Children's home run by Blue Mountain Homes Ltd

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2588370 1

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Blue Mountain Homes Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to accommodate three young people with social and emotional difficulties. The home is owned by a private organisation.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out because of concerns about a recent escalation in safeguarding incidents. Ofsted was made aware of several safeguarding incidents happening in a short space of time. There were concerns that young people may be at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager is currently not working at the home. At present, an acting manager is in day-to-day charge of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Appropriate action has been taken in response to the safeguarding incidents. Staff have worked collaboratively with other professionals to safeguard young people. For example, when young people have gone missing, staff have actively searched for them and have followed appropriate procedures.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager has ensured that young people’s risk-management plans are regularly reviewed. Multi-agency support is provided to young people where necessary.

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This monitoring visit

Young people have very positive relationships with staff. These positive relationships are a protective factor as young people feel able to be open about their vulnerabilities and risks.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are kind and compassionate, and they provide a nurturing environment. They understand the young people’s needs well. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2588370 2 Senior management arrangements are complex. There are three senior managers overseeing various areas of practice in the home. There have been some instances of poor information sharing and/or recording. Given the complicated management structure there is a risk of something being missed. An example of this is a senior manager not knowing some details relating to a safeguarding investigation.

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This monitoring visit

Some risks to children are known, but there has been a lack of proactive work to reduce the risks. An example of this is a lack of planning and timely intervention for a young person to address drug and alcohol misuse. Appropriate plans are now in place.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager is new to managing a children’s home. He is positive about the support he has received. However, at the point of this visit, he had not had a formal supervision meeting with his line manager for eight weeks. This does not meet the company’s own minimum expectation of one supervisory meeting per month, and it does not recognise the vulnerability of the management arrangements in the absence of the registered manager.

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This monitoring visit

Two requirements and three recommendations were made at the last Ofsted visit. These were not checked during this monitoring visit and will therefore be carried over. One new recommendation has been made following this visit.

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Recent inspection history

The home has not yet been inspected. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2588370 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d)) 20 December 2020

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Requirement Due date

If the independent person becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest (whether under regulation 43(3) or otherwise) after a visit to the home, the independent person must include in the independent person’s report—

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Requirement Due date

details of the conflict of interest; and the reasons why the independent person did not notify the registered provider of the conflict of interest before the visit.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI; 20 December 2020 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2588370 4 upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated).

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 44 (6)(a)(b) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Recommendations

 Children in residential care usually live in a group environment, and so it is particularly important that they can spend time away from other group members. Staff should respect children’s privacy and support the other children living in the home to do so. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.17)  The registered person is responsible for leading a team which provides high quality care for all children living in the home. They must lead and manage the home in a way that delivers the ethos, outcomes and approach set out in the home’s Statement of Purpose. They should also play a key role in shaping the ethos of the home through developing a culture of high aspiration for children which is demonstrated through the care, resources and opportunities offered to the children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. The Statement of Purpose is an important document in the process of care planning as it sets out the needs of children the home is set up and equipped to care for. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  Ensure that the registered person has systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, 13.2)

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Recommendations

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2588370 5

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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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: 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

Caroline Brailsford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2588370 6 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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