Children's home run by Blue Mountain Homes Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 2600978 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 children’s home is privately owned. It provides care for up to four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties as a result of past trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a qualified and registered manager who has been in post since April 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2600978 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2600978 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home. The matching of one child was inadequate. The manager did not ensure that he received the relevant information from the social worker. The child’s behaviour had an adverse impact on the other children. Incidents that occurred because of this poor matching could have resulted in serious consequences, as staff did not have the skills to manage the needs of the child. This child has now left the home and managers have learned from this placement and redesigned their matching process. Matching risk assessments now reflect the needs of children moving into the home. They also consider the needs of children and the home environment. Consequently, one child’s transition into the home was positive and they have settled in well.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments do not explain why there are alarms on children’s bedroom doors, and do not set out the process for reviewing this measure. Children are not supported to understand why this measure is used by the home to ensure that they are safe. In addition, children are not consistently supported to participate in assessments and decision-making that affect them on a daily basis.

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improvement to be good

Children are accessing specialist help when it is appropriate for them to do so. For example, staff have made referrals to substance misuse services for children, and these have been revisited when further concerns have arisen. Another child was referred to mental health services when they were experiencing low moods. Staff followed up with health services to ensure that one child could access services in the local area. This demonstrates that children are getting the right support at the right time, ensuring that their welfare is continuously improved.

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improvement to be good

Children feel listened to and they have developed trusting relationships with staff. For example, a professional commented that a child had made significant progress because of their positive relationships with staff and the way in which the home invests in their care. Children have shared that they are able to manage their emotions better because they feel listened to. This shows that children feel valued and well cared for.

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improvement to be good

Children are engaging in their learning and are making good progress. For example, one child who had not engaged in education for two years is now invested in their learning and is looking at their future options. This demonstrates that staff are promoting children’s education and, as a result, children are aspirational about their futures.

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improvement to be good

Children are able to develop their independence skills. For example, staff are supporting one child to develop his budgeting skills and shopping skills. Consequently, children are developing the skills they will need in order to complete day-to-day tasks when they leave the home. Inspection report children’s home: 2600978 4

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improvement to be good

Staff have not always consistently monitored and supervised the children. For example, one child who was supervised by two staff members managed to leave the home and get into an unknown car. This child was assessed as being at high risk of child criminal exploitation. Another child who was subject to a deprivation of liberty order has managed to go missing from the home, and has subsequently committed criminal offences when missing. Since these incidents, staff have reflected on their practice and learned from these incidents. As a result, they have put measures in place to reduce harm to children, and serious incidents have reduced in number.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not consistently record how risks are managed when children misuse substances. For example, inspectors found that two children’s bedrooms smelled of cannabis and tobacco. Staff complete room searches when they have concerns, but the recording of these searches is poor and it is not clear if and when these took place. As a result of these shortfalls, children are exposed to unpleasant smells in their home.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not keep accurate records of risk assessments. For example, one child’s risk assessment stated that they had been banned from using a technology application due to being verbally abusive, but this related to another child. Risk assessments also advised of significant incidents, but staff were not able to comment on when the incidents took place. Inaccuracy and poor recording result in children’s risk assessments not being reviewed effectively.

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improvement to be good

Physical restraint incidents are not always appropriately recorded. Staff do not record the duration of the restraint. The debriefs with the children are not about the measure that has been used. This is a missed opportunity to understand the effectiveness of the intervention, to ensure that children are safe and to consider how to prevent any further restraints from occurring.

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improvement to be good

There are inconsistences in the way that staff promote positive behaviour. For example, the registered manager suggested that staff should buy a child a takeaway to prevent an incident from occurring. This could result in children being rewarded for inappropriate behaviour.

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improvement to be good

Staff have some understanding of the risks to children who are vulnerable to child sexual exploitation and child criminal exploitation. Risks to one child have reduced from high risk to medium risk, and missing-from-home episodes have also reduced. Staff complete regular key-work sessions with children to develop their understanding of how to keep safe. As a result, children are increasingly able to identify risky situations and take action to protect themselves. Inspection report children’s home: 2600978 5

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good

The home is managed by a suitably experienced and qualified registered manager. The manager is well regarded by the children, who have said that he is a positive influence in their lives. The deputy manager steps up in the manager’s absence and continues to offer support to the staff and the children. As a result, children experience consistency in their care.

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good

The manager has some monitoring systems in place which show patterns, trends and the progress of children. The manager is aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development. However, the information is not always used in a way which could improve the quality of care for children.

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good

The manager does not always respond to complaints appropriately. Some complaints are not recorded in the complaints log. In another example, the manager did not address all the concerns that had been raised by the complainant. As a result of these shortfalls in practice, issues that have a negative impact on the experiences of children are not fully investigated.

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good

Staff supervision takes place regularly. However, the quality of the supervision is not consistent; it lacks reflection and has limited focus on the progress of the home and the children. The staff’s views on how the home can be improved and their training needs are not consistently recorded. As a result of these shortfalls, staff do not have an opportunity to have reflective discussions about the children in the home and how they can continuously improve their practice.

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good

The manager does not ensure that the statement of purpose and the independent person’s report are sent to the regulator in a timely manner. Also, the regulator has not received the manager’s report on the progress of the home. As a result, the regulator is not able to review the progress that the children are making and the actions the home is taking to support this progress.

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good

Staff gave very positive feedback to inspectors about working at the home. They know the children very well and they were able to identify the children’s likes and dislikes. One member of staff was able to share an example of how they have escalated concerns to improve the outcomes for children. The children feel valued by staff because of the individualised care and support they receive.

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good

The manager is aspirational for all children. For example, parents and professionals have commented positively on how the children have been supported to make positive progress. Children’s achievements are celebrated in the home and they are inspired to continue to do better. The manager and staff have been described as good role models by a family member. As a result, children are achieving positive outcomes as a result of living in this home. Inspection report children’s home: 2600978 6

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff understanding and implementing each child’s risk assessment, their monitoring and supervision of children and their role in keeping children safe. In addition, ensure that the use of door alarms is reviewed for each child and the premises are maintained to protect children. 25 November Inspection report children’s home: 2600978 7 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

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

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that they have monitoring and reviewing systems in place which identify shortfalls effectively. In addition, the manager must take action to improve the quality of care children receive. 25 November

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that they fully consider the needs of children prior to them moving into the home. In addition, the manager must fully consider the needs of children already living at the home and any other factors such as recent incidents. 25 November

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; 25 November Inspection report children’s home: 2600978 8 details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a) (3)(a)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that staff understand the system for rewarding and celebrating positive behaviour, and that negative behaviour is managed appropriately. This also specifically relates to the manager ensuring that physical restraints are recorded accurately.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must respond to complaints appropriately. 25 November

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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; (Regulation 44 (7)(a)) 25 November

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the statement of purpose is kept under review in line with regulation 13 (3)(a)(b). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)  The registered person should ensure that they undertake a review that focuses on the quality of care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for children, in line with regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.3)  The registered person should ensure that staff have skills to be able to identify that children are at risk and how to manage this within the home, in particular when it relates to children misusing substances, in line with regulation 12 (1) (2) (i) (ii) (iii). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality

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Recommendations

standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10)  The registered person should ensure that staff supervision is of good quality and is practice related in line regulation 33 (4) (b). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) Inspection report children’s home: 2600978 9

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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: 2600978 10

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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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Inspectors

Mazviita Makiyi, Social Care Inspector Sarah Berry, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2600978 11 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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