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

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC059998 1 SC059998

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Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Ltd

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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 is registered to provide care for up to four children with emotional and social difficulties. The home is led by a qualified and registered manager.

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Inspection date: 28 September 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 28 September 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

◼ the care of children ◼ the safety of children ◼ the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC059998 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

◼ Poor management oversight and shift organisation, to ensure that safe care is provided to children. ◼ Registered persons have failed to address clearly identifiable shortfalls relating to hygiene, smoking, risks to children and the capacity of staff to provide good and safe care. ◼ Registered persons have failed to put in place effective support, supervision and day-to-day oversight of staff’s care practice.

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The care of children

Children’s social, physical and emotional needs are not being met. Children’s bedrooms, including those of older children who are moving on to independent living, have been allowed to become dirty and unkempt. This neglects the children’s needs. Children are not adequately supported by staff to maintain a hygienic environment to sleep in or spend time in. This does not help children to feel valued or help them learn important life lessons in relation to keeping their living space clean and hygienic.

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The care of children

Children do not receive the agreed staffing levels required by placing local authorities to keep them safe and provide a good standard of care. Staff do not always know where children are. For example, one child could not find any staff and was left to seek support and guidance from visitors to the home. This is unacceptable.

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The care of children

Leaders and managers have not ensured that all children’s health needs are fully met. When children need help to keep their bedrooms in a sanitary condition, no effort is made by staff to help children keep their bedrooms clean and tidy. A statutory requirement was made at the last full inspection regarding children’s rooms being maintained in a hygienic manner, however, there has been no change. This requirement remains unmet.

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The care of children

Some staff told inspectors that children have received negative messages from other staff who work at the home. This means that opportunities are missed for children to develop trusted and secure relationships with staff and there is conflict between staff.

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The care of children

Leaders and managers have not ensured that effective matching of children takes place. This has led to significant impact on more vulnerable children. Professionals spoken to stated that children have felt the need to intervene with peers during incidents of challenging behaviours. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC059998 3

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The safety of children

Leaders and managers have failed to monitor all aspects of health and safety. Children smoke in their bedrooms. There are burn marks on children’s mattresses. Visitors to the home have been unsupervised, and they could not find any of the staff. This means children have been left at risk of harm.

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The safety of children

Children have gone missing from care. When they go missing, staff follow procedures to locate them quickly. Staff share information appropriately with safeguarding agencies. However, staff do not provide a warm and caring response to children on their return to the home.

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The safety of children

Children have been restrained by staff using measures not taught in their training. Leaders and managers ensure that investigations have taken place following such incidents. However, there is a significant lack of a caring response to children. They are not given the opportunity to speak about the emotional and physical impact of being restrained.

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The safety of children

There have been several incidents that have led to investigations into the staff’s care practices. Leaders and managers have followed safeguarding procedures. They have shared information appropriately with safeguarding agencies, such as the local authority designated officer and relevant social workers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have not used internal monitoring systems effectively to improve the progress and experiences of children. There has been no identifiable progress since the last inspection. Requirements set at the last inspection have not been met. Leaders and managers told inspectors they are aware of the concerns. However, despite this awareness, insufficient action has been taken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff do not feel supported by the manager. Staff stated that they do not receive regular supervision. They have not had formal professional supervision with a manager for a significant period. Some staff are worried about other staff leaving the home, and the impact on children. Staff feel they cannot raise their concerns with a manager. They do not feel listened to and this is having a detrimental impact on morale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Several staff have left the home. Staff have been brought in from other homes in the organisation, together with bank and agency staff. This has led to low staff morale. It also means children struggle to build and maintain trusted and secure relationships with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers have ensured that staff have access to several training courses. Staff have undertaken training in safeguarding children and restraint. Managers maintain a clear record of training. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC059998 4 None of the requirements set at the last inspection have been met. At this inspection, these have been restated, together with further requirements and one recommendation. Ofsted has also issued a restriction of accommodation notice, to ensure that no further children are admitted, given the current concerns for this home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/11/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC059998 5

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ix)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to staff giving negative messages to children that do not promote their well-being. 17 November

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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)) 17 November Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC059998 6 This is made in relation to the manager needing to ensure that risks associated with children smoking in their bedrooms are reduced.

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Requirement Due date

Also, in relation to unaccompanied adults entering the home without supervision.

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Requirement Due date

Also, in relation to children not being supervised in the home according to their risk assessment.

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Requirement Due date

Also, in relation to a pattern of allegations of poor practice against staff.

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Requirement Due date

*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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to staff not having regular or effective supervision with a manager for a significant amount of time.

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Requirement Due date

Also, in relation to children’s bedrooms, which were found to be in a neglected state. Monitoring of the quality of care provided in the home is not effective. 17 November

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

◼ The registered person should ensure that prescribed medicines are only administered to the individual for whom they are prescribed. Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. Regulation 23 requires the registered person to ensure that Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC059998 7 they make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15) Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC059998 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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Inspectors

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Louise Copping, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC059998 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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