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

p.1

Information about this children's home

The home currently has no registered manager. An acting manager is in post, and they have applied to register with Ofsted.

p.1

Information about this children's home

At the time of this visit, 2 children were living in the home. Both children were spoken with during the inspection.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

At the full inspection on 21 April 2026, the inspector found the home to be inadequate. Failures in safeguarding, leadership and the management of the home affected the safety and wellbeing of children. In response, Ofsted issued compliance notices under Inspection report for children's home: SC453372 2 regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit was carried out on 2 June 2026 due to concerns being raised to Ofsted about the safety and wellbeing of children. The compliance notices were not reviewed during the visit as the due date for completion had not yet passed.

p.2

Enforcement action since last inspection:

A second monitoring visit was carried out on 1 July 2026 to review the actions taken by the provider to meet the steps in the compliance notices. The provider had made sufficient progress, and the steps in both compliance notices were met. Inspection report for children's home: SC453372 3

p.2

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: SC453372 4

p.3

Summary of findings

Since the last full inspection, 4 children have left the home. Some children left weeks after the full inspection due to staff being unable to keep them safe. One child later moved in a planned way to live more independently.

p.4

Summary of findings

Two highly vulnerable children came to live at the home in a short space of time and have not been safeguarded effectively. This is because staff do not have the knowledge and skills to meet the children's needs. As such, children have been placed at risk of harm. Staff have not escalated known concerns to managers and not taken effective action to manage unsafe behaviour. Known risks for children are not included in their risk assessments, and guidance for staff is unclear and limited.

p.4

Summary of findings

Managers are developing staff's safeguarding knowledge in response to the concerns above, but this has not been embedded yet.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

New children have been admitted to the home while there is still extensive improvement work being done to the home environment. This does not help children to live in their home comfortably.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Two children have been admitted to the home within a week of each other. Managers have not fully considered the skills and experience of staff in relation to the complexities of children's needs. They have not ascertained all the necessary information to make safe decisions about admitting the children together. This has resulted in unsafe behaviours quickly escalating and children being at risk of significant harm.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children say they enjoy spending time with staff, and they have had some positive experiences. One child said they like the way their bedroom is decorated, and one child has chosen new colours for their room. However, the timing of children moving to the home has limited opportunities for staff to establish relationships and routines before children were brought together. This made it difficult then for children to accept boundaries and develop safe and nurturing relationships with staff.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff take children to see their families. However, arrangements for children seeing family members are unclear. Important information about the safety of some relationships has not been fully considered or explored, and this has left children at risk of harm. When family time has been supervised, gaps in information have left staff unclear about who is present and what this means for children. Inspection report for children's home: SC453372 5

p.4

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

Known risks for children are not recorded in their plans and risk assessments. For example, places of concern have not been fully identified, and children have been taken to these areas by staff, leaving them at risk of harm. When there is new information, risk assessments are not reviewed and updated, leaving staff without important information. In addition, staff do not demonstrate professional curiosity. Concerns around where children have been spending time have not been escalated to managers and relevant professionals and so have not been sufficiently explored to help safeguard children.

p.5

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

Plans to prevent children from harming themselves are not effective, and staff do not have the skills to manage such risks. A child has been able to access an item that presents a serious risk to them. This has not been managed by staff, and the child had access to it for a number of days before using it to harm themselves.

p.5

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

Safeguarding procedures are not always followed. On one occasion, when a concern was raised, a local authority designated officer was notified in the wrong area. Furthermore, a disclosure relating to concerns around a child's phone use were not promptly recognised or reported, resulting in delays in safeguarding action being taken. This shows that there is a lack of understanding around procedures and information-sharing processes to keep children safe.

p.5

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

Staff follow missing-from-home procedures appropriately. They search for children when children go missing from home and encourage them to return.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Changes have been made to most aspects of the daily running of the home. New managers and staff have been employed, and training and development has been ongoing. However, managers have not fully considered the range of staff skills and experience prior to moving children to the home. As a result, children have been cared for by a staff team that lacks the knowledge, experience and skills to do so.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager provides staff with regular practice-related supervision, promoting reflection to develop practice and develop staff confidence in managing children's needs and behaviours. However, these measures have not yet resulted in children experiencing consistent or safe care.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not ensured that all relevant information was obtained and scrutinised prior to agreeing to move children to the home. They have not used professional curiosity, and information shared after a child moved in was not sufficiently considered. Consequently, risk assessments and placement planning were based on incomplete information. Opportunities to use multi-agency working and challenge information provided were not taken. Inspection report for children's home: SC453372 6 The manager responds appropriately when there are concerns about staff practice. Action is taken and employment procedures are followed when necessary. Managers bring incidents to team meetings to reflect on and direct staff about what they should do differently. However, this has yet to ensure that staff practice is consistent.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There have been several changes to the staff team and the managers. However, the statement of purpose has not been sent to Ofsted with these changes. This prevents Ofsted from knowing the suitability of the managers and their experiences and skills in caring for children at this home.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

During the inspection, arrangements were being made for one child to move on, and a restriction of accommodation notice was issued. This prevents other children from being admitted to the home. Inspection report for children's home: SC453372 7

p.6

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

p.7

Requirement Due date

* The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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)) 11 October 2026

p.7

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.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 11 October 2026 Inspection report for children's home: SC453372 8 promotes their welfare.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.8

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.8

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;

p.8

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)(d)(e)(f)(h))

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child's welfare;

p.8

Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. 27 September 2026 Inspection report for children's home: SC453372 9 (Regulation 6 (1) (a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(vii)(c)(i))

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children's home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

p.9

Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 27 September 2026

p.9

Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.9

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 10

p.9

Children's home details

Registered provider: Park Blue Homes Limited

p.10

Children's home details

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

p.10

Inspector

Gary Smithson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC453372 11 regulates and inspects 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.

p.10

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 .

p.11

Inspector

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.11

Inspector

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

p.11

Inspector

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

p.11