Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Blackpool

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

Staff help young people make sense of their past and support them to move forward. Young people benefit from good role models who they can look up to and learn from The home specialises in providing a therapeutic service for young people so as their emotional and specific needs can be identified and met Staff work to a model of positive parenting that gets to the heart of young people’s needs for secure long lasting relationships Relationships between young people, registered manager and staff are positive, supportive and friendly. They work as a cohesive team and follow agreed strategies to enable young people to progress Young people feel able to contribute to the running of the home. They are involved in key decisions and their views are central to all aspects of how the home operates and develops its’ practice Education is encouraged and supported and young people’s attendance and attainment at school is improving. Staff are interested in educational projects and

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The children's home provision is good because:

promote home study There is a clear understanding of any risks associated with young people. Boundaries are distinct, with reward schemes and praise helping young people to develop acceptable behaviour and self-regulation skills Missing from home and absences have significantly decreased, as a result young people’s previous risk taking behaviours have reduced Staff are experienced in using effective de-escalation and distraction techniques to manage young people’s challenging behaviours The management team prioritise the needs of young people well and provide good effective support to staff ensuring their skills are developed and suitable training opportunities are provided to them Positive feedback from placing authorities and parents demonstrate how well the staff team work in partnership with them. This supports young people in all areas of their development

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure each young person is helped to attend education and training in accordance with their plans: that staff support young people with home study by encouraging them to learn independent study skills (Guide to the Quality Standards page 58 paragraph 5.18)  Ensure each child's day-to-day health and well-being needs are met. Staff should work to make the children's home an environment that supports children's physical, mental and emotional health, in line with the approach set out in the home's Statement of Purpose. (Guide to the Quality Standards paragraph 7.3 page 33)

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Information about this children's home

 The home provides single sex occupancy, care and accommodation for three young people with emotional and/or learning difficulties  The home is privately owned  Change can be a positive experience, which is a consistent message we show through our service by focusing our childcare efforts on effecting positive change through a consistent, good parenting approach which creates a safe environment and therapeutic space, as written in the home's statement of purpose

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

12/02/2015 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

25/03/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

p.5

good

Young people are accommodated in the home having experienced difficult backgrounds and trauma. They make progress from their starting point. Previous negative experiences are understood by staff who provide a nurturing environment that is welcoming and supportive. This provides appropriate boundaries in relation to their behaviour and gives young people a sense of belonging.

p.6

good

Relationships between staff and young people and young people themselves are strong. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of young people’s individual personalities, strengths and needs. They provide young people with responsive support to promote their emotional well-being. They spend time each day listening and supporting them. These positive relationships were observed throughout the inspection.

p.6

good

Young people are registered with local health services and all of their physical health needs are met. Detailed health plans show routine appointments are attended and followed up. Procedures followed by staff ensure any medication brought into the home is stored securely, administered safely, recorded and returned to the pharmacy. These arrangements ensure all medication in the home is accountable and young people receive medication as prescribed for them.

p.6

good

Individual therapy sessions are tailored around young people’s emotional needs and interests, as outlined in their placement plan. Sessions are carried out by an experienced and qualified professional therapist. This is a ‘work in progress’ as some young people engage well in sessions, while others are reluctant to fully participate. As a result, a recommendation is made. This is to ensure young people are supported and consistently engage in the therapy sessions arranged for them.

p.6

good

A new purpose built building to the rear of the home provides excellent space and opportunities for young people to receive support, though counselling and psychotherapy sessions. This room is inviting, comfortable and has a good range of emotional therapy tools. This provides young people with support to change self- destructive behaviours and habits, resolve painful feelings and improve relationships.

p.6

good

Young people are at the centre of care provided at the home, they contribute towards their day-to-day routines and understand the plan of care for them. They participate in regular meetings between each other and staff, where their views wishes and feelings are listened to and acted upon. Young people feel listened to and say, ‘staff support me, give me confidence and are there when I need them.’ Young people benefit from and engage in regular key worker sessions where needs are discussed and targets set for them to achieve. A social worker says, ‘the young person is a million miles ahead of where she previously was in her outside placement, the change in such a short space of time has been amazing. Particularly around education where she had previously not engaged for such a long time.’

p.6

good

All young people have education provision in place in line with their agreed plans and attendance and engagement in school for some is good. This enables them to achieve and set educational targets. For others, the registered manager is consulting with the placing authority and virtual school head, to identify suitable education provision. A qualified teacher visits the home each day to provide lessons, although some young people’s participation and engagement is intermittent. As a result, a recommendation is made to ensure suitable arrangements are in place to capture young people’s imagination, increase their learning, which will benefit them in the future.

p.7

good

Opportunities to develop independence skills are preparing young people well for future life. Young people contribute to the daily operation of the home, keep their bedrooms tidy, cook and wash clothing. Staff keep in touch with young people who have moved on and they are welcomed back and do return to visit the staff in the home.

p.7

good

Staff support young people to keep in touch with family, friends and significant people. They make appropriate arrangements for family to visit the home. Young people understand if contact has to be supervised and are transported to and from contact. One parent has commented, ‘I just want to praise the staff for the support they have shown us, as well as our daughter. They have gone out of their way to speak to us and meet us first before we met our daughter again for the first time in four years.’ This demonstrates the commitment of staff who fully understand the importance of young people remaining in touch with those significant people in their lives.

