Children's home run by Park Blue Homes Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2509892 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

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. The home provides care for up to four children with social, emotional and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There are three children and one young adult who has turned 18 years of age living at the home. Inspectors observed the children and young person during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since July 2022. Interim arrangements are in place.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 5 September 2022

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2509892 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Children build trusting relationships with staff who nurture and care for them. This nurture and care helps children to learn and develop. Some children make excellent progress in their mobility, communication and overcoming fears because of the consistent care they receive from staff.

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The care of children

Children are treated with dignity and respect. Staff carry out aspects of personal care in a way that helps children develop their own personal hygiene skills. This means that children learn to understand their own needs and improves their independence. Daily recordings are written in a sensitive and considerate way that is empathetic to children’s needs.

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The care of children

Staff consider children’s individual communication needs. Staff use this knowledge to gain children’s wishes, views and feelings. Visual tools are used to help children make choices around their food, activities and routine. Children’s bedrooms are personalised based on cartoon characters that children like.

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The care of children

Staff advocate on behalf of young people to ensure that plans meet young people’s needs. Staff help young adults to understand their future plans as they reach an age of majority. This means that young adults have an active voice in decisions that are made about their care and future.

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The care of children

Children are supported to attend educational provisions and make progress. Staff at the home have regular communication with the staff at the children’s education providers. This ensures that children receive a consistent approach to their needs and this also helps children flourish. Education staff share positive praise for the support that children and young adults receive from the staff.

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The care of children

Children enjoy a range of activities that help them learn and develop social skills. Some children gain life skills such as learning to swim. Pictures and videos capture children enjoying a range of opportunities and are proudly displayed in the home. Videos and pictures are shared with family members, which helps maintain important relationships.

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The safety of children

Staff understand children’s complex needs and the potential risks these bring. Children’s individual plans consider their own needs balanced against the needs of others in the home. Children can display competing needs that are managed by staff to ensure that each child receives personalised care. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2509892 3 The home environment is a safe and protective environment. Staff ensure that if children need specialist equipment, that this is available in the home. Staff have received training around epilepsy awareness to ensure swift action can be taken should children need support.

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The safety of children

Children rarely go missing from the home. Processes are in place to ensure that appropriate procedures are followed, should this happen.

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The safety of children

The leadership team ensures that any allegations are treated seriously. Staff have received additional training of how to respond to allegations. Staff have received supplementary training around report writing to ensure that any incidents are recorded accurately. Direct work is carried out with children to help reduce future incidents.

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The safety of children

Staff ensure that any allegations or safeguarding concerns are shared with appropriate agencies. This means that other professionals can have oversight and scrutinise safeguarding decisions made. However, the provider has not always informed Ofsted when they should. This is a missed opportunity for external oversight of children’s safety who live in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered manager post has been vacant since July 2022. However, there are interim arrangements in place. The interim manager has identified audit tools to monitor the care children and young adults receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The leadership team has delivered a number of training sessions and workshops to staff. Training includes responding to allegations, report writing and PACE model of care (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy). The leadership team is committed to developing staff’s skills set, and has identified bespoke and refresher training for staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The leadership team members are strong advocates for children and the young adult. Staff follow the escalation policy when transition plans are not progressing. This helps children receive the service they are entitled to.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The staff have a range of skills and experience that ensure that they meet children’s needs. Staff who have a supervisory role have received supervision training. However, some of the supervising staff have limited experience of working in a children’s home, nor do they have the necessary diploma qualification. This limits opportunities to the supervising staff to offer advice and guidance to junior staff. It also hinders opportunities to identify poor performance or safeguarding concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The independent person visits the home on a regular basis. The detail in the report is repetitive and lacks analysis and recommendations. A lack of direct consultation and observation of children undermines the visitor’s ability to be satisfied that Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2509892 4 children are safeguarded efectively. The report does not help staff take action or make changes that would benefit the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Improvements in the home are clear. The leadership and management team is receptive to shortfalls identified at the previous inspection. This inspection has identified that all the previous recommendations have been met, and that six of the seven requirements have also been met. The requirement under Regulation 13 will be restated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2509892 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/12/2021 Interim Sustained effectiveness 27/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2509892 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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 in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

and ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)) 16 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or 16 June 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2509892 7 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b)) 16 June 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2509892 8

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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, Evenwood, Bishop Auckland, County Durham DL14 9NH

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Inspectors

Cat Clasper, Social Care Inspector Jacqueline Tate, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2509892 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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