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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 1 SC047978

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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

The home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to five children with emotional and social difficulties. There were four children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager. The home is being led by two acting managers.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 25 October 2022

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: n/a

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector 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: SC047978 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Leaders and managers have ensured that the hazards identified at the last full inspection have been removed. The garden is now safer for children. There are other improvements in progress. For example, one child’s bathroom and a communal room are being renovated and improved. This will create space for children to do homework or have private time with family or professionals.

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The care of children

Children have positive relationships with staff and each other. The children likened the staff to having family and said how much they appreciated the support of staff. One child said that she had made lots of progress and ‘could now see a future’. Another child said that she has built relationships with staff, which are helping her to talk to them more.

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The care of children

Managers and staff ensure that children have a range of activities that they can enjoy. For example, children take part in arts and crafts and their work is celebrated and displayed. This gives children a sense of achievement and pride.

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The care of children

Children are aware of their rights and know how to raise complaints. The manager takes complaints seriously, providing the children with well-considered responses. Children are satisfied with the responses and are made aware that they can escalate their complaints if they are not satisfied. One child was unhappy with unfamiliar staff working at the home during the night. The manager has now employed permanent night staff, which has helped children to feel more settled.

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The safety of children

The manager and staff understand the risks posed to individual children. They take steps to protect children from coming to harm. Managers have started to analyse incidents to identify patterns and trends. Overall, incidents are reducing in frequency and severity. However, staff are not yet sufficiently skilled to de-escalate some behaviours displayed by children. During the inspection, an incident occurred with a child who became distressed. Staff did not implement the child’s behaviour support plan to de-escalate the situation. Training is being provided for staff to increase their understanding of trauma and increase their skills in therapeutic parenting. This is intended to provide children with consistent, trauma-informed responses when they are at their most vulnerable.

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The safety of children

One child has moved in to the home since the last full inspection. She has settled well. The manager completed a risk assessment prior to her moving in. While this took account of risks posed to and from the child, there was limited management Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 3 evaluation regarding how risks would be mitigated. The manager is addressing this as a priority.

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The safety of children

The manager and staff respond quickly when children go missing from care. They work hard with the involved professional agencies to ensure that children return home safely. The manager has built good relationships with the police to improve joint working. Managers recognise that there are some measures that could be in place to assist the initial responses when a child goes missing. For example, increased outside lighting would help to ensure that staff keep sight of children for as long as possible when missing at night.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There is currently no registered manager. An acting manager is in post but does not yet have the required experience to register with Ofsted. She is being supported by an experienced manager, who is in the process of becoming registered. This arrangement will ensure that there is sufficient management oversight, particularly at a time when they are embedding new practices in the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Since the last inspection, managers have started to implement new practices regarding the management and recording of incidents. Reflection on and evaluation of incidents have increased to help to improve practice in this area. This work is ongoing. Managers have also implemented safety intervention and incident reviews to analyse patterns and triggers to help children manage their emotions and behaviours in more healthy ways. Leaders and managers have plans to review the effectiveness of their new initiatives at regular management meetings. The quality assurance manager has oversight of the review processes and will closely monitor the progress in the home. The statutory requirement under regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, remains in place while these new practices are being embedded and their effectiveness reviewed. A new requirement regarding regulation 11 has been set in relation to ensuring that staff meet children’s needs by following their care plans

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

and increasing their understanding of children’s behaviours. These requirements will be reviewed at the next full inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/06/2021 Full Good 07/01/2020 Full Good 04/07/2018 Full Outstanding Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

This is to ensure that managers undertake learning reviews following serious incidents and/or unplanned endings for children leaving the home.

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that managers review the effectiveness of new ways of working that are currently being embedded into the care practices in the home. 31 March 2023

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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

that staff— 30 January 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 6 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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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. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to managers ensuring that all staff are following children’s behaviour support plans and using the models of care stipulated in said plans. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 7

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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

Laura Walker, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 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.

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Inspector

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