Children's Home run by Blue Mountain Homes Ltd in Derbyshire

Unique reference number SC464759 Inspector Amanda Ellis Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Blue Mountain Homes Ltd Registered person address 17 Leeland Mansions Leeland Road London W13 9HB Responsible individual Pradeep Kumar Manaktala Registered manager Paul David Mallon Date of last inspection 18/09/2014 2 of 10 Inspection date 06/11/2014

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Previous inspection inadequate Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

Outcomes for children and young people good Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe good Leadership and management good

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Overall effectiveness

This home had a full inspection in September 2014. At that inspection, while outcomes and quality of care were judged as good, shortfalls within safeguarding and leadership and management led to an overall judgment of inadequate. Since the last inspection, the Registered Manager has implemented an effective action plan to resolve shortfalls. As a result, the home has made substantial improvements. This inspection has judged the home to be providing a good service.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people in this home benefit from good quality of care, delivered by a dedicated, enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff team. Staff effectively implement personalised care plans and collaborative with a range of social, health and educational professionals. Consequently, young people make good progress in their education, health, emotional well-being and social development.

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Overall effectiveness

A key strength of the home is that young people have very good relationships with the management and staff team. They feel staff support them at all times and are consistently concerned with their welfare. They say they are confident in talking to members of staff if they have issues or concerns. Consequently, young people feel listened to, valued and secure.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people report that they feel safe. Safeguarding practices are rigorous and 3 of 10 implemented by a knowledgeable staff and management team. Where young people engage in risk-taking behaviour’s, staff work proactively with a range of professionals to minimise risk. The staff team are resilient and persevere with providing high quality care for young people, irrespective of the challenges they present.

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Overall effectiveness

The Registered Manager has a good insight into the strengths of the home and areas for development. He uses a range of monitoring and consultation to inform planning and implement positive change.

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Overall effectiveness

There have been no shortfalls identified within this inspection. 4 of 10

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Information about this children’s home

This children's home, which is part of a small organisation, can accommodate up to 4 children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people make good progress in all areas of their development. Strong relationships with staff enable young people to feel supported. One young person said, ‘The best thing about the home is that staff spend time with you, talk with you and treat you well.’ This means young people engage with staff to begin to understand the reasons they are living in care and to make sense of their personal histories. As a result, young people develop improved emotional resilience.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Health outcomes for young people significantly improve during their time living in the home. A health practitioner who regularly visits the young people said, ‘The young people all have complex health needs. Staff work closely with a range of health care professionals from the moment a young person arrives in the home. The attention to detail, care and support ensures that each young person has their health needs fully addressed.’ Consequently, all young people have improved health because of the work the home undertakes.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people have personalised education and employment programmes that meet their individual needs. Young people who previously had poor school attendance now regularly attend further education, vocational training and employment programmes. Consequently, improved attendance results in young people attaining and achieving in their chosen studies. Some young people are hard to engage in formal education. In such circumstances, staff work closely with young people to develop rapport and engage in a range of stimulating educational activities. Because young people feel that staff are interested in their education and work achievements, they are motivated to attend and achieve.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people share their views and are involved in decisions about daily living. Regular house meetings are held where young people and staff plan meals and activities, and discuss specific issues relating to group living in the home. In addition, due to conflicting timetables of young people, individual meetings with staff ensure effective communication and enable young people to participate in the running of the home. This means that young people feel valued and know that their views are important.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

A key strength of the home is the promotion of contact between young people and their families. The staff team closely collaborate with professionals and families and promote positive contact in line with the arrangements agreed in individual care plans. Young people benefit from these working arrangements and enjoy improved family relationships and, in some circumstances, eventually return to their birth families.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Planning for independence reflects the individual needs and competence of each 6 of 10 young person. All young people participate in general household tasks such as cleaning, laundry tasks, food preparation and shopping. Staff support young people to develop additional life skills, such as arranging appointments, job applications and preparing CV’s. This means young people learn the skills and develop the confidence they will need to assist with a smooth transition into independence in the future.

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Quality of care good

Young people receive care and support from a highly dedicated staff team. Staff are consistently concerned about young people’s welfare. A member of the staff team said ‘I love this work. I love doing things with young people and seeing them progress.’ Another member of the team said ‘We don’t give up on young people. We have to stick with them through the tough times, to allow them to get to a point where they have good times.’ Consequently, young people are provided with stability and positive relationships that promote positive behaviours.

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Quality of care good

Staff effectively ensure the emotional and physical health needs of the young people are fully met. Young people benefit from routine physical, dental and optical care. Additionally, staff work closely with mental health services, sexual health specialists, looked after children's nurses and drug advisory services. Some young people have stopped smoking since their admission to the home. All young people learn from the time of their admission about healthy eating and the benefits of an active lifestyle. Effective medication administration and storage procedures further promote the health of young people. Consequently, through education and support, young people enjoy improved overall health.

