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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC475335 1 SC475335 Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children who may require support with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager has been appointed but has not yet started their employment. The home has been without a registered manager since March 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home.

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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: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC475335 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/06/2024 Full Outstanding 06/09/2023 Full Good 24/01/2023 Full Good 24/01/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC475335 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a warm and comfortable home. Photos of the children are proudly displayed throughout the house, and their bedrooms are personalised to reflect their individual personalities and preferences. These touches contribute to a homely atmosphere where children feel valued and respected. The addition of a much-loved pet cat further enhances the nurturing environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are accessing education settings that are most suited to their individual needs and are making good progress. One child moved into the home without an existing education provision. Staff responded promptly by creating a structured timetable that incorporated educational experiences and opportunities for the child to explore new interests. This proactive approach supported the child’s transition, and they have recently started at a new local school where they are settling in well and making new friendships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop their independence skills as appropriate to their age and stage of development. Incentive charts and rewards support this and help children to take responsibility for their own decision-making. For example, one child who is nearing adulthood has made the decision to explore employment rather than continue with formal education. Staff have supported the child to make informed choices and be proactive in her decision-making, while also being realistic about the challenges of finding suitable employment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported and well prepared when the time comes for them to move out of the home. One child has successfully moved to semi-independent living. This process was underpinned by strong planning, consistent care and nurturing support from the staff team. This positive experience has enabled the child to maintain meaningful relationships with staff, which in turn has helped other children in the home to feel positive about the next stage of their lives as they approach independence.

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

Children have developed positive and trusting relationships with staff. This enables children to have important and open conversations with staff about sensitive matters. This is effective in reducing incidents and supporting children to manage their behaviour. This nurturing and caring approach helps create a calm and safe environment where children feel secure and understood.

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

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the children’s individual risks, and this is evidenced in detailed risk assessments and care plans. Staff demonstrate a strong understanding of individual vulnerabilities, particularly where children have additional learning needs. One child, for example, is thriving in the home due to staff Inspection report for children’s home: SC475335 4 maintaining a careful balance between promoting independence and prioritising safety.

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

Incidents of children being away from the home without permission have reduced. Staff have worked proactively with children to understand their wishes around who they want to spend time with. The implementation of safety plans now ensures that children spend time with the people who are important to them in a safe and structured way. As a result, children willingly maintain contact with staff during these periods. This approach promotes children’s independence while ensuring their safety and well-being.

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

Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of how to respond when children raise concerns, ensuring that children feel listened to and protected. Allegations are investigated thoroughly, with investigations led by senior leaders external to the home where necessary to ensure independent oversight. This approach ensures that safeguarding processes are consistently followed.

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

Following changes in the leadership of the home, oversight of medication has not been robust. This has resulted in multiple errors relating to the management of medication. While no children have been harmed as a result, these errors highlight a gap in staff knowledge. In response, the leadership team has completed a full review and taken action to address the issues identified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is currently no registered manager in post. The previous registered manager had a positive impact on the home. Her consistent oversight, high aspirations for children and supportive leadership contributed to the overall stability and progress children made. Since her departure, the home has experienced a period of instability. Staff performance and practice have been adversely affected, with some staff demonstrating a lack of understanding regarding the full requirements of their role. This has contributed to inconsistencies in completing tasks and weakened the overall effectiveness of the home’s operation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The current acting manager has provided effective support to the staff team during a period of transition. Improvements have been made across the workforce, with lessons learned and actions taken where shortfalls have been identified. This demonstrates a commitment to strengthening practice within the home. Despite the challenges associated with leadership changes, staff have maintained positive relationships with children. As a result, the impact of these shortfalls on children’s experiences has been minimal.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are positive about their experiences of working in the home. They feel connected as a team and demonstrate strong collaborative working practices that support consistent care for children. Experienced staff have welcomed new colleagues into the team, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. Overall, Inspection report for children’s home: SC475335 5 the atmosphere in the home is positive and warm, which contributes to a nurturing setting for both staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have not received regular supervision or completed their annual appraisals within reasonable timescales. This shortfall has been attributed to the recent changes and disruption in management oversight of the home. While staff report feeling well supported by their colleagues and describe a strong team dynamic, this does not replace the requirement for formal supervision to ensure oversight of professional accountability, reflection and development. Inspection report for children’s home: SC475335 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 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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)(a)(c)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff have the knowledge and experience to undertake all required tasks within the home consistently. Monitoring systems for the manager should be in place to ensure that any shortfall or learning can be addressed to improve care for children. 21 October

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; 21 October Inspection report for children’s home: SC475335 7 and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that staff receive supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose and this is documented. This also relates to ensuring that staff receive a yearly appraisal.

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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: SC475335 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blue Mountain Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Blue Mountain Homes Limited, 21 Mallard Way, Pride Park, Derby DE24 8GX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Pradeep Manaktala

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Inspector

Kayleigh Spinks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC475335 9 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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