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

The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

This home was judged Good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Young people make particularly good progress with their health and safety. The high level of one-to-one time that young people spend with staff allows them to gain relevant support and direction. Effective relationships with staff encourage young people’s learning about how they can better protect themselves and promote their health. One recently admitted young person has received 17 high- quality key-working sessions in one month, giving them the best possible chance of settling in well and making good progress. It is clear that young people are able to speak to staff about their problems and worries.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

When young people put themselves at risk, staff are responsive and proactive in the action that they take. They follow regularly updated risk assessments, which are clear about the steps that should be taken to protect individuals. In addition, they seek further opportunities to ensure that young people learn about how they can be safer. After a recent episode of going missing from care, where two young people put themselves at risk, the response of staff has been effective in ensuring that young people have learned as much as they can from the incident. This support encourages young people to make more positive and safe choices.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Young people rarely go missing. When they do, staff can often predict this because they know young people extremely well and know their behaviour is different. They always go and look for young people, and try to keep in touch with them, to protect them at the earliest opportunity. They ensure that they build a clear and comprehensive list of all known contacts, so that they have as much information as possible, should a young person become missing. This helps to keep young people safe.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Young people have made some good progress with education, and bespoke educational activities and placements. The manager ensures that young people engage in education or work placements that are right for them. Staff quickly remove barriers to young people’s progress by working very closely with educational professionals. Managers acknowledge that for new young people, they are sometimes in crisis, so their behaviour needs to be improved before they can get the most from their education. Opportunities are sometimes being missed for them to make educational progress while they wait for more formal arrangements to be made. Where young people are living in the home from other local authorities, there could be better links with the Virtual School Head to develop plans and reduce educational drifting when young people are newly admitted.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

There are very good joint working arrangements with other professionals for the benefit of young people. This is because young people are in touch with other professionals that can help them, for example, community mental health workers, the looked after children nurse, and educational staff. There are also very positive relationships with social workers, who are pleased with the regular information they receive from the home. One social worker illustrated this by saying: ‘There is good joint working.’

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

The registered manager ensures that he leads the home by example, and regularly reminds staff to understand what young people have been through. Staff praise the manager for this approach, and say this helps them to further understand young people’s behaviours. One member of staff said: ‘He is a brilliant man.’ Young people like the manager, appreciating his efforts to make things better for them, saying: ‘He wants to turn everyone around.’ He continues to monitor the home well, and has the best interests of the young people at heart.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

The one requirement made at the last full inspection is not fully met. There has been some improvement to organising staff appraisal meetings, so that their performance can be judged and appraised. All staff have a date for their appraisal meeting in the coming weeks. However, this requirement is repeated because it is not yet fully met. Two out of the three recommendations set at the last inspection have been met. There have been improvements to staff’s understanding about searching young people’s bedrooms. Staff now know and understand from the policy that young people must be consulted about any search of their room. The welcome pack has also been amended to make it more user friendly. This assists young people in their understanding of the aims of the home, both before and during their admission.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

There is one recommendation which is not yet fully met. The home has not yet developed a workforce plan as the standards require, so the recommendation will be repeated. However, there have been improvements to the recording of staff training so that that the skills of staff can be carefully monitored. This helps to ensure that they have the relevant skills to look after young people. Most staff have the required training for their role, but one newer staff member was found to have had their training cancelled by a local training provider. The registered manager reported this as a problem but was able to show new training dates for this staff member. This has not had an impact on young people, but if this is not put right now, it could be problematic in the future.

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to care for four young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is privately owned.

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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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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)) 25/04/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  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. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role they have in the training and development of staff in the home. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff have an understanding of how schools function, including the process for admission to schools, the role of the designated teacher for looked after children and the role of the Virtual School Head. If a looked after child from a different local authority area is placed in the home, the Virtual School Head of that local authority remains responsible for promoting the child's educational achievement. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 28, paragraph 5.10)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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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