Children's home run by Blue Mountain Homes Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1259419 1 Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care and accommodation for one young person. The young person will be aged between 10 and 18 years and will have emotional, behavioural and social difficulties. The manager was registered with Ofsted for this home in November 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 28 to 29 November 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 26 September 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Two compliance notices were issued following the last inspection. These notices related to the protection of children standard and the leadership and management standard. Inspection report children’s home: 1259419 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/09/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: 1259419 3

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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

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if there is no registered manager in respect of the home, and the registered provider is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(iii)) 04/01/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This service was judged inadequate at the last inspection. Two compliance notices were issued in relation to the protection of children and leadership and management. These compliance notices have now been met. Leaders of the organisation have made very good progress to address the shortfalls identified at the last inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the point of this inspection, the young person was staying at holiday accommodation, pending a move to a new home within the organisation. He has developed far better relationships with staff. He now engages with staff meaningfully in individual key-work sessions. These key-work sessions focus on issues that are important to him and focus on keeping him safe. The young person is now optimistic and is looking forward to his future. He wants to actively move forward in all areas of his life. The young person feels more settled, and said, ‘I have good relationships with staff and we all get on well.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person’s attitude and engagement with education are greatly improved. To his credit, he travels some considerable distance to attend education on a weekly basis. The young person completes homework, supported by staff, and the importance of education to his life and future is better understood by the young person. This provides reassurance for staff and other professionals that the young person will work hard in education and make the progress required to improve his prospects.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff provide good support, help and reassurance to the young person when seeing his parents and those important to him. Staff understand the emotional impact that family meetings can have and the potential risks involved. Staff manage these meetings well, so that the young person and his family get to enjoy their time Inspection report children’s home: 1259419 4 together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person is encouraged to express his views and opinions about the care that he receives. He knows that his views will be listened to by the manager and staff. He knows how to complain if he is unhappy and he understands his rights and entitlements. The young person has grown in confidence and can now express his views clearly.

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

At the last inspection, significant shortfalls in the protection of the young person were identified. Subsequently, Ofsted imposed a compliance notice to improve the situation. The leaders and managers have made significant progress in addressing this priority area. They implemented a comprehensive improvement plan, which has included:  Specific safeguarding training for all staff and managers that is focused on managing risk to the young person and behaviour management.  The development of a clear process for staff to follow which details the expectations on staff, their duty to report concerns and how to report concerns immediately should they arise.  Improved processes for the oversight and scrutiny of safeguarding incidents by senior managers.  Team meetings and handovers have been re-organised with improved focus on safeguarding and improved communication within the staff team.  The registered manager has undertaken professional development in the form of

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

additional training and mentoring from another manager in the organisation. She reports that this has greatly enhanced her confidence and has provided her with ideas for future development. The young person is now safer. This is because of the successful implementation of this improvement plan. There has been a significant reduction in the number of reported incidents of poor behaviour. The staff are confident at implementing behavioural boundaries and as a result there are fewer incidents emerging. The young person has not gone missing from the home. There have been no physical interventions. Now, discussion and negotiation replace emotionally driven, angry outbursts.

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

The young person is now healthier and safer. Staff have supported and helped him to stay away from cannabis and gang involvement. This had been a significant concern and placed him in worrying and potentially dangerous situations. The young person, with the help of staff, understands the risks from drug misuse and gang affiliation and he is making wiser decisions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has not yet completed the level 5 Diploma in leadership and management. She is currently studying to achieve this. Following the last inspection, Ofsted issued a compliance notice in relation to the failings of leaders and managers at the home. The manager has worked hard and has made improvements, so this Inspection report children’s home: 1259419 5 compliance notice is now lifted. These improvements have included:  The manager was placed on an improvement plan and this included undertaking additional training and development, including individualised personal training. She also worked in another home receiving mentoring from another manager. This has improved her confidence and ability to lead the home more effectively going forward.  The manager will be further supported through the recruitment of a deputy manager to provide additional management capacity.  The manager has overhauled and strengthened quality assurance monitoring

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

processes and has introduced a suite of new key performance indicators. She now has an improved understanding of the progress that the young person is making and how staff manage behaviour and incidents. She can now identify patterns and trends, supporting effective management oversight.  New staff have been recruited by the manager. These staff are undergoing training and development to help them provide good and effective care. The registered manager has worked hard and made many improvements. This has meant that she has not, at times, been in day-to-day charge of the home. The day-to- day running of the home has been undertaken by an acting manager. This is a shortfall. The young person’s relationship with the manager has become distant.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff joining the team say that they feel well supported and prepared to undertake their duties. They receive a full range of training and development, in addition to working alongside experienced colleagues to provide them with the best preparation for their roles. Staff receive regular professional supervision. This ensures that they remain accountable for their work and receive the support and guidance that they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working with agencies is good. Regular multi-agency meetings take place. This helps to coordinate the efforts of professionals to ensure that the services that the young person needs to make progress are in place.

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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

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 Inspection report children’s home: 1259419 6 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 children’s home: 1259419 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Manaktala & Co Limited, 17 Leeland Mansions, Leeland Road, West Ealing, London W13 9HE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Pradeep Manaktala

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Inspector:

Phillip Morris: social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1259419 8 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.

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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

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