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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2712284 1 Registered provider: Park Blue Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

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 may also have learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2024.

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

Date of last inspection: 19 November 2024

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2712284 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/11/2024 Full Good 14/06/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2712284 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they feel safe and well cared for. Children are beginning to settle following a difficult period in the home and speak positively about the care and support they receive. They are confident in approaching staff when they feel worried or upset. Children are able to express their feelings openly and receive warm, nurturing responses from staff. These interactions help children to feel valued and understood.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to try new experiences and are provided with a range of opportunities that support their development. They enjoy positive experiences with staff and their families, which helps to build trusting relationships. Children participate in various activities based on their individual interests, such as football, bike rides, gaming and trips out. They are also encouraged to join local community groups to help make friends and develop their social skills. These opportunities contribute to children’s confidence, well-being and sense of belonging.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff engage children in meaningful conversations that focus on topics relevant to their lives. These sessions help children understand how to keep themselves safe and work towards their goals. Records of these conversations are written in a child-friendly manner and provide a helpful reference for children to revisit the advice and support offered.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Access to timely external mental health services remains a challenge. However, the manager is proactive in seeking alternative support options to ensure that children’s emotional and mental health needs are met. This demonstrates a commitment to advocating for children and addressing gaps in service provision.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Educational progress for children has been limited. However, one child has recently completed their GCSEs, which is a positive achievement. Staff are supporting this child in exploring their aspirations to join the Army. The manager is working proactively with another child’s social worker to identify a suitable school placement, following a period out of full-time education. This reflects the manager’s commitment to promoting educational engagement and ensuring that children have access to appropriate learning opportunities.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming and child focused. However, some areas of the environment would benefit from improved cleanliness and tidiness to further enhance the homely feel. Window restrictors, some locked rooms, and staff carrying keys around the home all contribute to an institutional feel. While these measures aim to enhance safety, they may detract from the nurturing and family-like atmosphere. The manager is reviewing these Inspection report for children’s home: 2712284 4 measures to ensure that they are necessary, proportionate, and do not compromise children’s experience of living at the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Life skills work is ongoing and supports children’s independence. However, this is not consistently delivered or recorded to fully understand the support children receive.

p.4

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

Children’s safety is prioritised. Staff understand safeguarding procedures and respond appropriately to concerns. Allegations are taken seriously, referred to the designated officer when necessary, and are well documented. Risk assessments are in place and are regularly reviewed to ensure that they remain relevant and effective.

p.4

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

Staff are alert and responsive to children’s needs. They demonstrate a good understanding of the risks faced by individual children and take appropriate action to reduce them. Leaders and managers respond promptly and appropriately to safeguard children when concerns arise about the home or individual staff members. Outcomes are robust, and learning from incidents is used to inform staff development and improve practice.

p.4

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

Since the last inspection, a high number of incidents involving physical intervention have been recorded. These have been proportionate and well managed. Staff use a range of strategies to help children express themselves safely, and restraint is only used when necessary to prevent harm. Each incident is subject to management oversight, and staff and children are encouraged to reflect on what happened and consider alternative approaches for the future.

p.4

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

Measures to reduce missing-from-home incidents, such as the use of sensors and increased staffing levels, have been implemented. However, introduction of these measures was not proactive. When children go missing, staff follow agreed safety plans. They search the local area, contact known friends and family, and notify the police. Children are welcomed back when they return, and staff show curiosity about their experiences to help them identify any ongoing risks or support needs.

p.4

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

Due to the risk of significant harm for one child and the effect on others in the home, leaders and managers made the difficult decision to support the child in moving on. This decision was made in the best interests of all the children. Staff demonstrated care and commitment throughout the process, and the child left with cards, letters and photos from staff, reflecting the positive relationships they had formed and the sense of belonging they had developed.

p.4

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

Placement planning has not always been effective, which has led to some disruption for children. On occasion, children have moved into the home without a thorough assessment of how their needs would be met alongside those of the existing group. At times, this has affected the stability of the home. When one child moved in, an assessment was carried out; however, not all the child’s needs were identified from the available information. As a result, staff were not fully equipped with the knowledge and Inspection report for children’s home: 2712284 5 skills required to meet those needs. Furthermore, training opportunities were not used effectively to enhance staff’s understanding once specific needs became known. The manager has reflected on these experiences and taken steps to strengthen the planning and assessment process for new admissions. This includes working more closely with placing authorities to ensure that future placements are well considered and in the best

p.4

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

interests of all children living at the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a committed manager who provides consistent and reflective leadership. She knows the children well and is passionate about improving their outcomes. Staff describe her as ‘approachable’ and ‘supportive’ and say that she is responsive to their needs and those of the children. One staff member said, ‘She is always there for us and the children.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is well supported by the responsible individual and senior leaders. Leaders are visible and solution focused. They are actively addressing staffing challenges and are working together to improve staff retention.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, six members of staff have left the home. This has resulted in a relatively new and inexperienced team, which has had some effect on stability and progress for children. Staff have experienced a particularly challenging period, which has affected morale and confidence. Despite this, the team has demonstrated strong collaboration and resilience. Staff have supported one another effectively, and they are working together to stabilise the home environment.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision and team meetings that promote reflective practice. These forums are used to explore children’s needs and assess the effectiveness of care strategies.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring and oversight are effective. The manager uses internal and external monitoring systems to evaluate the quality of care. She has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals is mostly positive. They highlight good communication with the staff, the progress children have made, and the support provided to help children maintain family relationships. Professionals also acknowledge the staff’s commitment and hard work during a particularly challenging period. They say the timeliness of notifications from the manager could be improved.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The therapeutic model used at the home is beginning to embed into practice. Staff are developing their understanding of therapeutic approaches, and initiatives such as ‘Wellness Wednesday’ are helping to promote emotional well-being. However, staff have identified a need for further training in managing challenging behaviours and would benefit from clearer communication about psychological assessments to support their work. Inspection report for children’s home: 2712284 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

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(c)) 29 August 2025

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning to their family home, moving to another home or adult care, or living independently. In particular, staff should be 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)  The registered person should monitor and review the patterns and trends of staff turnover effectively. This information should be used to help leaders and managers identify and address any negative trends. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.19)  The registered person should ensure that they continue to review the use of locks on doors in the home to ensure that it is necessary and proportionate. The home should

p.6

Recommendations

seek to maintain, as far as possible, a domestic rather than institutional impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 2712284 7

p.6

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: 2712284 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Park Blue Homes Ltd

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Karen Hallam, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2712284 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