Children's home run by Blue Mountain Homes Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2600978 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

This children’s home is privately owned. It provides care for up to four children who have social and emotional difficulties due to past trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

There were four children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2600978 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/08/2023 Full Good 27/07/2022 Full Good 20/04/2022 Full Inadequate 25/01/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 2600978 3

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improvement to be good

Shortfalls in how children have been helped and protected and, in the leadership and management of the home have impacted on children’s overall experiences. The manager has a plan for how he intends to address these shortfalls.

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improvement to be good

Three children have moved into the home, and four children have moved out since the last inspection. Children’s moves into and out of the home are well planned. Moves into the home include visits. As a result, children settle quickly.

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improvement to be good

Children have positive relationships with staff and say that they are happy and feel safe at the home. A social worker said that they have seen a transformation in their child due to the care they have received from staff at the home.

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improvement to be good

Children live in a home that is warm and welcoming. Staff put up photos of children enjoying activities, and high-quality soft furnishings contribute to a nurturing home environment. Children are supported to personalise their bedrooms and say that they have everything they need. As a result, children feel a sense of belonging and feel valued in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff prioritise education, and the manager advocates for children to ensure they have in place what they need. The manager shared resources with a child’s school to help promote their understanding of the child’s needs. Children benefit from education that is individualised to their needs.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported well to develop their independence skills. One child has participated in a comprehensive programme of work that focused on independence. As a result, the child is preparing to move on from the home, having developed skills that will help them to succeed.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to see people who are important to them. A child’s parent commented that staff keep them well informed about their child’s care. They said that the manager and staff have helped their family, and they said that staff are ‘great’. The parent said, ‘Anything we need, they’ve always been there.’

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always follow the home’s processes relating to medication. On one occasion, a child was administered a medication that had not been safely brought into the home. The medication was not prescribed to the child, and there were errors in how staff recorded the administration. Senior leaders completed a thorough investigation, and there have been changes to how medication is audited. However, staff had not noticed a Inspection report for children’s home: 2600978 4 discrepancy with medication packaging that was identified during the inspection. The manager has a plan to address this.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always take immediate action when children are at risk of harm. For example, when a child reported that they had walked away from the adults who were caring for them, there was a delay in staff going to collect them. Plans and risk assessments relating to children who go missing from care are not always updated after incidents. Plans do not always include clear guidance for staff on the steps they need to take to keep children safe. The manager took action to update plans during the inspection.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not always followed the home’s processes for reporting safeguarding concerns. When an incident occurred in the home, staff did not inform the manager. The manager did not find out about the incident until a child informed them a week later. There was a further delay in informing the social worker. Senior leaders completed a comprehensive investigation, and steps were taken to immediately safeguard children once the information was known.

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improvement to be good

Children are consulted with about their care, and their opinions are used to inform their plans. Involving children in their care planning helps to ensure that they feel valued and that strategies to support them are effective.

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improvement to be good

After incidents, staff have discussions with children to explore their experiences. Records relating to discussions are clear and show that staff use an empathetic approach. Discussions are restorative and help children to develop their understanding of how to regulate their emotions. Children developing good skills in emotional regulation has contributed to incidents reducing over time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is passionate about the quality of care that children receive and has a clear vision of the ethos and environment that he wants for children at the home. The manager was observed to have positive relationships with children and staff. The manager recognises the areas for development of the home and has a clear plan for how he intends to address the shortfalls identified at this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager completes evaluations after incidents. However, evaluations have not always identified when language in reports is unclear. There have been delays in the management team completing records relating to incidents, and the manager has not always identified learning when reviewing the records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Senior leaders provide additional oversight through auditing and monitoring of the home. They complete comprehensive investigations into incidents that involve staff practice concerns. Investigations into staff practice conclude with clear outcomes to promote development and reduce risk. However, the manager has not always ensured that actions are completed following investigations. For example, the manager did not ensure Inspection report for children’s home: 2600978 5 that all staff received competency assessments after an error with medication administration occurred.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager completes a regular review of the quality of care and shares the review with the regulator. The review sets clear actions for ongoing development of the staff and the home. The review does not reflect how children’s views have been considered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff benefit from a range of training, and training is individualised to children’s needs. The manager has good oversight of training and uses supervision to set targets for staff and monitor their progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff benefit from regular supervision that helps them to reflect and promote their development. Staff say that they feel well supported by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Four recommendations and one requirement from the last inspection have been met. One requirement has been raised as a recommendation as some development has taken place. Inspection report for children’s home: 2600978 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, The 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— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff understand and follow the home’s processes for reporting safeguarding concerns. 30 January 2025

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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

In particular, the registered person must ensure that reviews of incident records identify learning and that they also identify when language in records is unclear. 30 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2600978 7 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s plans and risk assessments, including those relating to children going missing from care, provide staff with clear guidance on the steps they need to take.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff recognise when children are at risk when away from home and respond quickly to reduce risk. 30 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that medication is brought into the home safely, that records relating to 30 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2600978 8 medication are clear and that staff follow the home’s processes and procedures for safe administration.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. The registered person should show how they have consulted with children when considering their experiences. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.12)

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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: 2600978 9

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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

Laura Norcop, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2600978 10 regulates and inspects 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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