

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Recommendations

 Staff should understand what they must do to prevent bullying of children by other children or adults. Staff should be able to recognise and address different types of abuse such as peer abuse, cyber-bullying and bullying in day to day relationships in the home. Registered persons must ensure that procedures for dealing with allegations of bullying are in place and staff have the skills required to intervene, protect and address bullying behaviours effectively. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.16)

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Recommendations

In particular, the manager should ensure that all bullying incidents are recorded in a central file or log to enable effective monitoring.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children live in a home that is well maintained, warm and homely. Staff have worked with the children in respect of the decor and furnishings throughout the home. The children’s rooms are personalised spaces that they are proud of and that reflect their Inspection report children’s home: SC453372 4 individual preferences. One child said, ‘I love my room. It’s just as I want it and I love my comfy double bed.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children living in the home receive a good standard of care to meet their individual needs. Staff show genuine care and concern for them. Staff are focused on ensuring that the children achieve to the best of their ability. The children like spending time in the home. They like to watch TV and spending time with staff. This means that they are able to relax in a calm and homely atmosphere.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are skilled at helping the children attend and achieve in education. A number of the children had very poor school attendance or no school placements when they came to live at the home. All of them attend education now and are doing well, with 100% attendance. This has helped the children to understand the importance of education and given them confidence in their own abilities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children well. They know their likes and along with them they design structured, well-planned activities. The children have opportunities on a day-today basis to meet friends and family, learn and have fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Child-friendly care plans help them to understand the care they receive on a short-term and long-term basis. They are able to have meaningful input and set realistic targets. The ‘My day-to-day journals’ involve the children in daily recording. They include the rewards and incentives that can be gained by meeting targets. This helps the children to gain self-confidence and security.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although there have been a number of changes to the staff team since the last inspection, this has not affected the consistency of care provided. This has helped children settled well and progress.

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

The children say that they feel safe. The use of child-friendly risk assessments ensures that staff are able to help them to understand risk and how to keep themselves safe, outside and inside of the home. Staff understand the need for the children to become independent and take appropriate risks. Staff help them to manage their feelings and to regulate their behaviour in a positive way. The consistent boundaries in the home safeguard the children effectively.

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

Staff work hard to provide a safe place for the children to live. They have a good understanding of the children’s needs. Bullying is rare, and the children are encouraged to live together in a respectful and friendly way. To strengthen practice, incidents of bullying should be recorded in a central file or log to enable effective monitoring.

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

Staff work closely with social workers and a clinical psychologist, which gives them a clear understanding of the children’s therapeutic needs. This ensures that behaviour management and care plans are personalised to the needs of each child. Inspection report children’s home: SC453372 5 The children rarely go missing. If this does happen, staff are proactive in their responses. They follow each child’s missing-from-home protocol and report to relevant agencies in a timely manner. Return from missing interviews take place, giving children the opportunity to explore why they went missing with an independent person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and well established in his role. He is very well supported by a senior team that is committed and dedicated to improving the outcomes for the children. The staff team has high aspirations for the children. Staff have a good understanding of the individual needs of each child and are motivated and passionate in the support that they provide. Relationships between the children and staff are positive and sincere.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the manager and his senior team have implemented effective monthly monitoring, which has improved the understanding of the progress of the children. To strengthen this process, the manager needs to undertake monitoring of the allegation management documentation held within the home on a regular basis to ensure that all of it is in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular and effective supervision enables the staff to reflect on their practice. Staff spoken to all felt valued and supported. One member of staff said, ‘My supervisor has made me feel confident. She helps me to stay focused and motivated.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff undertake a range of training to give them the skills to meet the needs of the children. They also have regular training, support and consultation with a clinical psychologist. This gives them clear knowledge and understanding of the children’s previous experiences of trauma, which enables them to support and help the children in an informed and effective way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff work closely with a care team of other professionals, including the police, health workers and social workers. A professional commented, ‘I think the staff are brilliant. They have helped my young person to settle into the home really well, to grow in confidence and take pride in their appearance.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff are good advocates for the children. Well-written reports are presented at local authority meetings. These demonstrate that the children are helped and supported to share their views and challenge takes place when necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff strive continually to promote positive outcomes for all of the children. They understand the importance of developing the children’s confidence and self-esteem. They have created a family-style environment in which the children are able to achieve and thrive. Inspection report children’s home: SC453372 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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 children’s home: SC453372 7

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Inspector

Dot McGough, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC453372 8 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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