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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC453372 1 SC453372 Registered provider: Park Blue Homes Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately operated and provides care for up to 5 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, one child was living in the home. The inspector did not speak to the child.

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Information about this children’s home

The home currently has no registered manager.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out after concerns were raised to Ofsted about children’s safety and wellbeing. Compliance notices and requirements remain in place and were not monitored during this visit. They will be reviewed in line with Ofsted’s procedures.

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This monitoring visit

Necessary work continues to be carried out to address damaged areas of the home. A window remains boarded due to replacement glass not yet being available. Areas of the home that needed improvement have been addressed. However, there are still areas that require attention, such as a broken window and windows in children’s bedrooms that do not close properly.

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This monitoring visit

Risks increased for one child, who has now moved out of the home. Staffing levels affected staff’s ability to ensure that the child was kept safe. As a result, immediate notice was served and an alternative placement had to be identified.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are not always spoken with after incidents. This does not give staff the opportunity to reflect and learn from incidents. As a result, staff do not feel supported in their roles. The manager has plans in place to improve support for staff and enhance practice; however, these plans are not yet effective. Children are also Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC453372 2 not spoken with routinely following incidents. This means that children are not being fully supported in learning ways to manage difficult feelings.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have been working long hours to support children. This is beneficial for the child, who has a preferred member of staff. However, the manager is responsible for ensuring that safe working practice is considered around hours of work.

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This monitoring visit

Multi-agency working in the home is effective. When risks arise, concerns are shared with relevant professionals, and meetings are appropriately arranged. This ensures that there is a joint approach to care planning for children.

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This monitoring visit

Improvements have been made for one child. Plans in place to support their independence are routinely followed. Staff provide support to identify an appropriate semi-independent placement for the child.

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This monitoring visit

The new manager intends to register with Ofsted. The manager has identified plans to improve practice by providing relevant training and reflective sessions with the intention of upskilling the staff. Communication has improved, and staff are now aware of the outcomes of important meetings. Plans in place are discussed with staff, ensuring that there is consistency in practice while supporting children. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC453372 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/04/2026 Full Inadequate 15/07/2025 Full Good 03/06/2024 Full Good 22/08/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC453372 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)) 28 June 2026

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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 28 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC453372 5 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; 28 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC453372 6 help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(v)(vi)(ix)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(i)) 28 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(ii)(iii)) 28 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC453372 7

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC453372 8

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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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Inspector

Gary Smithson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC453372 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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