Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Blackpool

Unique reference number SC363398 Inspector Mark Kersh Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Sandcastle Care Limited Registered person address Sandcastle Care Ltd 18 Rossall Road THORNTON-CLEVELEYS Lancashire FY5 1DX Responsible individual Kevan Schools Registered manager Claire Louise Lomas Date of last inspection 12/03/2014 2 of 10 Inspection date 11/06/2014

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Previous inspection inadequate progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

Outcomes for children and young people good Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe good Leadership and management good

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Overall effectiveness

The home has seen some changes over the past 12 months, including two new managers both of whom have since left. The management and staffing arrangements in the home are now more stable and this is having a positive impact on the home as a whole. Strong leadership has enabled the staff team to develop their skills and be clearer about the ethos of the home.

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Overall effectiveness

Relationships between staff and young people are positive and young people feel able to talk to staff about things which worry them. Young people‘s risk-taking behaviours have reduced from their starting point at the time of placement. Behaviour management within the home is strong with clear and consistent boundaries. Young people are learning to self-regulate their behaviours. This means that the use of sanctions is minimal. Young people feel safe in the home and are protected by trained staff.

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Overall effectiveness

Following this inspection one requirement and one recommendation have been raised. Although the quality of placement plans means that most young people’s individual needs are understood and are being met effectively, not all young people fully understand their placement plans. Some minor repairs are needed internally to ensure the home is safe. 3 of 10

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children's home. It provides care for up to six children and young people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and sensory impairments.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/03/2014 Interim inadequate progress 14/11/2013 Full adequate 09/01/2013 Interim good progress 08/11/2012 Full good

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all parts of the children's home used by children are of sound construction and kept in good structural repair externally and internally. (Regulation 31 (2) (d)) 27/06/2014

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure young people understand, within their level of understanding, the purp 4 of 10 and content of their plan and the reasoning behind any decisions about their care; in particular for those young people who have no verbal communication (NMS 25.1) 5 of 10

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Outcomes for children and young people good

The home provides young people with a stable, secure and happy environment in which they are able to grow and develop. Young people benefit from individualised child-focused care delivered by a dedicated staff team. Young people enjoy living at the home and all of them have described the home as ‘very good’ in the consultation questionnaires they have completed. Young people with diverse individual needs have all made good progress at this home.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people enjoy healthy lifestyles and participate in preparing good quality meals. They are registered with doctors, dentists and opticians to help ensure that they receive routine medical checks and prompt treatment if needed. Young people have good access to support with their emotional health. This ensures that they start to address personal issues that enable them to understand their feelings and anxieties.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are able to maintain and build on relationships with people who are important to them. This keeps them in touch with family and friends to ensure they understand their individual backgrounds and histories. Young people are involved in the daily running of the home and in decisions about their care. One young person said, 'staff always talk to me before any meetings so as I can always get my views across.' Young people feel listened to in this home.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people have made good progress in attending school and other educational resources since coming to the home. In their previous placements some young people were barely engaging in education or were misusing substances. All of the young people have now accepted education. Substance misuse is no longer an issue. Young people understand the need to work towards qualifications to help them in the future.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people who are in transition to adulthood follow clear independence plans which will give them the skills they will need when they move on from this home. It enables young people to provide for their basic daily needs for themselves. Young people also have pathway plans in place which set clear goals and identify those who will be responsible for ensuring young people receive a good level of support when they leave this home.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

The home provides young people with good quality spacious accommodation that meets their needs.

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Quality of care good

6 of 10 Young people say that they feel happy and settled, are well looked after and feel safe. Young people have developed attachments: their resilience and their self- confidence have also increased as a result of living in this home. One young person said, 'I love this place to bits, I am settled here.'

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Quality of care good

Young people say that the staff care about them, their wishes, needs and daily welfare. Young people who are currently living in the home relate well to each other and enjoy good relationships with the staff. Staff use the positive relationships they have with young people to engage with them and help them to achieve their personal objectives. The behavioural strategies used are effective in helping young people to change aspects of their lives that have proved unhelpful to them in the past.

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Quality of care good

The staff meet regularly with young people to ascertain their views. The Registered Manager always tries to plan future developments with young people's views in mind. Young people actively participate in planning menus and activities with staff.

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Quality of care good

Staff are sensitive to the way in which different young people process information and are conscious of how best to communicate with them. For example, staff use appropriate pictorial symbols for those young people who are not able to communicate verbally. This enables young people to see and process key information at their own speed. Young people know how to complain and have confidence in the management team to respond to any issues or concerns which they may raise.

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Quality of care good

Placements are well planned which means that no inappropriate placements are made. As a result group dynamics are consistent and any possible negative impacts are minimised. Most individual placement planning documentation recognises each young person's varying and often complex needs. However, further development is needed on placement documentation for young people who do not have verbal communication. This will assist them to fully participate and understand their day-to- day plans.

