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

Inspection report children’s home: SC482872 1 SC482872 Registered provider: Park Blue Homes Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned and managed by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to five children in two properties on the same site. The manager has been registered since September 2016.

p.1

Inspection date: 20 January 2020

Date of last inspection: 3 December 2019

p.1

Inspection date: 20 January 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC482872 2

p.1

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the previous inspection in December 2019, leaders and managers have placed children at risk by not following safer recruitment procedures and failing to demonstrate effective monitoring of records.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers failed to ensure that all checks took place during the recruitment of one member of staff. As a result, a new member of staff was allowed to drive children and staff without having had their driving licence validated, and the same member of staff was allowed to work alongside children without an up-to-date DBS check.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A review of this member of staff’s recruitment file, led by the manager, identified several significant safeguarding issues. It was found that the references provided and employment history were falsified by the member of staff.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Immediate action was taken by leaders and managers to safeguard the children and staff team by dismissing the member of staff and alerting the police and Ofsted. However, the registered manager failed to inform the designated officer within a reasonable timescale.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A targeted and focused review by leaders and managers of all recruitment files has since taken place, and the manager has reviewed and updated the home’s recruitment process. This inspection has identified that some records of the actual interview process for the dismissed member of staff were incomplete and did not demonstrate rigour. These errors had not been identified by the manager or through the home’s independent monitoring process.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the previous inspection, an external concern about staffing levels and staff practice was shared with Ofsted. The manager was aware of the concern and was able to satisfactorily demonstrate children’s safety.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Supervision of staff takes place regularly and staff are receiving mandatory training. Poor or weak staff practice is appropriately addressed is supervision.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children are looked after by staff who understand them and know how to respond to them when they are upset. Care plans and risk assessments are up to date and reflect the children’s needs. However, the inspector found several errors in medication records. These errors were in relation to the administration and recording of homely medication. The manager had failed to identify these errors through her auditing process. Inspection report children’s home: SC482872 3 Following this inspection, requirements have been made to ensure that leaders and managers better safeguard children through their recruitment process, monitor and review processes effectively in the home, and ensure that all notifiable events are reported. Inspection report children’s home: SC482872 4

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/12/2019 Full Good 19/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 07/11/2018 Full Good 07/03/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC482872 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspitres and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and

p.5

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)(e)(h)) 14/02/2020

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which

p.5

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c)) 14/02/2020

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.5

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

p.5

Requirement Due date

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 satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.5

Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— 14/02/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC482872 6 the individual is of integrity and good character;

p.5

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

p.6

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(d)) Medicines

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1)(2)(c)) 14/02/2020

p.6

Requirement Due date

If there is a referral of a person working in the home pursuant to section 35 (Regulated activity providers: duty to refer) of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006(a), the registered person must without delay notify—

p.6

Requirement Due date

each other relevant person. (Regulation 40 (3)(a)(b)(c)) 14/02/2020

p.6

Information about this inspection

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.6

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 children’s home: SC482872 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Park Blue Homes Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fairfield Lodge, Evenwood, Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham DL14 9NH

p.7

Inspector

Linda Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC482872 8 to 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8