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

Inspection report children’s home: SC475335 1 SC475335 Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Limited

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Full 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. It provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional, behavioural and/or social difficulties. The manager has the required qualification and has been registered since January 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 18 to 19 December 2019

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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 outstanding

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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: 19 September 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC475335 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/09/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/04/2018 Full Good 25/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/12/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC475335 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(b)) 31/01/2020

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46(2)) 31/01/2020

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people develop very strong and positive relationships, both with the staff and with other young people in the home. One young person said, ‘Staff always stick by me. The girls stick by me and we are like sisters.’ The strong relationships that have developed between staff and young people have created a relaxed, fun and very positive atmosphere that staff and young people enjoy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s educational experiences have not always been positive. Some young people have struggled, and still do struggle, in education. The manager and staff have worked hard to help young people overcome barriers to learning. Staff promote education by encouraging reading. They also help young people to become more inquisitive through discussions, and assist them in developing their skills in English literature through poetry and writing. This helps young people to become more confident in their skills and abilities. Inspection report children’s home: SC475335 4 Young people are proud of their home. The manager and staff have completely refurbished the home over the past two years, with the help of young people. It provides a very comfortable and modern environment. Young people do not damage their home, because they are proud to live there. Young people play a full role in decorating and designing the home, their input being unmissable throughout.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff appreciate and value the views and ideas of young people. There are regular young people’s meetings, where young people voice their opinions on the day-to-day running of the home. Young people feel able to talk to staff and managers about any issues they might have, safe in the knowledge that they will be taken seriously. Young people have other professionals to turn to for help and support should they need this, such as their social workers or independent reviewing officers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between young people and their families have improved over time. Some young people have progressed from having no contact with family members to now enjoying extended stays with family. Staff have worked proactively with social workers, young people and family members to achieve this important placement objective.

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

Young people are safe, and reported that they feel safe. The manager and staff have a good grasp of the concerns and vulnerabilities of the young people. This is because the manager completes detailed risk assessments and behaviour management plans. These plans are implemented consistently by staff. Consequently, young people have become safer.

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

Young people have, at times, tried alcohol and cannabis. This has been experimental use, but the staff have treated it very seriously. Young people benefit from doing individual work with staff regarding the dangers of drug and alcohol use. Further educational work is carried out over time with young people, by staff, to provide them with the information they need to make better and healthier life decisions.

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

The manager, when recruiting new staff, follows safer recruitment protocols. He completes a comprehensive range of background checks to ensure that there are no concerns about the ability and intentions of prospective employees when it comes to them providing care for young people. These measures help to ensure that young people are not harmed by those in positions of trust. When young people have raised concerns about the behaviour of staff, the manager has consulted with all the appropriate agencies and followed procedures appropriately. He has completed thorough investigations to ascertain that he, and other agencies, are satisfied that young people have not been harmed or placed at risk.

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

The staff’s supervision and monitoring of young people have lapsed on one occasion. Two young people managed to leave the home, undetected, and were missing for several hours without the knowledge of staff. The manager completed an in-depth investigation into the events surrounding this, and worked with staff to ensure that Inspection report children’s home: SC475335 5 procedures were rectified, to minimise the likelihood of this happening again. This lapse in the monitoring of young people placed them at risk and every effort should be made to ensure that this situation is never repeated.

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

The manager has carried out a location risk assessment, but this has not been completed in consultation with relevant agencies. This means that staff might not be in possession of important information about the risks posed to young people by the community in which they live.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Exceptional leadership is demonstrated by the manager and deputy manager. They have taken this home on an improvement journey over the past two years, to the benefit of the young people. They have developed a well-motivated staff team, and have instilled a learning and development culture throughout the team. Both the manager and the deputy have attained the level 5 diploma, and most staff have either attained, or are close to attaining, the level 3 diploma.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team has remained very stable since the last inspection. Those staff leaving the home have done so to take up promotions in the wider organisation. The staff team is diverse in gender, age and experience and this is demonstrated through the very good care provided for young people. Staff are positive role models for young people, with male and female carers providing the nurturing and sensitive care that young people need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The individual professional supervision of staff is excellent. Individual supervision sessions take place very regularly and topics discussed are both wide-ranging and in- depth. Staff receive the ongoing oversight and support they need. This is balanced with holding them to account in their work with young people. Staff have their development and learning appraised and they attend training to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills required to provide the best possible care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers have an in-depth understanding of each young person’s care and support plans. Managers are aspirational for and proud of young people, wanting them to thrive and do well. Additionally, young people spoke fondly of managers, saying that the managers spend time with them and listen to them. Managers are visible to young people and to staff, fully immersing themselves in the day-to-day routines of the home. This is a real strength of the managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has completed a detailed and accurate statement of purpose. This provides partner agencies and others with a comprehensive account of the care young people can expect when they come to live at this home. The manager constantly evaluates the quality of care provided for young people. He has an excellent range of systems in place that help him to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the service. The manager anticipates issues early and takes effective action. This supports the staff team, helps to keep young people safe and helps young people to make very good progress during their Inspection report children’s home: SC475335 6 time at this home.

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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 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: SC475335 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: Flat 17, Leeland Mansions, Leeland Road, London W13 9HE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Pradeep Manaktala

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Inspector

Phillip Morris: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC475335 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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