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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC464759 1 SC464759 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

A private company owns this home. Care is provided for up to four children and young people who may have emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since April 2022.

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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: sustained effectiveness

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good

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

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/06/2019 Full Good 12/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC464759 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress at this home. Children have improved educational outcomes and their attendance at school and at college increases. Stakeholders say that children are provided with much-needed stability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children are not in school, the manager ensures that progress is made in line with previous educational plans. For example, one child attends equine-based education. This meets their emotional and social needs, and it is helping to prepare them for a more formal educational environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children tell inspectors that they enjoy living at this home and they give it a ‘ten out of ten’. Staff provide care based on mutual trust and respect. Children are consistently and gently encouraged to be the best they can be. When children leave this home, managers continue to advocate for them. One young person was provided with a more suitable living environment. This was directly due to an intervention by the manager.

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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 the staff. Staff know the importance of maintaining this relationship, where safe and appropriate to do so.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a large and modern house. There is ample space both inside and outside. This house benefits from a games room and large garden area. However, when damage occurs and repairs are needed, there is sometimes a delay. A timelier programme of repair is needed to ensure that children continue to live in a homely environment.

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

The manager ensures that risk assessments in relation to the children are regularly reviewed. This means that the children’s risks, and vulnerabilities, are accurately reflected in their relevant assessments.

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

The manager and staff work with stakeholders effectively. Stakeholders say that communication between them is good. When information about children needs to be shared, this is well coordinated. Police say that the staff work hard and they do their best for the children in their care.

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

Staff receive training on how to manage children’s behaviours. This includes methods of safe physical intervention. However, due to the staff team’s strong bonds with the children, and their confidence in the use of de-escalation techniques, physical interventions are rarely needed. In the event of a physical intervention, managers provide good oversight. They speak with both the child and staff member involved and provide opportunities to repair relationships. Inspection report for children’s home: SC464759 4 The oversight of incidents by leaders and managers is effective. They ensure that staff have the opportunity to reflect on their own practice, formally through supervision, and within structured team meetings. They ensure that children have time to reflect on their behaviours. After incidents, children are encouraged to undertake learning, related to the incident, with the intention of reducing risk and

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

Children have gone missing from this home. When this occurs, managers and staff follow risk assessments. They actively look for children and encourage them to return. Managers and staff work effectively with safeguarding agencies, including the police. This coordinated response means that children are more likely to be located quicky. However, independent return interviews do not always take place in a timely manner. This means that opportunities may be missed to understand the reasons for children going missing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since April 2022. They have brought a more organised approach to the management of this home. This has created a calmer and more reflective environment. Staff have responded well to this approach. Staff have increased confidence in their managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Stakeholders say that there has been a general positive shift in how this home is managed. They have noted improvements. This home has received several compliments from stakeholders, as well as from children and young people who have now left.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive effective support and guidance through several methods. They now have regular supervision and team meetings. These are both supportive and challenging. Staff have regular opportunities to reflect on their practice with a manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure that staff have access to a wide variety of training and development opportunities. This means that staff have regular updates to their knowledge and skills. More informally, the manager uses team meetings to provide opportunities for staff to develop as a team, and upskill themselves in areas of their work with the children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC464759 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides the opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. The home should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. This relates to delays in local authorities providing an independent return home interview. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of their children. Homes will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. The home should be repaired quickly after damage. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’,

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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 for children’s home: SC464759 6

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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, West Ealing, 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 for children’s home: SC464759 7 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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