p.7

good

Staff make arrangements to support and encourage young people to access community facilities and engage in leisure pursuits. For some, this is successful, for example, gong horse riding and visiting theme parks. Other young people prefer to see friends and are less engaging.

p.7

good

No complaints have been made by young people or by the local community. Clear procedures are in place and young people fully understand how to make a complaint. They have information and access to independent organisations and feel should they raise a concern their issues would be acted upon. Judgement grade

p.7

good

Young people feel safe and say they are safe in the home. Significant improvements in reducing risks have been made since their starting point in the home. Staff maintain effective working relationships with professionals. This approach clearly benefits young people. For example, as a result of working together previous concerns relating to sexual exploitation and missing from home have reduced. Social workers spoken with confirm this to be the case.

p.8

good

This has been achieved by consistent messages being given to young people. Staff are pro-active when young people go missing, they go out and look for them and disrupt any negative relationships young people are drawn into within the local community. One-to-one work and support from external services is helping them to understand how to avoid difficult situations where they might become involved in child sexual exploitation.

p.8

good

The home provides a therapeutic environment which supports young people. Staff are trained and recognise the importance of child sexual exploitation prevention, including grooming, bullying and internet safety.

p.8

good

The management team and staff are fully aware of the statutory guidance to follow should an allegation be made and share young people’s concerns with the appropriate agencies. Considerable support is given to the person making the allegation and the person who is subject of the allegation. Detailed daily records are kept which protect young people and staff, should an allegation be made.

p.8

good

Thorough planning and risk assessments are in place that are discussed in a confidential way with placing social workers, prior to young people being accommodated. This reduces any likely impact of a young person’s placement on them or on others already living in the home. Staff demonstrate well their knowledge of individual and group risk and know the agreed strategies to follow. Risk assessments are regularly monitored and updated.

p.8

good

Clear behavioural management plans are in place and are agreed by young people, their therapist and social worker and are understood by all staff. Sanctions imposed are minimal, fair and agreed by young people. They respond well to incentives set for them and receive monetary rewards and certificates of achievement which they proudly display.

p.8

good

Staff are trained in behaviour management techniques and use de-escalation and incentives to change young people’s behaviour. Staff response to erratic behaviour is calm, consistent and reduces young people’s behaviour from escalating. Restraint, when used is proportionate to protect young people or damage to property. Detailed records show restraints used are low level, short in duration and often guide young people away from a situation. Young people’s views and signatures are evident in the restraint records kept in the home.

p.8

good

There are robust recruitment procedures and regular checks carried out on existing staff. The registered manager regular audits staff files, which are kept secure for confidentiality purposes, and has a system to alert her when checks need renewing in line with required timescales. These measures prevent unsuitable people from being recruited and having the opportunity to harm young people or place them at risk.

p.9

good

Staff have designated responsibilities which they take seriously and health and safety checks, fire checks and stock balances of medication are carried out daily. External contractors check electrical and gas appliances at the required intervals. Environmental and the homes location risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated, as and when necessary. All visitors to the home are required to show their identity, sign into the home, briefed on the fire procedure and assembly point and are not left unsupervised with young people. These arrangements keep young people, staff and visitors safe.

p.9

good

The home is managed by a suitably experienced and qualified registered manager. She has completed her level 5 qualification and embraces the opportunity to undertake any further training to develop her own practice. The manager uses her knowledge, skills and experience to provide clear leadership and management to the staff team. Two experienced senior staff support the registered manager and they share her aspirations.

p.9

good

The progress of young people is carefully monitored, externally and internally. The manager regularly reviews the progress that young people make and discusses any concerns with the relevant professionals. Good relationships with social workers, education providers, safeguarding professionals and health professionals mean that the manager is able to discuss progress and share concerns appropriately.

p.9

good

Feedback from professionals throughout the inspection confirmed that communication with the home verbally and through regular updates and well- written monthly reports is effective.

p.9

good

An independent person visits the home each month and reports on how young people are being effectively safeguarded and how the conduct of the home promotes their well-being. Staff read these reports and promptly action any shortfalls identified. This ensures the home is operating in line with its statement of purpose document and the manager has a good understanding of the home's strengths and they tackle identified weaknesses thoroughly, to secure improvement.

p.9

good

The management team has effective arrangements in place to ensure staff receive regular supervision. They confirm they feel supported well by the manager and say their annual appraisals are on track and ready for completion. This enables individual staff to discuss the present needs of young people as well as identifying their own areas for professional development. The manager receives regular supervision from the responsible individual.

p.10

good

The home is fully staffed to meet the needs of the young people. The majority of staff have completed their Level 3 Diploma and are experienced in working with young people. Following the last inspection new staff have commenced work in the home, completed their probationary period successfully and are being supported by the management team in achieving their Level 3 Diploma.

p.10

good

Incidents of significant events are recorded and reported to appropriate authorities. This ensures young people are protected through strategy meetings arranged with professional services that agree a plan of action to keep young people safe.

p.10

good

There were no requirements or recommendations made at the last inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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