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Quality of care good

Staff work well with placing authorities to ensure that young people's diverse needs are fully documented and can be met. Placing social workers are kept fully informed of the outcomes young people achieve and this contributes to further improvements in young people achieving their goals. Staff work well with other agencies, such as the police, educational services and sexual health workers. This helps to ensure that young people receive consistent messages, which improve their understanding, and that there is a joined-up approach to their care.

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Quality of care good

The home is located in a seaside resort and all necessary risk assessments are in place for activities and outings, including risks associated with the sea. This reduces possible risks as young people are always supervised on activities or trips to the beach. Significant improvements have been made to the décor and furnishings in the home and this provides young people with a spacious and homely environment. This home is a three storey building. The organisation has its head office on the first floor. 7 of 10 The operations manager who is based there is known to the young people living in the home. There is minimal disruption to the young people and with their agreement their bedrooms are situated on the second floor.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people feel safe, secure and well cared for. Young people develop strong relationships with staff who provide consistently clear boundaries whilst maintaining a calm and relaxed atmosphere. One young person said, 'I feel safe because staff are trained to make me feel safe and do a good job of it. I am never scared.'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people say they like living at the home and that they like the staff. Young people feel they can talk to the staff about any problems they may have. Issues such as making positive choices, sexual relationships and keeping safe are discussed in keyworker sessions and reinforce the messages young people receive. There are regular visits from the local police officer who communicates well with the young people. These arrangements help young people to understand danger and to keep them safe.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff have good systems and use frequent praise and incentives to promote young people's positive behaviour. This helps young people feel valued and builds their self- esteem. Young people are encouraged to make reparation when for example they misspend money or damage something, which helps them to take personal responsibility for their actions. Staff are trained and clear on the thresholds for physical intervention but have not found it necessary to use physical restraint. While there have been no recent examples of young people being missing from home, there are clear individual risk assessments in place and staff fully understand the local police protocol for children missing from care.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The home has good systems in place to ensure the safety and security of the building. Fire precautionary arrangements carried out, in line with current good practice, by the staff ensure young people, staff and visitors are safeguarded from risk of fire.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff files are kept securely in the home. They are of a good standard; information is clearly recorded and verified. The staff files provide good evidence of robust recruitment processes, including all the necessary documentation. There is monitoring of all people who visit the home and these arrangements help prevent unsuitable people from having the opportunity to harm young people or place them at risk.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

There are effective procedures, which all staff understand, regarding the reporting of allegations or suspicion of harm. The local authority designated officer (LADO) confirmed there is good communication between the home and the agencies charged 8 of 10 with protecting young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

During a tour of the home with young people the environment was found to be appropriately secure. However, the area around a light fitting which had been moved has not yet been re-plastered leaving some electrical wiring exposed. This was brought to the attention of the Registered Manager.

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Leadership and management good

The home has experienced significant change during the past 12 months with two changes of managers. A new manager was appointed in December 2013 and has been the Registered Manager from 4 March 2014. The current management arrangements are now well embedded and the Registered Manager has overseen significant improvement within the home. The Registered Manager keeps up to date with changes in legislation and guidance. Consultation questionnaire forms covering the first quarter of 2014 completed by young people, parents and placing authorities rate the home as good to excellent.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager offers clear leadership to the staff team. The standard of management monitoring is good and the management team are well aware of the home's strengths and weaknesses. In addition, the Registered Manager has considerable day-to-day involvement with young people which enables them to maintain a good overview of the quality of care. This is supported by the home's independent regulation 33 visitor who visits monthly and prepares useful and insightful reports.

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Leadership and management good

The home has a clear, understandable and accessible Statement of Purpose and children's guide. Both have been revised to meet the updated statutory requirements and provide useful information for young people and stakeholders.

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Leadership and management good

Staff display a strong commitment to ensuring young people have the best outcomes possible and reach their potential. The Registered Manager leads by example and staff refer to ‘being supported and enhancing our development skills’. New staff have received a thorough induction which has helped them gain skills and confidence prior to taking on their new roles. All staff have received additional training in specialist areas such as autism. Staff are well supported through regular supervision, appraisals and team meetings.

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Leadership and management good

The home has sufficient staff who are used flexibly according to young people's needs. Staffing includes waking night staff. This provides young people with support during the night should they need it.

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Leadership and management good

The four requirements made at the last inspection have been complied with. They were in relation to training, supervision and appraisal, young people's case records, restraint and sanction records and checking smoke alarms on a daily basis. The three 9 of 10 recommendations from the last inspection have also been complied with. They related to risk assessments, young people being on-line at appropriate times of the day and work with young people to dissuade them from smoking in their bedrooms.

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Leadership and management good

The home keeps good, secure records to document the work done and this guides future planning. It also ensures that young people have a permanent record which they can access, now or in the future, to help their understanding of their time in the home.

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Leadership and management good

The service reports all significant events to the relevant agencies, including Ofsted, as required. This helps to ensure that there is effective communication and that the regulator is aware of any significant incidents in the home. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information 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 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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