Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Blackpool

SC363398 Unique reference number 15 June 2010 Inspection date Stephen Trainor Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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25 September 2009 Date of last inspection .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children's Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Cripins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is strong Good: this aspect of the provision is sound Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Inadequate: 3 of 11 Inspection Report: SC363398

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Brief description of the service

This privately run children’s home was registered in February 2008 to care for up to six children and young people of both sexes, from the ages of 10 to 17 years old. The home cares for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Two young people were accommodated at the time of this inspection and both provided comment on their experiences.

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Brief description of the service

The property is a large terraced property with sufficient rooms for young people to pursue their leisure interests and hobbies. Each young person has an individual bedroom. The home does not have a garden. There is on street parking to the front of the home. Public transport routes connect the home with the local community and the national rail link. Shops and supermarkets are easily accessible within the surrounding community. The young people can gain access to many community resources including parks, beaches, cinema and sports and athletics facilities.

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Brief description of the service

The organisation responsible for this home has opened its own school which is registered with the Department for Education. Opportunities for the young people to attend different educational placements including local mainstream schools and specialist schools are also facilitated

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Summary

This inspection was unannounced. This report comments on every outcome heading covering all the key children's homes national minimum standards. Progress against recommendations made during the last inspection was evaluated. An Ofsted HMI inspector supported this inspection.

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Summary

This service is coordinating efforts to meet individual children's and young people's specific needs. Placement plans are detailed in design and implemented fairly well in practice when the young people fully commit to their placements. Plans are subject to frequent review.

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Summary

This service had been without a manager for six months. A new manager appointment was made a few weeks prior to this inspection. The responsible organisation made the decision to operate with reduced numbers. Stability at the home has improved recently and practice is much improved. Practice is now capable of supporting residents complex needs.

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Summary

Education has been well coordinated. There has been good attendance at the responsible organisations school and some GCSE examinations have been sat. The education curriculum is well matched to the ages, needs and interests of the students. They have shown much better commitment to their futures. Young people have gained greater self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence between inspections.

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Summary

The staff team is now being led by an experienced manager. Staff show tremendous enthusiasm for their work. Quality assurance systems are being used to develop the service. Many new initiatives are planned.

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Summary

This report highlights recommendations to support practice developments. The new manager is not yet registered with Ofsted and has had limited time to settle into his role. Many areas of practice remain disjointed. No pre-inspection information was prepared for this inspection. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: SC363398 Not all records are up to date and accurate. It is not yet possible to archive files safely. A storage room had not been prepared between inspections.

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Summary

Ideas expressed by management are not yet captured in writing within the home's development plan. Many staff members are in training waiting to complete their National Vocational Qualifications. There is no consideration for young people to administer their own medication. Complaints information for the young people is not clear. Strategies to prevent young people going absent without permission are not working. Schedules for testing portable appliances have not been followed. Practice fire drills have not coincided with admission to the home. A swimming activity had not been risk assessed properly as a result residents health and safety could be compromised. The overall quality rating is satisfactory. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Many of the recommendations made at the last inspection have been repeated.

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Improvements since the last inspection

In the absence of a manager the number of residents was reduced. This had the affect of increasing staffing ratios. There is growing stability at the home. The number of reportable incidents to Ofsted has reduced. Police missing person protocols have been strengthened and there is a greater understanding of residents presenting needs. Incident reports have reduced in the preceding weeks leading up to this inspection. All staff completed equality and diversity training. A new manager had recently been appointment. There is defined leadership for the first time in six months. Records on consultation between the home's management, social workers and family members improved. Further improvements are planned.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Policy and procedural guidance to support health and well-being has been developed. The responsible organisation works with a local pharmacy and a full prescription management service is provided. Medicines are stored safely within lockable cabinets. Quality assurance systems monitor practice and this helps to ensure it remains safe. Staff receive training to provide first aid and safe handling and administration of medicines. The written protocol on the provision of non-prescription medicines was not being followed in practice. The contents of the non-prescription medicine cabinet is different to the specific items listed within the organisations policy.

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Helping children to be healthy

Residents' health histories are being gained as part of the referral and introduction procedures. Referrals are usually planned and this means that health needs are known from the point of introduction. Key workers provide good advice and coordinate support to influence young peoples choice of lifestyle. Staff emphasise the importance of keeping the young people safe, fit and healthy. Improved links are being made between care staff and the responsible organisations school. The education curriculum's personal, social, health education and the citizenship programme support residents acquisition of new knowledge.

