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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC464759 1 SC464759 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 provides care for up to 4 children with social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, 3 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is managed by an experienced manager who is suitably qualified and has been registered with Ofsted since June 2025.

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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 for children’s home: SC464759 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/05/2025 Full Good 18/06/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/07/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC464759 3

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Summary of findings

Overall, children are cared for by a committed and nurturing staff team who know them well, advocate effectively on their behalf and remain focused on helping them achieve positive outcomes. Children are making good progress in education, emotional wellbeing, health and relationships. Professionals and family members consistently describe the home as child-focused, communicative and effective in partnership working. Leaders are reflective and responsive in addressing challenges. Although improvements are required to strengthen the consistency of medication practice, this does not minimise the positive experiences and sustained progress that children are making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress from their individual starting points considering their previous life experiences and the complexity of their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from warm, nurturing relationships with staff who know them well and understand their individual personalities, strengths and vulnerabilities. Interactions between children and staff are consistently relaxed, respectful and affectionate. Children speak positively about the adults caring for them and appear comfortable within their home. There is a strong sense of belonging, and children are clearly valued as individuals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is a notable strength of the home. Staff demonstrate high aspirations and work creatively alongside education providers to ensure children access learning that meets their individual needs. One child has achieved qualifications in English and mathematics, completed an introductory healthcare course and secured a place to study at college. Another child, who previously struggled to engage in mainstream education due to anxiety, is now successfully accessing an individualised education package and recently completed a work placement aligned to future career aspirations. A third child has become increasingly settled in education, benefiting from additional tutoring and enrichment opportunities. Professionals reported that this represents the most settled period they have seen.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s emotional wellbeing has improved through the consistency, patience and persistence shown by staff. Leaders recognise that some children continue to experience significant emotional and mental health difficulties resulting from earlier trauma. Staff respond with compassion and determination, ensuring children receive timely access to specialist services while continuing to provide nurturing day-to-day care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to develop independence in a planned and individualised way. Staff carefully balance opportunities for increased independence with children’s changing vulnerabilities. When risks increased for one child, leaders appropriately reviewed and Inspection report for children’s home: SC464759 4 amended independence plans to ensure these continued to prioritise the child’s safety and wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of positive experiences that enrich their lives and promote confidence, resilience and social development. Activities include camping trips, community events, cultural celebrations, creative projects and opportunities linked to children’s individual interests and aspirations. These experiences help children develop positive memories while broadening their understanding of the wider community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships with family members and significant people have improved considerably. Staff work sensitively alongside parents, previous carers and siblings to promote safe and meaningful family time where appropriate. Family members spoke positively about the support they receive from staff and recognised the progress children have made. Professionals consistently praised communication, describing partnership working as highly effective and focused on children’s best interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a welcoming, homely and personalised environment. Children’s bedrooms reflect their individual personalities, interests and achievements, while communal areas celebrate children’s successes through photos, artwork and displays. The environment contributes positively to children’s sense of identity, security and belonging.

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

Children are cared for by adults who have a detailed understanding of their individual risks, vulnerabilities and protective factors. Risk assessments are comprehensive, regularly reviewed and adapted in response to children’s changing needs, ensuring that support remains responsive and proportionate.

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

Leaders have demonstrated strong safeguarding practice in responding to the increasing complexity of one child’s mental health needs. Risks have been closely monitored through regular multi-agency meetings, increased staffing levels, enhanced supervision and timely access to specialist mental health services. Leaders have also demonstrated professional insight by recognising when the home’s environment may no longer safely meet the child’s needs and have appropriately advocated for specialist provision.

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

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of children’s individual triggers and consistently use de-escalation techniques before considering physical intervention. When physical intervention has been necessary to prevent immediate harm, it has been proportionate, appropriately recorded, and followed by restorative conversations that support children to understand incidents and rebuild trusting relationships.

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

Incidents of children going missing from home have reduced significantly since the previous inspection. Leaders attribute this improvement to consistent relationships, clear routines, effective key-work sessions and children’s growing trust in staff. Children Inspection report for children’s home: SC464759 5 increasingly seek support from staff during periods of distress rather than placing themselves at risk.

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

Children’s health needs are well understood and effectively managed. Staff work proactively alongside health professionals to ensure children receive appropriate treatment and attend appointments. This collaborative approach has contributed to significant improvements in one child’s epilepsy management and continues to support another child experiencing complex mental health needs.

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

The number of allegations made by one child has reduced significantly. Leaders responded thoughtfully by seeking therapeutic consultation, helping staff develop a greater understanding of the child’s trauma and working collaboratively with safeguarding partners to identify behavioural patterns and strengthen safeguarding arrangements. This approach has contributed to improved relationships and greater emotional stability.

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

There have been a number of repeated medication errors. Leaders have responded promptly by reviewing practice, implementing refresher training, increasing management oversight, simplifying medication systems and temporarily removing staff from medication administration where appropriate. These actions demonstrate appropriate management oversight and a commitment to learning. However, the recurrence of medication errors indicates that these improvements have not yet become sufficiently embedded to consistently reduce the likelihood of further errors.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides compassionate, reflective and child-centred leadership. She demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of each child’s needs and is able to clearly evidence how care has evolved in response to children’s changing circumstances and emerging risks. She is professionally curious and willing to critically reflect on her practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have created a positive culture where children remain at the centre of decision- making. Staff consistently described managers as approachable, supportive and invested in their professional development. Regular supervision, reflective discussions and learning opportunities promote a culture of continuous improvement and high expectations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working is a notable strength. Feedback from professionals was overwhelmingly positive, with one describing the home as among the best they have worked with due to the quality of communication, collaborative working and child- centred practice. Family members also spoke positively about the support they receive and the significant progress they have witnessed in their children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders promote high aspirations for children by encouraging participation in education, community activities, cultural experiences and opportunities that build confidence and Inspection report for children’s home: SC464759 6 independence. Children are celebrated for their achievements and encouraged to pursue ambitious goals regardless of previous experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager demonstrates appropriate professional challenge when children’s needs are not being met by partner agencies. This has been particularly evident in relation to one child’s deteriorating mental health, where leaders have persistently advocated for additional support, specialist intervention and appropriate future planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have been transparent about areas requiring further development, particularly medication practice. They have implemented a range of measures to strengthen oversight and improve practice, including refresher training, competency assessments, increased supervision and performance management where appropriate. Although these actions demonstrate reflective leadership and a commitment to continuous improvement, they have not yet been fully effective in preventing repeated medication errors. Inspection report for children’s home: SC464759 7

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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

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)) 31 Jul 2026

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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: SC464759 8

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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: 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

Theresa Kambani, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC464759 9 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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