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

Good

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

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people experience consistently good quality care in a stable, structured environment. They benefit from trusting and secure relationships with empathetic and enthusiastic staff.  Staff and managers are very skilled in the management of challenging behaviour.  Young people have made good progress from their starting points. They are attending education and training placements and they are developing confidence in their abilities. Staff work closely with education and training providers to support young people to remain engaged and to achieve.  Young people are safer because they live in this home. Comprehensive and regularly updated risk assessments are agreed with young people. As a result, missing from home episodes reduce. Over time, young people engage in less risk-taking behaviours such as self-harming and substance misuse.  Staff ensure that there is no bullying in the home. This is particularly

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The children's home provision is good because:

valuable to young people who have previously experienced bullying.  Very strong practice in relation to working with parents ensures that each young person enjoys significantly improved relationships with their family. Staff offer high quality support to young people preparing to return to the care of their family.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, 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 registered person must ensure that all employees have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4) (c)) 23/11/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 Usually, rooms should only be searched if the child has been informed or asked for their permission. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 17, paragraph 3.20)

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Recommendations

 The children's guide should help children to understand what the day-to-day routines of the home are ('what happens in the home'). (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 24, paragraph 4.22)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home's manager. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

25/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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good

Young people live in a pleasant and modern home. It is furnished and decorated to a very high standard. Young people say that their bedrooms are ‘great’. Because the home is spacious, young people can undertake a range of stimulating activities on site. For example, one young person has made her own creative area where she pursues her artistic interests and hobbies. Staff are good at encouraging young people to use their time constructively. They ensure that each young person has the opportunity to participate in a range of physical and social activities. For example, one young person goes swimming regularly and does aerobic classes with staff at the local gym. Another also attends the gym and has sessions with a personal trainer twice a month. The young person says that the trainer improves her motivation by setting interesting exercise programmes and helping her understand her exercise routines. A third young person goes horse riding as her

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good

fitness activity. Young people, staff, and social workers confirm the growth in self- esteem as a result of the healthy, stimulating programme of activities.

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good

Staff agree placement objectives with the young person, involved agencies, and family. Targets are regularly reviewed and progress and achievements are celebrated. Keyworker sessions are used effectively to support young people to meet their goals. Because the standard of keyworking is high, young people enjoy the direct work undertaken with their keyworker. They feel valued because they feel staff always, ‘make time’ for them. A young person says that staff are all, ‘really kind and helpful, they do their best and always try to support you’.

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good

Young people benefit from comprehensive and detailed health plans. Goals are identified for a healthier lifestyle and they are well supported to attend health appointments. In keyworker sessions, staff support young people to improve their understanding and awareness of health issues such as substance misuse and diet. Consequently, young people begin to make healthier choices.

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good

Established and settled bedtime and morning routines support school attendance and ensure that young people are able to achieve to their full potential. All of the young people who live at the home have education, personal tuition, or training packages in place. Staff liaise well with partner agencies to support young people to overcome any barriers to attendance or achievement. Where the conduct or behaviour of young people presents a barrier to attendance at mainstream school, alternative provision is quickly identified. As a result, young people are developing confidence, their attendance is improving, and they are making good progress from their starting points. A key strength of the home is the way staff and managers work collaboratively with parents to improve family relationships, or prepare young people to return to the care of their families. A parent commended the way that the staff communicate

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good

and share information about his daughter. He said, ‘I wouldn’t have her anywhere else, they have turned her life around. We hear from staff twice a day, it feels like a team effort.’

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good

Young people become safer whilst living in this home. They benefit from positive parenting and respond to clear structures and boundaries. As a result, they grow in emotional resilience. Effective communication and good de-escalation strategies contribute to the fact that there are no physical interventions and a very low number of sanctions. All staff receive training in de-escalating challenging behaviours and supporting young people who are distressed. Behaviour management strategies are based on a very detailed knowledge of each young person’s personality, history, and background. Staff adapt their approaches to reflect the wishes of each young person. Young people feel that the staff, ‘get us’.

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good

The safety and well-being of young people is also strengthened because there is no bullying in the home. This is a particular achievement because residents have been both the victim and perpetrator of significant bullying in previous placements. Young people say the staff are, ‘very strict, for the right reasons’.

