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

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It offers care for up to five children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Four children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. The inspector met all four children and spoke to two children.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC453372 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/08/2023 Full Good 24/05/2022 Full Good 02/02/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC453372 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children have lived at the home for several years. Children have developed trusting relationships with staff since they moved into the home. Children can identify staff members who they can approach for help and support. This helps to provide children with stability and a sense of belonging.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to make good progress in education. Two children have good attendance at their education provision. When children do not attend school or college, staff advocate on their behalf. One child’s attendance has increased at their education setting. This is despite education staff suggesting that the child could not return. Another child has completed important qualifications and has plans to attend further education. This increases children’s opportunities and life choices.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children move out of the home in a careful and sensitive way. Managers and staff are alert to the child’s worries and use creative resources that help children to understand and manage their emotions. Discussions with the child and professionals involved take place regularly. After a child leaves the home, the manager stays in touch with them and their new carers to provide continuity. This has helped to reduce the anxiety that a move can bring. One professional said, ‘Staff have provided [name of child] a family home that they have not had before, and this has helped them prepare and settle in their new home.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a range of activities for learning and enjoyment. Children said that they have particularly enjoyed holidays abroad. This has provided children with experiences that help to build positive memories of their childhood. Additionally, this helps children to learn about other cultures and traditions.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with people who are important to them. Some children have increased time with their families, which provides them with a support network outside of the home. One parent said that staff make this arrangement feel ‘natural and easy’. This helps children to see that parents are important and valued.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The outside of the home is monitored by closed-circuit television (CCTV) for security purposes. However, the manager has not ensured that the appropriate consent is in place from the children’s placing authority or those with parental responsibility.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some areas of the home would benefit from refurbishment. Children’s bedrooms are in the process of being redecorated and there are plans to replace carpets and refresh paintwork. Some windows in children’s bedrooms are either screwed or painted closed. Additionally, some windowpanes are made of clear plastic and no longer fit in the frame. One child’s mattress is too small for the bed frame and their shower cubicle requires maintenance. These issues detract from a homely feel. Inspection report for children’s home: SC453372 4

p.3

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

Children have individual risk assessments and behaviour support plans. These provide clear directions about what action staff should take to help children and reduce risks. Children contribute to these with a child-friendly ‘dos and don’ts’ plan for staff. This helps children to be involved and have a say about how they want to be helped.

p.4

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

Staff have discussions with children to help educate them about emerging risks, such as substance misuse, vaping, and using racist language. Staff encourage children to think about risks and the consequences of their actions. Staff refer to specialist services when necessary. This gives children the opportunity to acquire information and make informed choices.

p.4

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

Children rarely go missing from home. When children are considered missing from home, staff take appropriate action. A well-coordinated response helps staff to identify the location of the child to ensure their safe return.

p.4

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

Children take age-appropriate risks as part of their development, such as having relationships. Staff implement strategies that reduce the risk while supporting the child’s freedom and ability to make independent decisions.

p.4

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

The manager takes allegations of harm seriously and intervenes promptly. Appropriate safeguarding procedures are followed, which includes sharing information with professionals. This helps to ensure that the adults caring for the children are safe.

p.4

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

Staff promote positive behaviour in the home, and children have individual incentives that they like to work towards. Children contribute to setting six-monthly targets that are realistic and achievable. This helps to motivate children and gives them a sense of achievement.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is new to the role as registered manager but has worked at the home for several years as deputy manager. He brings consistency and familiarity to the home for the children and the staff team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has high expectations for the staff and the children. The manager is ambitious for all the children who live at the home. He recognises the importance of having positive childhood experiences and is a strong advocate for children. The manager has developed relationships with family members and professionals in the children’s network. Professionals and family members speak highly of the manager’s commitment to the children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they feel supported by the manager and each other. The manager is supporting staff to embed a new therapeutic model of care. Staff receive regular Inspection report for children’s home: SC453372 5 supervision and attend team meetings to reflect on their practice and the progress that children make.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager reviews records of behavioural and safeguarding incidents in the home. These recordings are succinct and include staff actions and discussions with children that help children to understand and manage their emotions. The manager’s scrutiny and oversight provide appropriate challenge to staff. This helps staff to consider different strategies to help children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Physical holds are infrequent and used as a last resort. However, records do not always include the actions from staff to de-escalate the situation or the length of the hold used. The manager has not identified this when reviewing records of physical holds. This means that the staff and the manager cannot adapt strategies effectively that may help the child. Additionally, this is a missed opportunity to help staff to improve their practice.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager spends time with children and staff on a day-to-day basis, the children in particular benefit from this. However, this takes him away from some of the managerial tasks. This means that some documents have not had his oversight for accuracy and some documents have not been placed in children’s files. Additionally, not all staff sign the ‘read and understood’ sheet that accompanies new plans. This means that the manager cannot always be assured that staff are aware of up-to-date information to be able to meet the children’s needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s records do not contain all current statutory documents. The manager does not have an escalation policy to follow to challenge others effectively when documents are not received. This limits staff’s ability to ensure that they provide consistent care in line with the children’s assessed needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior leaders consulted with the local fire and rescue authority in August 2023. However, a fire risk assessment was only carried out at the time of this inspection. This means that there is no up-to-date assessment at the time of the inspection to be reassured that all practicable fire precautions are in place. Inspection report for children’s home: SC453372 6

p.5

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.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This also includes ensuring that physical intervention records include staff’s actions to de-escalate a situation and the length of time holds are used. 30 July 2024

p.6

Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

p.6

Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

p.6

Requirement Due date

provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that an up-to-date fire risk assessment is in place and that any recommendations of the assessment are met. 30 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC453372 7 In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.6

Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(c)) 30 July 2024

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to statutory documents. 30 July 2024

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that repairs and maintenance works are carried out in a timely way. All children’s bedrooms should have adequate provisions 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 ensure that they obtain written consent to any monitoring or surveillance by the placing authority at the time of placement. This specifically relates to the use of CCTV. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16)

p.7

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 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Park Blue Homes Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Cat Makel, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC453372 9 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.

p.8

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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9