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

Inspection report for children's home: 2690357 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

The home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to three children with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced and registered manager.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2690357 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children's home: 2690357 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by staff who understand their complex care needs well. Staff have developed very good relationships with children that are based on trust and respect. These relationships were developed quickly and helped children to settle. This helped them to make good progress in all areas of their development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

For those children not attending school, managers ensure that there is effective communication with the relevant external agencies. When there are concerns that children may be out of school for extended periods, there is appropriate challenge to education providers. Some staff in the home have education backgrounds and experience. Managers use this experience to support children with their alternative education at home, pending a school place being found.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are trained to safely administer and record medication given to children. This means there is less likelihood of any mistakes or errors, and healthy outcomes are promoted. However, records are not always clear if immediate health advice has been sought following injuries or accidents to children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place the well-being of children at the centre of their care practice. This is irrespective of the challenges that children may present. Involved agencies have acknowledged that, recently, there have been some challenges with children’s behaviour. These agencies report that staff have been resilient and managed these challenges well. Staff have tried to maintain consistent and appropriate boundaries in caring for children who have complex care needs and who present behaviours that may challenge.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move to the home, they are provided with information about who to talk to if they have any concerns or complaints. They are provided with information in an accessible format. Children have not complained about their care or living in this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home has recently been through a full refurbishment. Children have access to a good amount of space, both inside and in the garden. Further work to improve the home is required, especially in communal areas. However, this does not detract from what is a very good standard of accommodation. The local area has several activities within walking distance that children get to enjoy.

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

A small team of staff provide very good child-focused care to the children. The staff are motivated to understand children’s behaviour so that they can help children who struggle with managing overwhelming feelings and emotions. Staff are reflective Inspection report for children's home: 2690357 4 about their care practice. This is because they remain focused on improving the help and care they provide to children.

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

If children go missing from care, staff respond robustly. Staff ensure that information about the child is shared with safeguarding agencies. The home takes appropriate steps to search for the child. Due to the location of the home, specific safeguarding protocols are in place to guide staff. For example, staff have access to water safety aids in the event of children accessing the local waterway. Managers and staff understand the risks to children of going missing from care. They are rigorous in their efforts to prevent this happening.

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

Children have been physically restrained by staff. Staff use de-escalation techniques and try alternative strategies before resorting to holding children. Children are offered medical care following any incidents of restraint. Additionally, children’s views are obtained about the intervention. Managers have an overview of all incidents, and they evaluate the necessity for the physical intervention and if any lessons can be learned.

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

Staff try to manage behaviour by using restorative approaches so children can make amends for any poor behaviour. This approach has met with varying degrees of success. Some children use discriminatory language. This is challenged by staff, and children are helped to understand what constitutes acceptable language and behaviour.

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

The managers make sure that only staff that have gone through a robust safer recruitment process get to work with vulnerable children. This minimises the likelihood of unsuitable people being recruited and the potential harm to children.

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

Managers and staff have not consistently followed procedures for responding to concerns about the safety of children. For example, on one occasion, managers did not immediately share concerns that were detailed in an incident report. This led to a delay.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home and manager registered in June 2022. The manager brings experience from other, similar settings. The manager is well supported by a deputy manager. Together, they lead a small staff team. Although this home has only been open for a short time, the team brings a broad range of experience and is working collaboratively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers encourage staff to be reflective practitioners. Managers provide staff with the structured opportunities they need to reflect on their work with children. This has been particularly beneficial, given that staff have been challenged by some behaviours from children. The staff have persevered and remained focused on providing children with good care. Inspection report for children's home: 2690357 5 Staff report that training is good and it prepares them to work with the children. Managers have ensured that staff have access to a wide range of training and development opportunities. This means that staff are enabled to gain the skills and confidence they need to help children who have complex needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When children are not settling into the home, managers have taken steps to review if they can continue to provide safe and effective care. They understand when children have not been making progress towards their plans and goals. Working with external agencies, managers have identified a more suitable home. Managers and staff support children well with the transition to other homes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure that staff receive regular and effective supervision. Supervision focuses on the individual care needs of children. Managers appropriately challenge staff, if required. They ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to provide the children with good care. Additionally, managers ensure that staff well-being is promoted and difficulties are recognised and managed. Staff development is actively encouraged because leaders understand the importance of this to children. Inspection report for children's home: 2690357 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that any safeguarding concerns are shared with responsible external agencies. 3 October 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that each child’s day-to-day health and well- being needs are met. Staff should work to make the children’s home an environment that supports children’s physical, mental and emotional health, in line with the approach set out in the statement of purpose. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)  The registered person should ensure that the children’s home provides a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children. They will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislation (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

Inspection report for children's home: 2690357 7

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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: 2690357 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, 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: 2690357 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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