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

Inspection report children’s home: 1264438 1 Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Limited 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 operated by a private provider. The home can accommodate up to four children or young people. Children and young people may have emotional and/or behaviour difficulties and have experienced neglect or abuse. The provider promotes an atmosphere which is understanding, honest, learning and supportive so as to bring stability to the lives of vulnerable children and young people. The manager has been registered since December 2017 and has managed the home since it opened.

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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 good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness. Children and young people who live in this home continue to make good progress. There had previously been an unsettled period. The home is currently stable and better managed. One young person has left the home since the last inspection. The manager recognised that the staff were unable to keep him safe. Planning for transition out of the home was good. Notice was served to allow a period of time so that the young person could be introduced slowly to another home. The manager has reflected on this placement and lessons have been learned in relation to robust decision-making around matching and Inspection report children’s home: 1264438 2 meeting the needs of children and young people. This has improved the home’s ability to ensure that children’s and young people’s needs can be met in the future.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have used their skills and experience to build strong and trusting relationships with the children and young people. These relationships have helped the children and young people share their concerns and anxieties and, in line with their own wishes, they have allowed the staff to support them to manage their behaviour. One child has had significant improvements in the quality of sleep and also in their ability to physically care for themselves. A young person has been very well supported to access the local community safely. The children and young people are safe. There are no incidents of missing from home. When staff have been unsure of a young person’s whereabouts, they have taken appropriate steps to ensure that the young person remains safe and maintains contact. A social worker said that keeping one young person safe was an ‘outstanding piece of work’ and that staff had been able to manage conflict and complex needs very well.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

When restraint of a child or young person is required, this is only done when necessary and to keep the child or young person safe from harm. Documentation detailing the restraint covers all aspects required by regulations. When incidents have arisen in the home and sanctions have been used, these are appropriately monitored by the manager. At times, sanctions may be requested but not imposed. This demonstrates that the manager reviews the appropriateness of any sanctions and takes all factors into account and ensures that sanctions are not punishment. Staff use incentives to promote children’s and young people’s positive behaviours and to help them to regulate their emotions better. One child has been allowed to choose some new wallpaper for her bedroom following positive changes in her behaviour when in education. This improvement demonstrates that she has learned to resist the temptation to be negatively influenced by her peers. The manager is also promoting consistency

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

between the staff team to ensure that children and young people receive a consistent response from staff and have clear expectations. The children and young people currently living in the home are doing well in education. One child has had a recent review at school which has reported that she is doing exceptionally well and is making good, steady progress. The young person has experienced a recent decline in attendance, but there are some external factors influencing this. The staff are supporting attendance and have arranged for some tutoring at the home to support reintegration back into college. Since being at this home, the young person’s education attendance has increased from 50% to 80%. Staff support the young person in planning for his future. He has ambitions to join the armed forces and staff have supported him with a visit to The Army Foundation College in Harrogate. Children and young people are supported to engage in activities that they like. These

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

range from camping, quad-biking, going for meals out, horse riding, swimming and bowling. The provider also promotes outdoor adventures and has a fully equipped team which supports the children and young people to enjoy camping in various locations. Children and young people are supported by staff to learn independence skills which are Inspection report children’s home: 1264438 3 relevant to their age and levels of understanding. Staff involve children and young people in the day-to-day running of the home and teach them skills that they will use when they leave the home. These skills have included baking and cooking, going to the shop and buying groceries, washing clothes and cleaning their rooms. A significant improvement in the home is the support for the manager. The manager is now supported by an area manager and receives regular supervision. This has improved the manager’s confidence and ability to manage this home well. Decision-making in

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

relation to admissions to the home has been strengthened and the staff all receive supervisions regularly. Supervisions include reflective elements to improve the quality of care being provided. Staff feel very supported at this home. One member of staff said that they felt that they had ‘developed more by working in this home than anywhere else they had worked’. There are still a number of staff vacancies, but these do not impact on children and young people as shifts are covered by the existing staff and staff from another home owned by the provider. The manager, with support from the area manager, is undertaking further recruitment to increase the permanent staff complement. However, not all of the required information relating to a new recruit was available. This does not promote safe recruitment practice. Monitoring of the home needs to improve. The six-monthly report doesn’t include feedback and opinions of children, young people, parents and other professionals about

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

the quality of care. The independent visitor’s report had not been received on time and did not explicitly demonstrate the visitor’s opinion of whether the conduct of the home promotes the children’s well-being. The staff undertake training to meet the needs of the children and young people. A number of staff are currently undertaking their level 3 qualification and the manager is enrolled on the level 5 qualification. To improve the effectiveness of staff to keep children and young people safe, staff should receive training relating to the risk of county lines.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/08/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1264438 4

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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, the 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 person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that— full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(3)(d)) In particular, ensure that there are two references from the referees identified in the person’s application, and that, when the person has worked in a position involving children or vulnerable adults, the references must be verified. The applicant should also provide documentary evidence of qualifications that are relevant for the position. 31/05/2019

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— The feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45(2)(b)) In particular, ensure that the opinions are sought of children, young people, parents and other professionals involved in the children’s and young people’s care to support the review of the quality of care. 31/05/2019

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Recommendations

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) In particular, ensure that the independent visitor includes their opinions as required by regulations, and that the report is submitted by the end of the following month. Inspection report children’s home: 1264438 5  Staff skills for safeguarding should include being able to identify signs that children may be at risk, and support children in strategies to manage and reduce any risks. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10) In particular, ensure that staff receive training to understand the risks posed by county lines so that they can identify risks and take steps to keep children and

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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

Inspection report children’s home: 1264438 6 Unique reference number: 1264438

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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: 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

Mark Broomhead: regulatory inspection manager Inspection report children’s home: 1264438 7 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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