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

Inspection report children's home: SC436469 1 SC436469 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

This home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties. Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2022 and is suitably experienced.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC436469 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2023 Full Good 15/02/2022 Full Good 26/02/2020 Full Outstanding 18/07/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report children's home: SC436469 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s overall experiences and progress are good. Staff develop strong relationships with children and understand their needs well. An education professional said how working together with staff to strengthen the home-to-school links has been helpful.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers give careful consideration when children move into the home. This includes how the staff team can meet their needs alongside assessing the impact on children already living at the home. Staff support children well when there are unplanned moves out of the home. One child moved out earlier than planned, however staff provided outreach support and communicated well with the child’s new carer. This included regular communication and visits to ensure the child’s welfare. Staff complete a child-friendly letter about the child’s journey while in their care. This is shared with the child along with a hamper containing favourite snacks, toiletries, and a voucher. Children feel valued and cared for by the manager and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with their education. Children have struggled to attend school. The manager has advocated for children where there have been challenges. For example, she has explored a variety of options available to one child and liaised with the social worker and education professionals. A social worker said how the manager has been very much part of discussions and has advocated for the child within the meetings at school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming and provides a comfortable environment for children. Children are relaxed around the staff, strengthening the homely feel. Children’s bedrooms are personalised to reflect their interests and tastes. However, one child’s bathroom requires some maintenance to ensure the homely feel is consistent for all children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with their families and those important to them. This helps children maintain important family relationships and promotes their identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most home records are detailed however, do not always use child-friendly language. This impacts on how children understand their experiences and history if they read their records.

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

Risk assessments and behaviour support plans are detailed. The manager and staff carry out regular reviews of these documents. The plans help staff to understand how best to support children’s specific behaviours and risks. Staff work with Inspection report children's home: SC436469 4 additional services identified to support children’s emotional well-being. This ensures children access services required to help and protect them.

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

There have been no complaints, allegations or occasions where children have gone missing from home. There is a clear plan in place to ensure staff take appropriate action if a child goes missing.

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

Staff understand that physical intervention should only be used as a last resort. Staff support children following interventions and encourage them to manage their feelings safely. Physical intervention is used rarely. When it is, it is proportionate, effective and helps keep children safe.

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

Medication is stored safely. However, staff have not ensured children have good levels of medication maintained. For example, one child is prescribed a medication to use when required. The repeat prescription was not ordered in time to ensure the child had access to this if they needed to.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff are enthusiastic about providing the best care to children and supporting positive progress. The manager and staff know the children well. They spend time with the children and talk proudly about their progress and achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is verbally reflective of her own and the team’s practice and how she can support the development of the team and continue to improve the care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a range of training. This is regular and varied, taking into consideration children’s specific needs. One child moved in very recently. Within one week, training was scheduled with the team considering the additional needs of the child. The manager supports new starters to develop an understanding of the role and how best to support the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professional supervision and team meetings are held frequently. Staff feel supported by the manager and deputy manager. One member of staff said, ‘Team meetings help us work together and have the same child-centred approach for all the children.’ However, the manager does not encourage staff to reflect on their practice and progress made by children. Some supervision records reflect the same discussions on each occasion. There are missed opportunities to learn from practice and to improve the care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality-of-care review completed by the manager does not evaluate or reflect on the previous six months. There is no reference to feedback from children, parents, carers, staff and professionals about the care provided. Actions are not set as a result of the review and how the home is going to develop its practice. Inspection report children's home: SC436469 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating:

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children's home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)(b)(c)) 25 April 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure the location risk assessment includes consultation with other professionals and that the crime data used is current and up to date. ('Guide to Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure they make suitable arrangements to manage medication and that good levels of medication remain available to children in the home. ('Guide to Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children's bedrooms are well maintained and in keeping with a family home. ('Guide to Children's Home Regulations, including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that language used is children's records are consistently child friendly. Staff should ensure the homes records are detailed and help children understand their experiences and history. ('Guide to Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.5) Inspection report children's home: SC436469 6  The registered person should ensure that staff receive support to reflect on their practice and needs of the children. This will encourage continued professional development and improved care to children. ('Guide to Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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 children's home: SC436469 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: Unit 20-21, Pullman Business Court, Mallard Way, Pride Park, Derby DE24 8GX

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Pradeep Manaktala

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Inspector

Kathryn Hurley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC436469 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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