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

Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 1 SC464759

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Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. This company provides care and accommodation for up to four young people aged between 10 and 17. Young people may have emotional, social and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager. The current manager has been in post for seven weeks and is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/06/2019 Full Good 12/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/04/2018 Full Good 10/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 3

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improvement to be good

Young people make progress in many areas of their lives. However, the home requires improvement because management oversight of the home does not consistently ensure that areas of weakness are identified and addressed. Managers have not made sure that all risk assessments are accurate. When young people make a complaint, managers do not discuss this with staff through supervision.

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improvement to be good

The physical environment provides space and privacy. However, the home does not feel personalised. For example, there are no pictures of young people in the communal areas. One bedroom is in need of repair. These issues detract from what is predominately a pleasant environment for the young people.

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improvement to be good

Young people are helped to develop their independence and sporting skills. One young person is taking their driving theory test. Another is pursuing their interest in boxing and basketball. Staff actively encourage young people to make choices about the activities they take part in.

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improvement to be good

Professionals work in collaboration with young people and the staff team. Effective multi-agency work ensures that there is a focus on engaging young people so that they make positive decisions about their futures.

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improvement to be good

Managers have not ensured that all risk assessments and care plans are accurate. This has led to staff having misleading and incorrect information about the needs of young people.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always make a record of restraints. Managers have not ensured that they review restraint incidents. This is a missed opportunity to improve practice and reduce the likelihood of further restraints.

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improvement to be good

Although healthy outcomes for young people are promoted, staff do not consistently provide good role modelling. Staff smoke in the garden. They allow young people to smoke with no challenge and advice about the impact of smoking on a healthy lifestyle.

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improvement to be good

When young people go missing, independent return interviews are offered. However, they do not always take place. Staff have not discussed missing from home incidents with young people on their return. This means that opportunities may have been missed to learn about why young people go missing, and to reduce associated risks.

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improvement to be good

Managers have not ensured that fire drills and fire tests have been carried out regularly. Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 4

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good

Following a period of management changes, a new manager is in post. She is already aware of the main areas for development. These include building the staff team morale and creating a stable management team.

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good

Managers have not ensured a suitably robust oversight of the home. They have not evaluated all incidents and complaints to ensure that these have been managed correctly. Reviews and updates to the home’s statement of purpose and location risk assessment have not taken place. Additionally, relevant organisations are not always notified of significant events.

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good

Managers ensure that children can make complaints about their care. These complaints are usually responded to quickly. However, additional conversations with staff are not recorded. This means that learning from complaints does not routinely take place.

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good

Staff team meetings have not been held regularly. This means that there have been missed opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice, share ideas, support each other, and receive guidance from managers.

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good

Staff have regular supervision. Managers are good at supporting staff and promoting their well-being. Staff undertake training to develop their skills and to meet the needs of the young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 5

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b)) This is regarding young people’s risk assessments not being accurate, no risk assessment for staff under investigation working at another home, and physical interventions not recorded. 4 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(h)) This is regarding managers’ oversight of care records that require improvement. 4 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 4 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 6 demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(g)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This is regarding staff supervision not evidencing discussions after complaints from young people.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child — is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii) and (e)) This is regarding Ofsted not being notified of all notifiable events. 4 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) This is regarding the statement of purpose not being accurate. 4 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 7

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislation (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional ‘impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide the opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph

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Recommendations

9.30)  The registered person is responsible for ensuring that each child’s day to day health and well-being needs are met. Staff should work to make the children’s home an environment that supports children’s physical, mental and emotional health, in line with the approach set out in the Statement of Purpose. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)

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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: SC464759 8

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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

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC464759 9 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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