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Helping children to be healthy

Routine medical, optical and dental appointments are organised. Each young person has a health plan. The dates of statutory medicals are not clear within these records. Parental permissions for emergency treatment and for administering medicines and first aid have been 5 of 11 Inspection Report: SC363398 gained. There is little consideration for young people to keep and administer their own medicines. This restricts opportunities for personal growth and development.

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Helping children to be healthy

The young people confirmed that they are familiar with their health arrangements and are aware of the contents of their health plans. Key workers discuss these plans with them. Specialist advice and help is organised to support mental health when required. Placement plans detail information on issues being covered. These plans do not readily identify the progress being made. Staff do persevere with their efforts to support young people to lead healthy life styles. Health concerns outlined within significant incident reports were discussed.

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Helping children to be healthy

Catering arrangements are satisfactory. Menus are being planned with the young people. Work supporting healthy living through diet and exercise have recently been introduced. Young people have opportunities to work alongside staff preparing meals. Developing independence skills further is a key focus for many residents following the completion of their secondary schooling. Culturally-themed meals are encouraged by staff and birthdays and special occasions celebrated.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The management team continues to invest time in establishing the home's operational systems. Steady progress has been made since the home opened in February 2008. A decision was reached to operate the home for a low number of residents. This has enabled some stability for the present residents. Practice is improving, however there is still some work needed to ensure recording systems contain up-to-date information. Not all events are captured accurately. It is not always possible to cross reference important records and documents.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Planning has become more proactive. Residents gain a wider range of positive experiences. Placements are managed using support from different departments. Suitable actions have been taken in the past if placements become unmanageable and needs cannot be met. Vetting of future referrals and admissions was discussed in detail. The importance of maintaining the correct group dynamic is recognised by the home's proposed manager.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The young people have a growing appreciation of and respect for staff and their peers. Presently, the peer group dynamic is managed well. Staff ratios are high and this means good support is afforded to meet residents complex needs. Residents are taking more responsibility for their behaviour. They are a lot clearer on how they contribute to community life. Rules and routines are clearer and provide a suitable structure to each day. There are new plans to be introduced now that residents have completed their secondary schooling.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The young people commented that they felt safe. Concerted efforts are providing improved physical safety and security for the young people resident. Some of the operational systems are being reviewed and updated. Outcomes of incidents are not always being made clear.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

No major concerns relating to bullying or safeguarding young people is evident. As part of the home's agreed safeguarding procedures the young people reflect on incidents that they are involved in. Staff receive suitable training in order that they can respond appropriately to allegations or suspicions of abuse. Policy and procedural guidance has been established that is consistent with local safeguarding team protocols. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: SC363398 The responsible individual has been transparent when reporting incidents in the absence of a home's manager. Support being provided ensures that the young people can make choices about how to lead safe lives. There is a clear organisational policy on behaviour management. A police protocol is in place to report young people absent without authority. Strategies to reduce the number of times they are absent have had limited success. The high number of

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

incidents remains a concern. New approaches and creative ways of working with the young people are not always being recognised.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Safeguarding and complaints information is provided within a children's guide. The guide is supported by lots of other complaints information that has been introduced since the home opened. All these different formats have become a little confusing weakening the overall safeguarding support afforded to the residents. The new manager is committed to reviewing complaints information. Young people do acknowledge that they suffer no recrimination if complaints are made. Contact details of Ofsted and the Children's Rights Director are provided.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff with key worker responsibilities uphold children's rights as well as providing daily support to them. Respectful communication is now evident at the home. A good atmosphere was maintained throughout the visit. Residents respond well to praise. In general, there is improved use of positive reinforcement, as opposed to use of sanctions. The proposed manager monitors the effectiveness of sanctions. Staff receive training in behaviour management methods and techniques. Records are maintained on incidents requiring physical intervention.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

