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

Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 1 SC464759 Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is privately owned and is registered to care for four young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: None.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and the organisation have worked hard to ensure that there has been improvement since the last inspection. There has been a strong focus on improving young people’s experiences. All young people now report that they feel happy and safe. Young people’s comments are extremely positive and reflect the significant progress made. Young people said: ‘I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for this place’; and, ‘The home has improved big time.’ One young person also said: ‘I am the happiest I have ever been in my life.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

All young people are now in education and doing well. Young people who have been out of education for months, or even years, have started their learning again. The manager speaks out for young people to make sure that they can make up for lost time. For example, one young person has been moved down a year group at school, but the manager has ensured that she is still being stretched to her full ability. Young people are happy with their educational arrangements, so are more likely to do well. Several young Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 2 people commented that their educational progress is their best achievement since the last inspection. Young people are proud of their progress, and are looking forward to their futures.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

After a turbulent period prior to and just after the last inspection, the home is now extremely settled. The group of young people get along well together. Young people report that incidents are ‘rare’. One young person said: ‘It’s a better house now, it’s so chilled.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

All areas of risk continue to reduce. Young people’s episodes of going missing have significantly reduced in number and several months have now passed without incident. Young people do not self-harm as often as they did previously. They receive the help that they need with regard to their complex problems. Staff support young people very well. They have built up trusting and positive relationships with them. Young people can openly talk about their problems and worries. Staff are able to talk to young people with confidence about areas of risk, such as drugs misuse. This is because they are knowledgeable and well trained.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The leadership and management of the home have been steadily improving. Seven out of the eight requirements from the last inspection have been met. Improvements include a more robust procedure for storing, administering and recording medication. Generally, the manager has a much better oversight of all aspects of the home. He has now completed all of the work towards his management qualification. Staff now have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each young person. Young people are safer, have more positive experiences, and make better progress in all aspects of their lives. The home’s statement of purpose is regularly reviewed. This ensures that placing authorities and parents are clear about how the home sets out to care for young people. Young people’s case files have improved. They now contain key information about their education and health.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One requirement, about formal supervision meetings for staff, is not met. This has been repeated. It is clear that this shortfall no longer impacts on the quality of care, but it has the potential to do so if not put right. Staff do feel supported, and are pleased with the way that that they are managed. Staff comments about the manager included: ‘He is brilliant.’ The staff work well together and the manager makes it his business to observe practice. He has a very good understanding of the staff’s strengths and where they need support and development.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Out of the three recommendations made at the last inspection, only one remains unmet. There have been improvements in the staff’s knowledge of young people’s educational backgrounds and targets. Some of the documentation has also significantly improved. Other documentation, such as impact risk assessments and data about staff supervisions, could still be improved further. Therefore, this recommendation has been repeated. Despite clear improvements in the way that restraints are scrutinised and evaluated, the views of the young people about the restraints are still missing from records. Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 3 Restraints are only used to make sure that young people are protected from harm. Before any restraint takes place, staff use a range of de-escalation strategies. Despite this, one restraint had to be carried out on the floor in order to minimise harm. It is good practice to allocate a lead member of staff to monitor young people during ground

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

restraints. At the moment this does not happen, so a recommendation has been made.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite the fact that over half of the staff are new, there is a feeling of a settled team, with clear direction. New staff have brought a fresh approach. To cover vacancies, the core staff team is often supplemented by staff based at other children’s homes. One young person commented: ‘It is strange when you have someone random waving at you when you wake up in the morning.’ The manager is well aware of young people’s concerns, and has discussed these with them. He continues to recruit staff, so that the whole staff team can provide even better stability for young people.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/04/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/09/2016 Full Requires improvement 12/07/2016 Full Inadequate 21/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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, 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. Regulation 33(4)(b) 14/02/2018

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, clear and objective recording (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4). This is in relation to data about supervisions, and impact risk assessments when new young people are admitted. Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 4  Ensure that any child who has been restrained should be given the opportunity to express their feelings about their experience of the restraint as soon as practicable, ideally within 24 hours of the restraint incident. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.60)  Ensure that records of restraints are kept, which should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint, to identify practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge.

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Recommendations

The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59) This is in particular relation to recording how a child is monitored during restraints.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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

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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Flat 17, Leeland Mansions, Leeland Road, London W13 9HE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Pradeep Manaktala Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 5 Registered manager: Paul Mallon

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Inspector

Caroline Brailsford, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 6 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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