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

Inspection report children’s home: SC436469 1 SC436469 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

This home is owned by a private company. It provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who have emotional, behavioural and social difficulties. The manager was registered in June 2019 and is undertaking the required qualification.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC436469 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/07/2018 Full Outstanding 18/10/2017 Full Outstanding 09/12/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC436469 3

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outstanding

Young people make excellent progress in their education and training. Some young people attend college, while others have individualised education packages tailored to their needs. Young people now expect to achieve good education outcomes and have higher expectations for their futures. This demonstrates significant progress considering the significant disruption they have previously experienced to their education. One independent reviewing officer said that the staff ‘have turned everything around for the young person’.

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outstanding

Young people receive excellent, consistent parenting. Staff create a nurturing environment in which young people can thrive. Young people are given a strong sense of security by the home’s clear daily routines. Staff have high expectations of young people, setting firm but fair boundaries. Staff are good at celebrating young people’s achievements and promoting their talents. This has been fundamental in helping young people to develop confidence in their own abilities and to set ambitious goals for themselves.

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outstanding

Young people have a say in the running of their home. Weekly meetings take place and provide a forum for interesting and relevant discussions. Staff undertake very high-quality, direct work with young people. For example, they created a ‘well-being week’ so that issues relating to smoking, alcohol, drug use and relationships could be explored directly with young people. This sort of creative engagement means that children are given the tools they need to be safe, healthy and happy.

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outstanding

The staff create a pleasant environment with a great deal of laughter and fun. Young people trust staff. Relationships between young people and staff are exceptionally strong. Young people know that they can talk through difficult issues and know that their feelings will be taken seriously. One young person, who has experienced a turbulent care history, remarked that the difference between this home and his previous placements was his ability to relate to staff. Staff undertake a wide range of activities with young people, including movie nights and gym sessions. Bonding activities, such as going for walks and drives in the car, enable young people to talk to staff about difficult feelings and emotions.

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outstanding

Behaviour management strategies are highly effective. Young people know what is expected of them and are helped to behave well. They learn to regulate their emotional responses so that incidents of worrying and potentially harmful behaviour reduce significantly. Staff have not needed to use restraint to keep young people safe. This is because de-escalation strategies are so effective. Inspection report children’s home: SC436469 4 The manager undertakes comprehensive risk assessments and develops very effective behaviour management plans. The manager adjusts the plan in line with the changing needs and risks of young people. Staff understand these crucial documents and implement actions from them consistently. This helps keep young people safe.

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outstanding

Young people using social media and the internet are protected because staff take effective action to ensure their safety. The manager and staff recognise the opportunities as well as the risks associated with social media and the internet. They educate young people about the risks through a structured learning session. The manager and staff have also implemented ‘social media Sunday’. This is an opportunity for young people to share their online activities with staff while also learning about internet safety.

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outstanding

Young people rarely go missing. However, when this does happen, staff take all the right actions. They search for the young person, try to contact them and report them missing to police. Staff make great efforts to learn any lessons that could prevent the young person going missing from home again.

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outstanding

The manager exercises a great deal of caution when bringing new staff into the home. She makes certain that a full range of pre-employment checks are completed, in line with safer recruitment protocols. This minimises risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

This home is very effectively led by the manager, who has recently stepped up from the deputy manager post. The fact that she was already so familiar with the home and the young people has enabled her to make an exceptionally good start to her managerial career. She is very well respected by young people, staff and other professionals. She is a visible manager and has maintained an in-depth understanding of each young person’s care plan. She is very organised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager uses a range of systems to continually evaluate and improve the service. The manager listens carefully to young people and other professionals, taking these views into account. She has developed an excellent development plan that clearly maps out the actions necessary for ongoing improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager strategically plans workforce development because she wants staff to develop in their career and provide continuity of care to the young people. Staff are highly valued by the manager. Staff undertake a range of training that provides them with the skills and knowledge they need. Training is enhanced by reflective discussions in supervisions, team meetings and staff handovers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff supervision is very well structured. Staff feel well supported but are also challenged to continually improve the quality of their practice. This leads to very good morale across the team. The home does not rely on agency staff because staff members happily work additional shifts if required. This is testimony to the quality of relationships in this home. Inspection report children’s home: SC436469 5

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC436469 6

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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: SC436469 7 to 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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