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

Inspection report for children's home: 2738393 1 Registered provider: Park Blue Homes Ltd Full inspection 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 is registered to provide care for up to three children. At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home, including two siblings.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2023, when this home was registered. This is the home’s first inspection. The manager also manages another home. The registered manager was not present for the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2738393 2

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improvement to be good

Children living in the home have mixed experiences. After a positive initial period following the home opening, there have been significant incidents, impacting on staff and children. Relationships between children have deteriorated, affecting their experiences and progress.

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improvement to be good

All children attend school. They are engaged in their learning, and for one child school has provided a place of safety and stability. One child has moved to a school close to the home, providing opportunities to develop local friendships and to walk to school. Another child receives individual maths tuition to help further their knowledge. Staff promote reading in the home to expand children’s literacy and enjoyment of books.

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improvement to be good

Children benefit from the support of a dedicated activities coordinator. This person identifies and plans day trips and outings for the children, as well as providing opportunities for more adventurous activities, such as paddle boarding, climbing and bushcraft. These activities help children to develop their skills and grow in confidence. Photos capture children’s achievements and help celebrate their successes.

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improvement to be good

Social workers say that, overall, their children have benefited from positive experiences and support in the home. However, the social worker for two of the children highlights the impact of the current dynamics on their well-being. They say communication around these issues has not been as expected. The manager creates opportunities for children to express their views, wishes and feelings. However, two children’s experiences have been overlooked as a result of trying to meet the needs of the third child.

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improvement to be good

Due to the current instability in the home, communal areas currently do not have pictures, ornaments, games and toys on display. Food and crockery have to be locked away for safekeeping. The effect is quite stark and means the environment does not feel homely. Children’s bedrooms are nicely decorated and reflect their interests. Bedrooms provide a place of sanctuary for children.

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improvement to be good

Staff cannot meet the needs of one child. This child has physically harmed other children and staff. Leaders recognise the risks posed to all children. However, interventions have limited impact on improving safety. Leaders have been over- optimistic about the effectiveness of interventions and the skills of staff to support the child. The view that children generally get on well compounds this. The manager’s analysis of incidents does critically reflect on staff practice, including Inspection report for children's home: 2738393 3 exploring alternative options and praising strengths. The findings are appropriate, however, leaders do not successfully share these or embed them in practice.

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improvement to be good

Two children do not always feel safe in the home. This is because they experience and witness challenging behaviour from another child. Staff try to keep children apart when possible. They organise positive activities to minimise the time children spend together. However, children are aware of the tension in the home, which impacts on their emotional well-being. Leaders have identified that they cannot meet the needs of the child, who is due to move to a new home soon.

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improvement to be good

Staff use restraint with one child to try to stop them from hurting themselves and others. The child has reported injuries during incidents. Staff have inconsistently recorded these injuries and there is a lack of clarity about recording any non-visible injuries witnessed. The child’s records do not say how injuries are monitored or what medical attention is sought. This child made allegations of physical harm against staff. However, the decision-making about how to refer this to local safeguarding authorities is unclear.

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improvement to be good

Staff are recruited using robust safer recruitment processes. Leaders ensure that they have the relevant information about staff who work in the home temporarily.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders have yet to implement learning from significant incidents that have occurred. As a result, children do not receive the support they need to meet their needs. The manager identifies and understands some of the shortfalls in staff practice. However, during the period of crisis, it has not been possible to address the issues to create the consistency and stability needed to make changes in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff have mixed experience working in the care sector, with many in their first care role. Leaders and managers have identified the need for additional training in restraint techniques and in the home’s practice model. This remains to be delivered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff sickness as a result of incidents in the home has impacted on the stability of support. Temporary staff have been used to maintain staffing levels. However, children have received support from over 20 different members of temporary staff in a four-month period. This need for additional workers primarily exists because of the difficulties in the home and the pressure this puts staff under. The changing staff team results in inconsistency and uncertainty for children. This will continue until there is significant change and staff confidence is improved. Staff feedback indicates it is a challenging period for them. They feel supported on an individual level by their manager. However, staff lack confidence in their ability to manage incidents in the home, and feel that change is slow to happen.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff supervision sessions offer them the space to talk through their concerns about the home. Detailed records show the depth of the conversations. However, as with learning from incidents, their worries do not then lead to clear, decisive action to improve practice in the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2738393 4 Leaders have identified that the independent person failed to provide them with effective, critical oversight of the home. As a result, the external scrutiny was weak and did not provide challenge or identify areas of concern. One social worker raised concerns that they had not been told about the extent of concerns in the home by managers. The responsible individual recognises, as a result of this inspection, that there are changes to be made to the effectiveness of monitoring and oversight of the provision. Inspection report for children's home: 2738393 5

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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, The 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 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 promotes their welfare.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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)(c)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff are suitably experienced and trained to meet children’s needs, and that they receive effective support to help them understand how to achieve this.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, ensure that the experiences of children are fully considered when reviewing the effectiveness and safety of 29 December Inspection report for children's home: 2738393 6 care in the home. The registered person should also ensure that when learning is identified as a result of incidents, there are clear mechanisms by which this is shared with the team and that ongoing review takes place to ensure subsequent issues are identified. The registered person should ensure that where learning is either not being implemented, or it is not thought possible to implement, that these concerns are then escalated to senior leaders.

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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.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(iv)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff accurately recognise injuries to children and seek medical attention, that these injuries are clearly recorded and the child’s social worker is notified of them.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should also ensure that there is clear recording and understanding of decision-making when following protocols for managing allegations. They should ensure that staff can identify when children are at risk of harm and effectively keep children safe. 15 December

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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

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

that staff— 15 December Inspection report for children's home: 2738393 7 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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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

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

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(ix)(x)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand their role in promoting positive relationships between children and intervene effectively when there is conflict between children, to prevent physical and emotional harm.

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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: 2738393 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Park Blue Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 38 Freemans Way, Harrogate HG3 1DH

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Inspectors

Clare Nixson, Social Care Inspector Tara Webb, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2738393 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 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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