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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 1 SC047978 Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately operated and provides care for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/06/2024 Full Good 06/06/2023 Full Good 25/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/06/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a welcoming and well-maintained home that provides them with space, comfort, and opportunities to express their individuality. The home is furnished to a good standard and includes personal touches, such as photos and children’s artwork, helping to create a sense of belonging. Children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms to reflect their tastes and personalities. For example, one child has chosen a bright pink colour scheme, and another has installed LED lighting, demonstrating their freedom to make the space their own.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a strong commitment to the children in their care, even when faced with challenges. One child, who has experienced social and emotional challenges, is being supported by a consistent and resilient staff team. The manager and staff have been strong advocates for this child, contributing to important assessments that have led to new diagnoses. This has enabled a better understanding of the child’s needs. The manager is working proactively with the local authority to identify a provision that can offer the specialist support the child requires.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Another child experienced a period of emotional difficulty, which led to an increase in incidents. Staff responded effectively by implementing clear and consistent boundaries, which helped the child feel safe and supported. As a result, the child is now settled and has not been involved in any incidents for over six months. They are attending school full time and enjoying positive peer relationships.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who are new to the home benefit from a nurturing and welcoming environment. One child expressed that they feel safe and happy, stating they would like to remain at the home until adulthood. This child, who had not previously attended school, is now engaging in full-time education, representing significant progress.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s voices are heard and respected. Regular house meetings take place with clear agendas, and staff respond meaningfully to children’s views and requests. This promotes a culture of participation and respect. Key-work sessions take place consistently and are generally of good quality. Some minor issues with language have been identified in some records, and the registered manager has a plan in place to strengthen the quality of these sessions further.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of care planning is excellent. Planning is child centred and reflects the individual needs and preferences of each child. Children’s time in the home is celebrated through a personalised ‘flying the nest’ document, which includes reflections on their journey, messages to incoming children, and memories of their time in the home. Children who have moved on continue to stay in touch with staff, reflecting the strength and depth of relationships developed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 4

p.3

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

Children are cared for in a safe environment where staff understand and respond effectively to risks. Since the last inspection, the quality and clarity of risk assessments have improved. These documents are reviewed regularly and generally reflect children’s current risks well, although a small number require minor updates. The increased level of detail helps staff to better identify, manage and mitigate potential harm.

p.4

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

Physical interventions are used appropriately and only when necessary. Records are comprehensive and clearly outline de-escalation strategies attempted before intervention. Each incident includes a debrief discussion with the child, allowing them to reflect and recover. Notably, one child, who previously experienced a period of instability, has shown significant progress, with a marked reduction in the need for intervention.

p.4

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

Children know how to raise concerns and feel confident in doing so. Complaints are managed effectively by the leadership team. Children receive timely and appropriate responses, which reinforces that their views are taken seriously.

p.4

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

Safeguarding incidents in the home are well managed. Reporting is timely and detailed and provides a clear overview of events. All incidents include debriefs with the child and involved staff, which supports their emotional understanding, promotes reflection, and helps reduce the likelihood of future occurrences.

p.4

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

A recent medication error was managed swiftly and effectively. The registered manager responded promptly, holding a team meeting to provide a clear refresher and retraining for all staff. This demonstrates a culture of learning in the home and a commitment to ongoing improvement in safeguarding practice.

p.4

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

Procedures to respond to missing-from-home incidents are well embedded. Staff understand each child’s potential vulnerabilities. Although missing-from-home incidents are infrequent, when they do occur, staff act quickly and appropriately. They carry out active searches, maintain communication with the child, and work collaboratively with external agencies to ensure a safe return.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is an experienced and committed leader who demonstrates a strong passion for improving outcomes for children. Since the last inspection, she has implemented positive changes in the home, contributing to improved standards of care. The manager is highly visible and accessible to staff and children, which supports the smooth day-to-day running of the home and fosters a culture of openness and trust.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager clearly understands the staff’s strengths and development needs. She has established structured plans to support staff development and upskilling, which contributes to a stable and motivated workforce. Inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 5 Staff speak highly of the support they receive from the manager and each other. Feedback from the team is overwhelmingly positive, with several staff describing the home as ‘feeling like a family’. Relationships between staff and children are warm, respectful, and built on mutual trust. The home's positive atmosphere reflects the clear commitment of the staff to the children they care for.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and staff maintain strong working relationships with external professionals, including local authorities. Communication is described by professionals as ‘timely’ and ‘effective’. The manager and staff are viewed as reliable and knowledgeable, with a clear focus on achieving the best outcomes for children. One social worker highlighted the collaborative approach of the team during a challenging period for a child, praising the team’s availability, responsiveness, and consistent communication.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions and attend team meetings where both support and professional challenge are provided. This ensures that good practice is maintained and that staff are emotionally supported in what can be a demanding role. The leadership team acknowledges and sensitively manages the emotional impact of the work.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight of the home is effective. The home has well-established monitoring systems that provide clear scrutiny of practice. When issues arise, they are addressed promptly, with reflective learning used to improve practice and drive continued development across the team.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Innovative and thoughtful initiatives are evident throughout the home. A ‘kindness calendar’ encourages children to engage in charitable and community-focused activities. Daily positive message books for children and staff promote emotional well-being and help create a nurturing and optimistic environment. Inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 6

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information about individual children in a non- stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

p.6

Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

p.6

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: SC047978 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 21 Mallard Way, Pride Park, Derby DE24 8GX

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Pradeep Manaktala

p.7

Inspector

Lauren Barwell, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC047978 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8