A suitable response is taken to health and safety. Certification is held centrally and this shows regular servicing of fire, gas and electrical installations. Portable appliance testing had been missed. A fire risk assessment of the premises had been completed. Regular fire drills are carried out but these do not coincide with residents introductions. Accommodation is safe with no observable hazards to residents safety. A range of risk assessments have been produced to support practice. A robust risk assessment was not evident for a swimming activity.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Checks were carried out on the quality of the vetting and recruitment procedures. Information shows staff do not start work ahead of being in receipt of an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check. There were some initial difficulties in establishing staff start dates. Ensuring interview panel members attend formal training was discussed. The manager's thoughts on a single staffing register was shared. Suitable vetting of visitors to the home is undertaken with identity checks being carried out before access is permitted. The home's policy on the use of and management of agency staff was not reviewed at this inspection.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Developing educational potential forms a clear part of the home's philosophy of care. The responsible organisation has its own school. Young people have personal education plans. Residents attendance was reported to have improved considerably. Residents have shown an improved commitment to their education and this has allowed progress to be made. Attendance was reported to have been good and this allowed some Year 11 examinations to be taken. Young people have not always provided their full cooperation in the past. Staff's perseverance has provided good learning experiences to build self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: SC363398 Efforts have helped to prepare residents for their future. Support provided is helping to secure a foundation stone to prepare them for life's challenges and the world of work. The focus of future work is still to be fully outlined within different plans used at the home.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff posses good knowledge on residents and this enables a timely individual response to be taken when they are most in need. All work undertaken is subject to regular review through statutory procedures. The management team links up with specialist services. Good partnership arrangements are established with some local authorities. There is a growing body of evidence that shows satisfaction with the quality of care and services being provided.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff practice attempts to engage the young people in a range of activities to develop skills and individual potential through new experiences. Trips out are organised and there is some consideration for holidays. Thematic learning experiences are not clearly linked to the activity and recreation programmes being run. There is a risk assessment framework operated for trips and education visits. An unsuitable swimming activity was discussed. Young people gather certificates on their achievements and there is photographic evidence displayed on the activities being enjoyed. The resources available at the home are used well to promote personal growth and development. Recreation is now linked to developing healthy life styles for each resident. Suitable finances are made available.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Outcomes for the young people are improving. Individualised care planning is becoming more evident. Referrals and introductions have not always been successfully matched to staff's skills and experience. The decision to reduce numbers has helped staff improve practice.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There is improved clarity within records to show how placement needs are being met. Plans do not clearly highlight the response being taken to equality and diversity matters including religion, cultural identity and heritage. Records and information provides an account of each individual's progress and successes as well as the disappointments. Young people provided some positive comments on their experiences at the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Communication and appropriate consultation between staff, children and their parents, social workers and other professionals is evident. Staff have established supportive relationships with residents and this has recently led to some placement stability. Staff have a friendly approach that makes for a relaxed atmosphere around the home. Consultation with partner agencies and professionals occur throughout the time that the young people are resident.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Written summaries are produced of children's progress. This shows a clear commitment to improving the quality of care and experiences being gained at the home. All the young people are treated fairly. Risk assessment’s support planning. Practice at this home revolves around the Every Child Matters agenda designed to improve children’s services. Reviews occur at the correct frequency allowing placement plans to be monitored and adjusted. Staff discuss review recommendations after meetings ensuring that the young people comprehend decisions affecting them. Reports are prepared for each review. Contact arrangements are established for each resident.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is satisfactory. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: SC363398 The management team is familiar with the formal response to pathway and aftercare planning. Formal plans are developed through statutory review procedures. A decision was made to concentrate on the completion of secondary school education before focusing on formal pathway planning. The young people successfully completed their secondary school education. There is much greater cooperation being provided by residents. There are strong effort being made to ensure all the different plans being run are linked. Placement experiences do allow residents to gain life skills, to support them into adulthood. Programmes operated, routines followed and placement planning are becoming better linked. In-house independence training continues to be provided.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is safe and satisfactorily decorated, providing space and resources to meet the needs of the young people. Some minor maintenance is needed in parts of the home. Some bedrooms are being prepared for future admissions. The design and layout of the home manages to retain a homely and comfortable feel. The use of the space and the different rooms is well thought out. The home was clean and tidy throughout. Each young person has a large bedroom. Bathroom and toilet provision is separate for staff and the young people, affording suitable levels of privacy. Bathrooms and toilet facilities comply with national minimum standards for children’s homes.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

There is suitable access to public transport links, education, health and leisure facilities. The home has its own vehicle and this helps staff and young people to maintain appropriate contact with the local community. There is ample on street parking for visitors. Relationships and appropriate links with neighbours and the surrounding community are maintained. Staff provide advice to young people on how to stay safe when they go into the community. This advice has not always been heeded. Relationships with local community police are established.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The home has not had a recognised manager for a considerable period of time and this has restricted improvements and developments taking place in many areas of the service. No self-assessment information was provided ahead of this inspection. It was difficult to identify where progress had been made. A new manager had been appointed two weeks prior to the inspection. There was limited information at his disposal. It was evident that many schemes of work are to be introduced to improve the quality of care being provided. The manager is still to be registered with Ofsted.

