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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264438 1

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Blue Mountain Homes Ltd

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered in August 2020. However, they are not currently in day-to-day charge of this provision.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 6 and 7 September 2021. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the progress made by the provider to meet the three compliance notices linked to regulations 12, 13 and 32.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager was not available as he left shortly after the full inspection. Therefore, discussions took place with the deputy manager, area manager, responsible individual and the staff to explore the changes that have been implemented. The inspector made observations of the children with the staff and completed a tour of the house. A review of the updated documents, new monitoring systems and staff recruitment files also took place.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s risk assessments have been reviewed by the provider. These now include strategies for staff to follow to lessen the risks to children. These risk assessments are working documents and are amended by staff on a monthly basis or following a significant incident. Further changes are made by the child’s key worker as well as senior staff, who are responsible for auditing these documents. The new process for updating and amending children’s risk assessments is not yet embedded. The staff team needs to continue to demonstrate that it is following the strategies to help keep children safe, and that the documents are kept up to date and current. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264438 2 The area manager has been integral in developing the home’s action plan, and in implementing the steps identified in the compliance notices. He has introduced new monitoring and recording systems, which, if completed comprehensively, will help

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This monitoring visit

provide good management oversight. This includes handover tools, daily monitoring checklists, a new supervision and team meeting format, and audit tools to ensure that tasks are completed by the staff and manager. The provider’s electronic recording system is now being correctly used to help audit the work completed by staff, as well as highlighting the progress made by the children against their agreed targets.

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This monitoring visit

Recruitment practice has improved. The senior staff member responsible for recruitment of staff has completed safer recruitment training. Staff files demonstrate that all the relevant checks have been carried out. This helps to make sure that children are cared for by safe adults.

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This monitoring visit

The home has been redecorated and repairs completed. The premises present as homely and comfortable and the children’s bedrooms are now personalised and reflect their individual tastes. New daily routines are in place for the staff to make sure that the children’s bedrooms stay clean, tidy and are free from hazards. A new and detailed daily handover sheet helps ensure that staff complete health and safety checks around the whole house.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has taken sufficient steps to meet the three compliance notices issued following the full inspection in September 2021. However, these changes are all very recent and have not yet been embedded in staff practice. The home is also without a registered manager and the recruitment of a new manager has just commenced. The inspector did not focus on the requirements raised during the full inspection, and therefore these are carried forward. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264438 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/09/2021 Full Inadequate 10/12/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/10/2019 Full Inadequate 07/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264438 4

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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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)) 7 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 7 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and 7 November 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264438 5 have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that placements are suitably matched.

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 7 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire;

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Requirement Due date

make arrangements for persons working at the home to receive suitable training in fire prevention. 7 November 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264438 6 (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(b)(c) The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

These conditions should also apply to the registered manager. 7 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

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)(e)) 7 November 2021

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264438 7

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264438 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

Tina Ruffles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1264438 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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