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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC482872 1 SC482872 Registered provider: Park Blue Homes Ltd

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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 provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties and who may also have a learning disability. At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023 and is currently on maternity leave. The covering manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 4 February 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC482872 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/02/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/01/2024 Full Good 07/02/2023 Full Good 14/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC482872 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The inspector met both children during the inspection and spoke to them individually, giving them an opportunity to discuss their thoughts and experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they feel safe, cared for and well supported by staff. They are encouraged to participate in a wide range of activities that reflect their individual interests and promote confidence, creativity and social skills. These include visits to car shows, historical sites, and engaging in creative projects, such as building Tudor-style models. The home also promotes well-being through initiatives such as ‘Wellness Wednesdays’, where children and staff take part in activities such as dog walking and scootering. Photos of children and staff are displayed on the walls, capturing moments of them having fun together. A planned group holiday to Spain further reflects the home’s commitment to creating meaningful, memorable experiences that support children’s emotional well-being and sense of identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff interactions with children are warm and nurturing. Staff engage in meaningful conversations, using humour and being playful to build trust. Children are beginning to form relationships with staff, which is helping them to feel more settled and emotionally secure. Since the last inspection, children have been supported to develop more consistent daily routines. They are now waking at more appropriate times and are better able to engage in planned activities throughout the day, contributing to improved structure and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff place a strong emphasis on celebrating special occasions, helping children feel valued and recognised. Birthdays are marked with thoughtful celebrations, including meals out and personalised activities that reflect each child’s interests. Staff also ensure that families feel welcome to visit the home, promoting a sense of connection and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to attend routine health appointments, supporting them to engage with services that promote their physical and emotional well-being. However, when children begin to present with recurring health concerns, managers are not always tenacious in pursuing referrals to specialist services that may have previously ceased causing delay in receiving support for children’s emerging or ongoing needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Educational progress for both children continues to be limited. Neither child currently attends a full-time educational provision, and one child is not engaged in any formal education at all. The manager has made some efforts to advocate for appropriate educational packages; however, delays in securing suitable provision have continued to hinder progress. One child is due to begin a mentoring programme in July, which is a positive development, and another has been accepted onto a post-16 programme starting in September. This programme is designed to be tailored to the child’s individual needs and aspirations. Inspection report for children’s home: SC482872 4 While staff are committed to supporting children’s development, there is inconsistency in how independence skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care are promoted across the team. Some staff are more proactive in embedding these tasks

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

into daily routines, while others tend to complete tasks for the children, which can inadvertently limit opportunities for growth. This is particularly significant given the age and stage of the children, who require structured and consistent support to prepare for adulthood.

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

There has been one instance of a child going missing from the home during this inspection period. Staff responded promptly and followed the agreed missing-from-home protocol, taking all necessary steps to ensure the child’s safety. This included notifying relevant agencies, conducting a risk assessment, and maintaining communication with the child until their safe return. The incident was managed effectively, and staff demonstrated a clear understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. A return home conversation was held to explore the child’s experiences.

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

Regular, meaningful conversations are held with children to explore their experiences and feelings. These are recorded and used to inform care planning, ensuring that safeguarding practice remains child-centred and responsive. This reflective and preventative approach contributes to a safe, nurturing environment where children feel secure and well cared for.

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

Managers follow safer recruitment procedures. During the recruitment process, managers obtain detailed employment histories and scrutinise records to identify and explore any gaps in employment.

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

Staff at the home are generally proactive in identifying and responding to safeguarding concerns. De-escalation techniques are used effectively, and physical intervention is rare. However, there are some inconsistencies in how safeguarding responsibilities are understood and applied across the team. While most staff are confident in following procedures, not all demonstrate the same level of confidence or clarity when responding to safeguarding scenarios. Leaders and managers are strengthening staff understanding through targeted training and reflective supervision to ensure a consistently robust safeguarding culture throughout the home.

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

Children’s individual plans outline the support they require; however, the home has not received the most recent local authority care plans. This creates a risk that staff may not be working with current objectives and expectations. The manager has appropriately raised this with the local authority team manager to request the updated documentation and there has been no significant impact on the children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC482872 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, the staff team has become more stable, and staff report feeling well supported by the manager and committed to the children in their care. This increased consistency is contributing to a more settled and secure environment for the children. The introduction of reflective supervision is helping staff to deepen their understanding of children’s experiences and behaviours, enhancing the quality of care provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Professionals and family members report that staff know the children well and are developing positive, trusting relationships with them. The manager is described as accessible, responsive and constructive in her engagement with external professionals, which supports effective multi-agency working.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager demonstrates some insight into the home’s strengths and areas for development, particularly in relation to staff stability and team cohesion. However, further development is required to strengthen her strategic oversight and ensure a more comprehensive understanding of the service. This includes the ability to evaluate practice effectively, identify emerging patterns, and implement sustained improvements that are responsive to the evolving needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff do not have always have a good understanding of the home’s therapeutic models. While some team members are clear how they apply these approaches in daily practice, others lack a clear grasp of the underlying principles. As a result, the therapeutic model is not yet fully embedded across the team, which limits the home’s ability to deliver a cohesive, trauma-informed approach to care. Team meetings provide a valuable forum to explore these challenges, particularly in light of the team’s relative inexperience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There are aspects of staff’s practice that is inconsistent. Children who vape are supported through ongoing education about the associated health risks. Staff engage children in discussions to help them understand the dangers of vaping and encourage them to reduce their usage. However, staff are not unified in their approach in this area. This does not promote safe and healthy behaviours in line with the home’s policies and the expectations of placing authorities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Although the home is due to be refurbished, the current standard of accommodation does not fully meet the needs of the children living there. Communal areas and bedrooms lack warmth and a homely feel, which impacts the overall atmosphere and quality of care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC482872 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are provided with a home environment that is in a good state of repair to make it comfortable for children to live in. In particular, the bedrooms and some of the communal areas should reflect a welcoming and nurturing environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 7, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that they are proactively advocating for a child and challenge the relevant person so that a child’s health needs are met in line with their healthcare plan. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. In particular, staff need to be

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Recommendations

consistent in providing support with skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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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: SC482872 7

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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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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Chloe Ruddle Olivia Hindon

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Inspector

Karen Hallam, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC482872 8 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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Inspector

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