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Organisation

The staff team demonstrated that they had skills to support the needs of the residents. The decision to restrict the number of young people living at the home was instrumental in allowing to meet with the requirements of children's homes national minimum standards and associated regulations.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. There is policy and guidance. The management team reflects on practice and continues to develop the services being provided. Ongoing training is being provided to make links with equality and diversity matters throughout the 24-hour curriculum. Equality and diversity is still not firmly established within the culture and ethos of the home. Behaviour management issues have restricted some learning and development opportunities. For example, no consideration for young people to self-administer medicines and the need to lock snack foods out of reach of residents. Important Ofsted equality 9 of 11 Inspection Report: SC363398 prompts have not been viewed. The young people have accessed some training and this has helped them acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures.

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Organisation

Checks are in place to monitor the home’s operation. Monthly reports are being produced by managers external to the home. Reports coming through to Ofsted have starting to include more objective comments. Identified shortfalls are being addressed. The home's management team is still to finalise a development plan outlining how the home's operation will be maintained.

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Organisation

The proposed manager is experienced and fully qualified. Senior workers are in training. There is a recognition that staff's skills need to be improved. Only a small percentage have completed National Vocational Qualifications at level 3. The staffing structure has experienced a number of changes between inspections. The staff present at this inspection were highly motivated. Deployment of staff is good. Each shift has a nominated team or shift leader. There is external out of hours management support. Rotas demonstrate that staffing levels are being maintained. Staff show more insight into their roles. This means they are better able to balance their work so that the individual and collective needs of the young people are met while ensuring that the necessary administrative tasks are undertaken. There is ongoing work to ensure all records are accurate and up to date.

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Organisation

Records at this home show a satisfactory clarity of purpose in how staff are being managed. Induction and foundation training is provided. Supervision frequency had recently improved. There are some links to staff's personal development and appraisal. This is an area targeted for further improvement. The general response to training is coordinated well by the responsible organisation's training manager. A staff training attending record is maintained. Further training is planned.

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Organisation

Staff have written guidance, policies and procedures to support their practice. Staff are using this guidance to establish a consistent response to meeting residents presenting needs. Much of the guidance is being reviewed by the new manager. The home's Statement of Purpose provides information in accordance with regulations. Aims and objectives, as well as the philosophy of care, are outlined. Records are not always easy to access. Filing and archiving is being addressed.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, The Childrens Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider must comply with the given timescales.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure the written protocol on the provision of non-prescription medicines is followed (NMS 13.11) • ensure the dates when statutory medicals occur are recorded (NMS 12.2) 10 of 11 Inspection Report: SC363398 • review procedure and risk assessments for determining when young people can keep and administer their own medicines (NMS 13.9) • ensure the home's recording logs can be cross referenced accurately to capture all events and incidents when they occur (NMS 20.3) • review strategies aimed at reducing the number of times that the young people go missing without permission from the home (NMS 19.8) • ensure complaints information within the children's guide is clear (NMS 16.2 & 1.3) • ensure servicing and maintenance schedules are adhered to and ensure practice fire drills

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Recommendations

occur when new residents are introduced (NMS 26.4 & 26.8) • establish robust risk assessments for any high risk activities (NMS 26.2) • ensure personnel files contain full and satisfactory information on the staff vetting, recruitment and selection process (NMS 27) • complete all outstanding decoration and maintenance to the accommodation (NMS 24.3) • ensure 80% of the staff team working at the home hold a relevant National Vocational Qualification (NMS 29.5) • ensure the home's manager is registered with Ofsted (NMS 34.3) • organise archived files to allow easy access to pertinent information and ensure all archived information is retained in a safe place (NMS 35 Regulations 28 & 29) • ensure greater clarity within management records (NMS 28.2 & 28.7) • ensure all relevant information is submitted to Ofsted prior to future inspections (NMS 34.1) • finalise the home's development plan. (NMS 33.5) 11 of 11 Inspection Report: SC363398

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