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Quality of care good

Staff provide a structured daily schedule, which ensures predictable bedtime and morning routines. This stability ensures attendance within education and employment. Additionally, regular liaison with education providers and employers ensures young people’s welfare and learning needs are understood and any difficulties are addressed in a timely manner.

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Quality of care good

Staff promote and participate in a range of purposeful and constructive activities with young people. One young person said ‘I have recently been to Roller world; Water World, a trip to Newquay, Alton Towers, the zoo and we have a planned trip to Tower of London to see the Poppy exhibition. There are too many to mention!’ Young people enjoy community activities, such as participating in football. This helps them to develop positive friendships and maintain links with the community.

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Quality of care good

Care planning is of a good quality and fully integrates equality and diversity issues. Care and placement plans fully reflect the changing needs of young people. Key worker sessions creatively promote the objectives of placement plans. Staff are proactive to ensure young people are routinely offered opportunities to participate in their care planning and record their views, wishes and feelings. This means young people invest in their care plans and feel that they are listened to. 7 of 10 Young people know how to make a complaint and are confident about being able to do so. The young person’s guide is comprehensive and contains information on how to make a complaint and about agencies, young people can contact for support and advice. There have been no complaints since the last inspection.

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Quality of care good

Young people live in an exceptionally well-maintained and presented home. Professionals routinely comment on the high standard of decoration and furnishings throughout. Young people say they are proud to live in such a home and are able to personalise their bedrooms to reflect their individual identity.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people report feeling safe and state that staff teach them to keep themselves safe. All young people feel confident they can talk to staff if they are feeling insecure. They report that bullying is not a feature of the home, but if they did encounter bullying, they have every confidence that staff would deal with it. Staff are knowledgeable about the indicators and impact of bullying and are vigilant in monitoring all young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Safeguarding practice is further promoted through improved risk assessments. These documents are up to date, individualised, detailed and regularly reviewed. These provide staff with clear guidance on how to safeguard young people, whilst allowing them to take proportionate and positive risks. This enables young people to experience new challenges and develop new skills whilst remaining safe.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Behaviour management strategies are effective and lead to improved positive behaviours and a significant reduction in challenging or harmful behaviours. One young person said ‘my behaviours have massively improved and this is because of staff support; clear rules and boundaries and being appropriately rewarded.’ Staff use a range of incentive and reward methods to encourage positive behaviours. The home has not had any incidents of physical intervention with the young people since the last inspection.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Missing from care arrangements are improved since the last inspection. Staff work in accordance with the Local Authority joint protocol regarding young people missing from home. Additionally, they adhere to the home’s own revised missing from care policy. Staff are very aware of the dangers to young people should they leave the home without consent and are proactive in collaborating with placing authorities and the police to strengthen safeguarding procedures. The staff team recognise when the service is unable to keep young people safe and, when necessary, acts quickly to liaise with placing teams and external agencies to agree an appropriate plan.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Health and safety arrangements are strong. Health and safety risk assessments are regularly reviewed and internal checks consistently undertaken in order to maintain 8 of 10 the overall safety of young people and the staff team. Fire safety is a high priority in the home. Staff conduct routine fire safety checks. Specialist contractors regularly service fire safety equipment to ensure it is fully functional and effective in the event of a fire.

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Leadership and management good

The manager became registered in this post for this newly established home in April 2014. He has a National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in Health and Social Care. He commenced his studies on the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership in Health and Social Care in September 2013. This means the manager is ensuring he has suitable qualifications for the post of Registered Manager. He has relevant experience of residential childcare within the private sector.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager has ensured that all shortfalls from the previous inspection have been fully addressed.

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Leadership and management good

The Statement of Purpose and internal monitoring reports have been submitted to Ofsted in accordance with regulation. This enables the regulator to have oversight of the homes aims and objectives and monitoring systems.

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Leadership and management good

Improvements to supervision arrangements include the Registered Manager now receiving monthly supervision from a peer. Training shortfalls have been addressed with all staff now having received mandatory training. The arrangements for on-call management support are strengthened with staff being able to reliably access management support.

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Leadership and management good

These combined improvements mean young people benefit from improved levels of safety and quality of care. The manager has clear development plans to further promote improvement for young people. The effective operation of the home is further reinforced with rigorous monitoring arrangements. An external visitor undertakes extensive and detailed quality assurance activities. Rigorous internal and external monitoring drives continued improvement.

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Leadership and management good

Records are clear, up to date and stored securely, and contribute to an understanding of the young person’s life. Case records are comprehensive, professionally presented and accessible to young people, upon request.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager and his team demonstrate a commitment to ensuring they meet the needs of all young people, regardless of challenges. They are tenacious in ensuring that placing authorities meet their statutory duties and promote the needs of individual young people.

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Leadership and management good

Significant events relating to the protection of young people are notified to the relevant authorities and appropriate procedures are followed. This contributes to 9 of 10 young people’s safety.

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Leadership and management good

The home demonstrates a strong capacity for continuing improvement based on its record of accomplishment and performance since the last inspection. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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