Children's home run by Park Blue Homes Limited

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575788 1 Registered provider: Park Blue Homes Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private organisation. It provides care for up to three children who may have needs associated with social and emotional difficulties, and in addition, may have experienced loss, trauma and abuse. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since April 2021.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to assess the progress made since this children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 9 and 10 December 2021. That inspection identified that leaders and managers had failed to take swift preventative action to address the numerous incidents of disruptive behaviour. Difficulties with recruiting and retaining staff had resulted in multiple caregivers for children. In addition, leaders and managers had not ensured that the necessary recruitment checks were in place for agency staff who work in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Following the full inspection, leaders and managers provided Ofsted with a plan detailing the action that they proposed to take to safeguard children and remedy the weaknesses. Leaders and managers are making steady progress to address the points in their action plan. However, the requirements set at the previous inspection will remain and be reviewed in full at the next inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Stability for children has improved; the manager and team remain in post, and two new staff members have been employed. As a result, the use of agency staff has decreased and will reduce further now that a permanent member of staff has been employed to work overnight. The staff no longer receive handovers via a social media application using their personal mobile phones. Ceasing this practice improves the safeguarding of children. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575788 2 The directors have reviewed all the recruitment records of agency staff to ensure that each one has had satisfactory checks to work with children. This level of scrutiny means that all staff, including temporary staff, are subject to safer recruitment procedures.

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This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection, the number of incidents of disruptive behaviour has reduced. Leaders and managers recognised that the educational and emotional needs of one child could not be met at this home. Consequently, the manager and team supported this child with a positive move to another setting. Generally, children are more settled at bedtime, but there are times when this is still a struggle. Incident reports confirm that staff have remained firm when instilling boundaries and have taken decisive action to prevent incidents escalating out of control.

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This monitoring visit

Engagement in education has improved for one child, and this attendance contributes to providing structure to their day. Children are encouraged to pursue their interests, such as football and care of animals. The registered manager is a strong advocate for children and has appropriately challenged the local authority in the best interests of children.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers are committed to making continual improvements for the safety and protection of children. Time is needed for changes in care and support to be fully embedded into daily practice. Ofsted will conduct a further full inspection of this home. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575788 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/12/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575788 4

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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 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—

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Requirement Due date

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

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 28 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and 21 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575788 5 positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child's behaviour, in accordance with the child's age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child's behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child's age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child's age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child's respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children's previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(viii)(ix)(xi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

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

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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. 21 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575788 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare;

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Requirement Due date

that the home's day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out I the home's statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 28 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575788 7 ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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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)(a)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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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)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the use of agency staff. 21 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575788 8 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children's home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575788 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Park Blue Homes Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Fairfield Lodge, Evenwood Gate, Bishop Auckland DL14 9NH

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Inspector

Clare Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575788 10 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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