Children's home run by Blue Mountain Homes Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2561020 1 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 owned by a private company. It provides care for up to five children who may have learning disabilities. At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home and three gave their views on the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager post is vacant. The inspection was supported by an acting manager and area manager.

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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

Date of last inspection: 26 February 2025

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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: 2561020 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/02/2025 Full Outstanding 02/08/2023 Full Outstanding 03/05/2022 Full Good 13/04/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2561020 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and staff have very good relationships. When children move into the home, there is a strong and comprehensive process to ensure that the children are compatible to live together and that staff can meet the children’s needs. The known risks and vulnerabilities of the children are also understood by staff, and this helps the staff to provide the children with good and safe care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and staff develop strong relationships because staff spend time with children and engage the children in the things they like. This supports children to express their views, wishes and feelings. Staff are strong advocates for the children. The staff ensure that the children get the right level of support to help them develop and make progress in all areas of their development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with many opportunities to enhance their development and learn new skills. This helps children to develop their confidence and supports them when they come to leave the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged by staff to be involved in the running of the home. The children choose menu items, the decor for their rooms and the house and carry out tasks with staff, such as food shopping and cleaning. These opportunities enable the children to feel this is their home and support them to develop skills for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children may be subject to court orders that restrict their liberty, which staff understand. The children’s individual care plans and risk assessments detail how staff should care for the children, help children make progress while living in the home and keep them safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s educational attainment is a high priority for staff. When children are not in education, staff use resources to engage the children in the home to help them learn, and ensure children have routines that support their education. Meetings with external professionals are requested in a timely manner to try and secure the right education for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers have not always ensured that the children’s files are accessible. For example, when a child left the home, their records were removed from the home. This prevented a review of the work done with the child or any understanding of the quality of the care the child received.

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

At times, children are held by staff to keep them safe. However, staff have a good understanding of how to de-escalate difficult situations without the need to hold children. When children are held, records are detailed, with clear information to explain Inspection report for children’s home: 2561020 4 why staff believed they needed to hold children. Staff have conversations with children afterwards explaining why a hold was used. Medical support is offered to the children on all occasions.

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

The staff support children to manage their behaviour, using restorative approaches. Staff help the children to understand what the concerns are over their behaviour and the impact it has on others. Any consequences for children are documented, giving the rationale for decision-making and actions. There is always management oversight to ensure the measure used is proportionate to the behaviour.

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

When complaints are made by children, these are responded to quickly. The children always receive updates about the actions and outcomes of the investigations into any complaints. The staff reflect on the views and perspectives of the children following any complaint and the outcome.

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

There have been medication errors. Medical support was sought once an error was found and the error was clearly recorded. The acting manager has created new processes and prompt sheets to support the administration of medication, to ensure the medication dispensed is in line with the prescribed dose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has clear knowledge of the children in their care. The children speak highly about their relationships with the manager and staff. Since taking up the position, the manager has recognised their own learning and development needs and what is required for the development of the home. The manager has identified that there are areas for improvement in staff’s care practice. The manager is implementing new strategies to reduce errors, especially in medication, and their potential impact on children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff all enjoy working with the children. They say they have the support of the manager, who they value, and who has engaged with them in making changes to care practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager carries out audits to support the review and oversight of documents, to ensure these are up to date and accurately reflect staff’s care practice. This is completed in a timely manner. The manager has also identified areas for improvement, for example, improving the recording practices of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have individual supervisions with a manager, and these take place regularly. The manager plans to train senior staff to carry out supervision with staff, as part of their development. Supervision sessions reflect on care practice and are aimed at being supportive for staff, both personally and professionally, and are well recorded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings have agendas set in advance, and staff are supported to contribute to the agenda. Meeting minutes are clear and easy to follow, to benefit staff who are unable to attend. There is a clear focus on the children and any work that is required to support them. The meetings are also used to support the development of staff by Inspection report for children’s home: 2561020 5 reviewing new documents and policies, reflecting on previous events and if things have gone wrong, exploring the reasons. Inspection report for children’s home: 2561020 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that medication is administered in line with a medically approved protocol. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure children’s records are stored and accessible for review during inspections. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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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: 2561020 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: Blue Mountain Homes Ltd, 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

Rachel Moore, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2561020 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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