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good

Safeguarding systems and procedures are well understood by staff and managers. Because the standard of training is high, all staff know how to recognise and respond to any allegations, disclosures or suspicions of abuse. Although the manager and deputy are yet to attend training in child sexual exploitation, most staff have attended this training. As a result, they take swift, appropriate actions when they are concerned that young people may be at risk. Staff have also recently attended specialist training to support young people who display self- harming behaviour. Training in managing risks associated with radicalisation and extremism has been arranged by the organisation. Managers demonstrate a clear understanding of how to manage complaints against the home. Any complaints against the home have been investigated promptly.

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good

The home works flexibly and creatively with placing authorities in the way it plans care for young people with established patterns of staying away from agreed placements for long periods. For a particular young person, they have tailored a package that amounts to a consistent offer of a place of safety combined with daily support within the family home. This is agreed with social workers, who report that the home has, ‘robust procedures in place for managing absences and minimising her risk. It is therefore my opinion that [the home] is the best available provision to meet her needs’. The social worker also notes that the stable base provided by the home has led to an, ‘improvement in her presentation, and emotional well- being’. These unusual placement arrangements are supported by monthly, multi- agency, risk management meetings, which ensure that the care and support needs are regularly reviewed and that risks are carefully evaluated.

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good

When other young people are absent without permission, staff are very quick to locate them and maintain regular contact whilst they are away from the home. Where there have been missing from home episodes, staff have followed procedures, and liaised with police and social workers to ensure young people are safe. Staff are proactive in looking for absent young people and contacting them. Staff welcome young people back and ensure that they have the opportunity to discuss their absence with an independent person. This means that they feel cared for and that information is gathered that reduces the likelihood of further missing episodes.

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good

Following a recommendation from the previous inspection, young people now receive individually tailored guidance and advice in relation to safe use of the internet. This means that they are now equipped with the necessary knowledge to stay safe on-line.

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good

The registered manager is effective in his role. He is well respected by his staff team who reflect positively on his inclusive style of management. He has over ten years residential care experience and has been in charge of the home for two years. He is currently undertaking a suitable qualification and is making progress in line with regulatory expectations. He is very skilled in developing staff. This is demonstrated by the recent promotion of several members of staff to management positions within the organisation. These staff changes have been managed well, ensuring that young people experience minimal disruption as a result of staff taking on new responsibilities.

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good

Despite the identified strengths in relation to the development of staff skills and knowledge, the home does not have a ‘workforce plan’ as required. This means that the training needs of staff and managers are not fully understood or planned for. For example, the manager is not currently trained in child sexual exploitation, and there are no clear plans for this training to take place. Immediate steps were taken during the inspection to ensure a detailed training needs analysis was undertaken.

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good

Each member of staff feels very well supported through their regular supervision. They report that supervision enables them to reflect on their practice and to develop improved strategies to meet young people’s needs. However, most staff have not received a formal annual appraisal of their practice. Although the manager undertakes such assessments informally with staff, the lack of records has the potential to undermine performance management systems.

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good

The home’s statement of purpose is clear and accurately reflects the services offered to young people in the home. Consequently, it provides useful information to parents, social workers, and other stakeholders. The home also produces a children’s guide. This is written is a child-friendly way and enables young people understand their rights and responsibilities in the home. However, the guide does not always provide full and accurate information. For example, the home did not provide a safe to young people as described, and rules relating to specific prohibited items are not clearly stated.

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good

The home has a clear and suitable policy relating to the searching of young people’s bedrooms. On one occasion, the registered manager authorised a search in a manner that did not adhere to this policy. There was no significant impact on the young person, and the search was both necessary and proportionate. However, it is recommended that the manager act in line with policy by informing young people, where possible, before undertaking such searches in future.

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good

The registered manager demonstrates a clear commitment to continual improvement. He takes personal responsibility for the creation and implementation of the home’s detailed development plans. They have led to improvements in safeguarding systems, recruitment processes, and the appearance of the home. Quality assurance processes, both internal and external, ensure that there is robust monitoring of the home. For example, recording shortfalls have been identified and quickly rectified. Three recommendations were set at the previous inspection. These have been addressed fully, leading to improvements in the way young people are supported to use the internet safely and better preparation for independence.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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