Children's home run by Blue Mountain Homes Ltd in Ealing

Inspection report for children’s home: SC414516 1 SC414516 Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care to three children and young people who have emotional, behavioural and/or social difficulties. The manager was registered with Ofsted for this home in June 2010. He is suitably qualified and experienced.

p.1

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.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 25 February 2020

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC414516 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/02/2020 Full Outstanding 23/01/2019 Full Outstanding 23/05/2017 Full Outstanding 05/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC414516 3

p.2

outstanding

The home demonstrates excellent practice. There are exceptional relationships between staff and children which are built on trust. This allows children to live and develop in a warm and caring environment.

p.3

outstanding

Children are happy and make exceptional progress in all areas of their lives. One child who had not been in school for two years has completed a construction course at college and has started a second course. Another child spoke of how his behaviour had changed while living at this home. He added that he felt much calmer and said that he feels good about this. Regarding another child, a social worker said, ‘He has only been there a few months, it is hard to explain the level of progress he has made.’

p.3

outstanding

Children’s views are at the centre of the running of the home. Regular one-to-one sessions and children’s meetings are held. Staff listen to and involve children in everyday life. One child said, ‘Staff involve me with everything, all of the time.’ Children said they like living at the home.

p.3

outstanding

There is a homely feel to the house. It is well maintained, clean and tidy, and the children have all been involved in choosing how their rooms look. Children have been involved with the development of the home and garden. Items children have made and photographs they have taken are displayed throughout the home. This allows children to view and talk about it as their home.

p.3

outstanding

Achievements are always celebrated. There are numerous projects that have been designed to make sure that children have fun while learning and developing life skills and social skills. These are creatively recorded to provide lasting memories for the children.

p.3

outstanding

The approach to learning at the home is exemplary. The teacher and staff work as one team to promote educational opportunities based on a child’s personal interests. This allows all life experiences to be a part of the child’s education. Staff promote a seamless learning environment, where everything the child does is a learning event.

p.3

outstanding

The home is part of the local community. Children have been involved in supporting several charities. This has included computer refurbishment, making face shields for schools and hospitals during the pandemic, and creating a photo calendar to sell and raise funds for a charity. Inspection report for children’s home: SC414516 4

p.3

outstanding

Staff know the children very well. The personal interests approach used is fully integrated into working practices. This informs the way that staff work with each child to help and protect them. One child said, ‘The staff keep me safe. They pick up signs of when I am not feeling so good and help me.’

p.4

outstanding

The home environment is very calm. The staff team is very stable, with many staff having worked at the home for years. Staff are confident and they know the children very well. Consequently, in this environment, staff are able to recognise behaviours early. This avoids any incidents escalating and physical intervention is not required. There has been no recent use of physical intervention to manage behaviour. Staff are skilled at managing low level behaviours effectively so that situations do not escalate.

p.4

outstanding

Children do not go missing and have not been exposed to risky situations. Children have a strong sense of feeling safe and they know that staff care for them. This has led to significant positive changes in behaviours.

p.4

outstanding

Assessments and plans clearly identify potential risks. Ways of recognising and avoiding risks are understood by the staff and inform the way they work with children. This enables each child to be helped to live in a way that keeps them safe.

p.4

outstanding

Communication with social workers is excellent. This helps with the overall care of the children and planning for their future. A social worker said, ‘Communication is fantastic and given in great detail.’

p.4

outstanding

Children are helped to lead a healthy lifestyle. Many activities are planned which involve exercise. The home is ideally located for easy access to outdoor pursuits. Children are encouraged to eat healthier food and health appointments are attended. One child would not go to health appointments before living in the home and now attends all of them.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager of the home is inspirational. His leadership style of constant mentoring and modelling has been fully embraced by the staff team. It allows staff to learn and develop themselves while enjoying working with the children. This has led to the extremely positive relationships between children and staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders ensure that staff have access to a range of training opportunities and effective supervision. Staff describe the managers as extremely supportive. Supervision is not just about the formal monthly meeting. The manager ensures that he is available and approachable whenever required.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers provide a continual learning environment. Staff feel they have had excellent opportunities to learn and develop. One member of staff said leaders and Inspection report for children’s home: SC414516 5 managers have, ‘Fully supported me in all aspects of training which have enabled me to develop and change the lives of the young people that reside here.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has high aspirations for all children and staff. He has an excellent working relationship with the teacher at the on-site school. Together, they have led the model of practice adopted by the home. Learning through a child’s personal interests is fully embedded in the daily work of the staff team. Staff understand this way of learning and share in the ambitions of the manager to improve the lives of all the children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Some of the staff have been at the home for many years. Succession planning is promoted as staff develop the skills and confidence to go on to other positions, including supervisory and management positions within the organisation. The manager leads by example and is ambitious for children and staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC414516 6

p.5

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 for children’s home: SC414516 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Ltd

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 17, Leeland Mansions, Leeland Road, London W13 9HE

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Pradeep Manaktala

p.7

Inspector

Shaun Caplis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC414516 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8