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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC453372 1 SC453372 Registered provider: Park Blue Homes Limited Full inspection 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. It provides care for up to five children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in April 2013. The manager registered in October 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, five children were living in the home.

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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 for children’s home: SC453372 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/05/2022 Full Good 02/02/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC453372 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children have lived at the home for a significant period. Children make steady progress and benefit from staff’s individualised, child-centred and nurturing care. Staff understand the children’s complex needs and the impact of their previous experiences. This helps the children to explore and manage their own emotions and feelings, which helps them to flourish.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are involved in setting their individual targets. They create colourful plans that are based on their interests and targets, which helps them to become motivated to achieve their goals. Additionally, this helps to inspire a sense of achievement and improves children’s self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children attend full-time education. When a child is not provided with a place at a school or college, the registered manager and staff take a tenacious approach to ensure that the children receive the education that they are entitled to. This improves children’s learning opportunities and future life choices.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use creative methods to engage children in conversations and to gain their views. This includes the children being actively involved in developing the home. Children have also contributed to the children’s guide. This helps them to see that their views and opinions are important and that they are listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff’s recording of children’s day-to-day experiences is a strength in this home. Staff record children’s successes with enthusiasm and pride. Children’s achievements are celebrated with certificates, which are proudly displayed on the walls in the home. Staff record challenges or concerns raised in a sensitive and non-blaming way. Therefore, if children read their own records now or in the future, they will see that their experiences and feelings were valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from having new experiences, which has included a trip abroad. Staff meticulously plan and prepare the children for these sorts of experiences. For example, they provide step-by-step details about what happens at an airport to help to reduce any worry or anxiety that the children may have.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to attend groups and to try out new activities. Staff support children to enjoy their individual hobbies and interests. This helps children to develop social skills and have fun. Staff capture special and day-to-day events with photos. Children are involved in creating their own memory book, which shows them that their experiences are celebrated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop empathy and care. For example, children are encouraged to ‘adopt’ a wildlife animal of their choice to give them a sense of responsibility. Additionally, this helps to educate children about animal welfare and wildlife. Inspection report for children’s home: SC453372 4 The home has ample communal space for the children and staff to enjoy and spend time together. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and show their individuality, likes and dislikes. This gives them a sense of belonging and ownership of their personal space.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop independent living skills that they can use now and in the future. These include taking care of their own possessions and bedroom. Staff will step in and tidy children’s bedrooms if needed. However, one child’s bedroom does not reflect this level of care due to damaged furniture, and personal items being stored without care and consideration.

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

Children build trusting relationships with staff. Children and staff were observed to interact in a natural and caring manner. Children say that they feel safe in the home and can identify staff members who they can speak to for help. This means that there are very few occasions when children struggle to manage their emotions and need to be physically held by staff to keep them and others safe.

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

Staff know the children well and understand their individual risks and vulnerabilities. Children’s risk assessments and plans are updated regularly, which helps to make sure that staff know how to respond to changes in the children’s presentation. The predictable response from staff helps to provide good support to the children.

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

When new children are being considered for the home, leaders and managers carefully consider the compatibility of all the children. One child said that they feel like the ‘luckiest child ever’ because of a friendship they have with another child at the home. Additionally, children are helped to spend time with people who are important to them. This promotes the children’s identity and lifelong connections, as well as increases the likelihood that children will maintain relationships in the future.

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

The registered manager and staff support the children to live together and be tolerant of one another. When incidents of bullying occur, staff intervene promptly to prevent escalation. Furthermore, staff adopt a restorative approach to repair relationships between the children. This helps children to understand the impact of their behaviour on others.

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

Serious incidents in the home are rare. Staff promote a therapeutic environment and use natural consequences. The registered manager reviews the recording of the incidents to identify any learning and actions for staff. This includes staff writing a letter to those children involved, using child-friendly language.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. If a child goes missing, staff are proactive in looking for the child and using resources at their disposal. A coordinated response helps to ensure that the child is returned home swiftly. Inspection report for children’s home: SC453372 5 Staff have discussions with the children and focus on each child’s needs and risks to have more-targeted conversations, for example about knife crime and internet safety. This helps children to recognise risks and to develop strategies to stay safer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has high aspirations for the children. She is visible in the home and demonstrates good practice that the staff can model. Leaders and managers are strong advocates for the children. For example, the registered manager has identified that some children would benefit from a specialist service and has therefore secured this support for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective oversight of the home and uses audit tools to evaluate children’s experiences. Monthly reports track children’s progress in respect of their health, education and emotional well-being as well as their areas of need. These are reflected in the children’s individual care plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff’s well-being and development are a high priority for the registered manager. She develops staff’s skills, which increases their knowledge. Staff say that they feel valued. The registered manager has developed tools to help staff to reflect on their own emotional needs. This support makes sure that staff are in the best position to care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities. They receive regular supervision, which helps them to reflect on the care they provide. Team meetings are an opportunity for staff to look at ways that improvements can be made. Managers challenge staff’s practice when it falls below expected standards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home provides a comfortable and homely environment that is safe for the children. However, the registered manager does not consider all the potential risks that are part of the fixtures of the home. This increases the risk of potential harm to the children. Additionally, the registered manager has not identified that the fire risk assessment contains contradictory information. The registered manager has arranged for the fire service to attend the home so that accurate guidance is followed to ensure the safety of staff and children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC453372 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all children’s bedrooms are clean and regularly maintained. Any repairs should be promptly addressed to provide a homely and nurturing environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should assess and review the safety of all areas of the home. This specifically relates to areas where potential ligature risks are evident. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9)  The registered person should maintain accurate procedures. This specifically relates to ensuring that the fire risk assessment is accurate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9)

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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 for children’s home: SC453372 7

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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: 38 Freemans Way, Harrogate HG3 1DH

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Inspectors

Cat Makel, Social Care Inspector Jan Edwards, His Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC453372 8 ‘

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Inspectors

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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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