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

Inspection report children’s home: 1244161 1 Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and registered to provide care for one child with complex social, emotional and behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in September 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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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 good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1244161 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/04/2019 Full Good 09/05/2018 Full Good 08/08/2017 Full Good 07/03/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1244161 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in education. Attendance has improved recently. School staff report that children have ‘come on in leaps and bounds’. For example, the child currently living in the home will have the responsibility of being the head boy during the next school term. This will increase his self-esteem and confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s interests and hobbies are well catered for by staff. Children have a keen interest in cycling and have their own bicycles. Staff encourage children to develop their interests, talents and skills. The child currently living in the home has an interest in engineering. He is considering further education or training in this area, with the encouragement of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are involved in planning for their future. They attend review meetings, together with involved stakeholders. Managers and staff are keen to ensure that their views are being heard and that adjustments to plans are made when necessary. Children have access to an independent advocate if required.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know children very well and have developed strong bonds. These bonds mean that children are more likely to speak about any worries or concerns that they may have. Staff show genuine care for children and want the children to progress in all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between children and their families are encouraged and supported by the manager and staff. This is a strength at this children’s home as it means that children get to maintain important relationships with key people in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The physical environment is homely and comfortable. There is space outside for relaxing. The staff use children’s skills in the design and further development of the outside area. This means that children have a meaningful part to play in the furnishing and development of their home.

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

The manager ensures that risk assessments, care plans and behaviour support plans in relation to the child are regularly reviewed. The child’s risks and vulnerabilities are accurately reflected in relevant assessments and plans. Staff have clear guidance about what actions they should take to keep children safe when they are worried or concerned.

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

The manager and staff work effectively with partner agencies. This is especially in relation to the risks and vulnerabilities of children. There is a consistent and well- coordinated approach between agencies, which leads to effective safeguarding practice. Inspection report children’s home: 1244161 4 Staff receive training in how to manage children’s behaviour and this includes effective and safe physical intervention. Staff have not had to resort to physical intervention for the child currently living in the home. Instead, they use effective de- escalation techniques. This success is largely because of the strong and trusting relationships between the child and staff.

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

There have been occasions when the child has gone missing. When this has occurred, staff follow risk assessments and make efforts to locate the child safely. Staff liaise with relevant agencies, including the police, to ensure that the child is found and kept safe. However, independent return home interviews do not take place. This means that opportunities have been missed to understand the underlying reasons for children going missing.

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

New staff are only recruited to the home following the completion of stringent pre- employment vetting. This means that the manager can assure herself that children are being cared for only by staff with genuine intentions towards vulnerable children. However, when agency staff are used, checks by managers are not always robust.

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

Medication administration processes are safe. Staff receive the necessary training and there have been no errors. However, the recording of medication administration is confusing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since September 2019 and has a wide range of experience and skills. The manager leads an established and committed staff team. A new deputy manager is due to start work within the next month. This additional management capacity will bolster the overall leadership of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to a wide variety of training and development opportunities available to them. This means that staff have up-to-date knowledge and the right skills to provide good-quality, safe care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular professional supervision. Staff said that they feel well supported and that they enjoy working at the home. However, discussions in supervision about young people’s complex care needs are not always sufficiently detailed and so could be improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager makes certain that the right agencies are supporting the child and partnership working remains effective. If the manager and staff have any concerns for the child, then regular multi-agency meetings are held. This means that there is no delay in decision-making about the safety or welfare of the child. Inspection report children’s home: 1244161 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.

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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 to protect each child effectively from harm.

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the need for an independent missing-from- care return interview for each episode of children going missing. 6 August 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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that they have all the employment details for agency care workers. 6 August 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 1244161 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  Regulation 23 requires the registered person to ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. These are fundamentally the same arrangements as a good parent would make but are subject to additional safeguards. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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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: 1244161 7

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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: 1244161 8 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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