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:

 The staff team is extremely enthusiastic about its work and fully supports young people to have an enjoyable time with purposeful activities to enable them to reach their full potential and make progress.  Young people are valued. Warm, nurturing and sensitive relationships are at the centre of the home’s practice. Young people, who have difficulties with social interaction and touch, are actively experiencing outings in social groups and they initiate hugs from staff whom they trust.  Staff successfully advocate for young people and ensure that they receive prompt allocation of the specialist health services they require.  Staff display a commitment to meeting the complex needs of young people. They are skilled at appreciating the often subtle forms of communication, and this ensures that young people have a voice in the home.  A proactive approach is taken to transition planning. Young people are well

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The children’s home provision is good because:

prepared for moving on from the home and careful consideration is given to the impact that this may have on them and the remaining young people.  Staff provide close supervision and individualised support so that young people develop a sense of safety when living in the home and when out in the community. Risks for young people are identified and understood by the staff to keep them safe.  Young people’s behaviour and actions demonstrate that they feel safe in the home and they will approach staff with any worries or concerns they may have. Staff have a very good understanding of individual vulnerabilities and how to protect young people.  A settled staff team, sufficient in numbers, is well supported by the management team and this provides stability and consistency to the young people.  The registered manager provides strong leadership. She communicates very well with external professionals, parents and partner agencies to support the

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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 (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 registered person must: (a) keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it (b) notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 16/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that: within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes: (vii) the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (a)(vii)) 16/09/2016

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Recommendation

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  The children’s home must produce a children’s guide. The children’s guide must be made available to all children when their placement in the home is agreed (or on arrival at the home if the placement is made in an emergency) and must be age appropriate, provided in an accessible format and explained to each child to make sure they understand it. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.21)

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for seven young people with learning disabilities and children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is privately owned. The home states that: ‘Our ultimate ethos is to create a safe, structured and supportive environment and medium for growth in which each of our unique and very vulnerable young people are able to achieve their optimum potential for development in every aspect of their lives, as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose document.’

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

11/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

10/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

Young people show genuine affection for the staff and there is a nurturing and inclusive atmosphere in the home. It is evident that young people have fun and mature as a result. Young people have made progress from their starting points in the home. Staff proudly report on achievements and how young people continue to acquire skills and grow in confidence. Staff know the young people well and they understand the body language and moods of those young people with limited verbal communication. This enables them to listen to young people and respond to their individual and group needs.

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Good

Young people benefit from close support and carefully planned programmes to broaden their social experiences and friendship circles. This has been acknowledged as being difficult for some of the young people, but staff have enabled them to attend clubs and to mix with groups of people outside of the home. They have become less isolated and now have interests external to the home as a result of this sensitively planned support.

p.6

Good

Some examples of progress include social interaction with peers through activities, and developing new skills, such as cooking and independence in self-care skills. There is evidence of change and improvement for young people because of the actions of the staff and the encouraging approach provided to young people. Young people trust staff, and appropriate affection through cuddles is shown towards them. Staff are sensitive when providing personalised care and provide young people with privacy and dignity.

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Good

Parents say that their children are happy and have increased confidence as a result of living in the home. They describe the service provided to their children as, ‘fantastic’ and: ‘friendly, all of the staff are very supportive towards me and my child.’ This is supported by positive feedback received from social workers, a school nurse and an independent reviewing officer. All say that the home works well and in partnership with them to ensure that young people receive good individualised support to meet their needs.

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Good

Photographs are displayed throughout the home evidencing the positive experiences and progress that young people have made. For example, through individual and group activities, nominations and acknowledgement at a special awards evening for looked after children, and their happiness in achieving specific goals set for them to achieve. Detailed, good quality individual care plans and knowledge of each young person, developed over time, mean that staff know how to meet the complex needs of the young people. As a result, young people’s physical, emotional and psychological well-being needs are identified and met. Young people have access to the necessary support to ensure that their health needs are routinely monitored and supported. Staff are trained and confident in routine procedures and support young people who require gastric feeds and medication at specific times.

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Good

Robust procedures are understood and followed by staff for the storage, administration and disposal of medication. All medication is stored in secured cabinets, and the staff who administer it have had appropriate training. Records are maintained and signed, and there are weekly audits of all medication. This ensures that all medication is accounted for and is administered as prescribed.

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Good

Young people’s daily routines are well planned for. Their specific interests are incorporated into activity plans over the summer holidays. Education is valued and young people have provision in place for the start of the September 2016 term. Young people attend and engage in their learning. Education is established in the routines of the day. This results in a home where young people attend school, college or work placements, with attendance levels being consistently good.

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Good

Each day, staff record the positive outcomes that young people have achieved, whether these are in education or in the home. Young people are rewarded for their achievements and these arrangements allow them to modify their behaviour, to see the progress they are making and to experience living in a home that is settled.

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Good

Transition planning is thorough, involves the young people and their families and ensures that suitable support and accommodation are provided to them as they enter into adulthood. Basic independence skills are promoted at an appropriate level, taking into consideration the understanding and chronological age of the young people. This ensures that realistic goals are set for young people to achieve. Staff work closely with young people’s personal advisers. Gradual introductions into their next placement are made, with plans for continued support to meet their specific needs being in place for young people.

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Good

Observations show that young people appear very much at ease with the staff, indicating that they feel safe and are well cared for. They interact confidently, both with staff and each other and move freely around the home. Parents and professionals have confidence that young people are safe and protected in and outside of the home. The routines and organisation in place for young people support them in feeling secure and comfortable in their surroundings.

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Good

Young people are not currently assessed as displaying high risk in the areas of self- harm, going missing or safeguarding. The management team and staff are aware of risks in relation to child sexual exploitation, internet safety and radicalisation. They have received training and have access to information to enable them to act on any concerns or suspicion of abuse. During a discussion with the staff about this training, they demonstrated that they were confident and would not hesitate to act upon any concerns in these areas to protect young people.

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Good

Due to the young people’s complex needs and levels of understanding, they do not bully others in the conventional way. Staff are fully aware of any potential conflicts which may arise between young people, and intervene quickly to defuse potential incidents and prevent any upset. Care is taken when considering admissions of young people into the home to consider whether they are compatible, and to lessen any impact on them or the current resident group.

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Good

The home provides young people with a safe environment and has suitable facilities to minimise any potential conflict or disruptive behaviour. For example, a fully equipped sensory room, games and computer suite provide young people with comfort on the rare occasions when some young people need time out or they just need to get away with a member of staff to somewhere quiet and peaceful. The home affords sufficient space for young people to have privacy or to meet with their family or friends. As a result, there have been no incidents of restraint with young people and their behaviour is not considered an issue.

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Good

Further safeguarding measures are in place for young people, all of which have been consented to by their parents or placing social workers. Such measures include electronic bedroom door alarms, monitors and key fobs replacing light switches. These measures keep young people safe.

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Good

Rewards are used to acknowledge acceptable behaviour and all positive progress that young people make. On the rare occasions when a sanction is imposed, this is usually for reparation due to damage to fixtures, furniture or property. There have been four consequences imposed since the last inspection and records show that some have been earned back for improved behaviour and cancelled. However, some records for consequences imposed are incomplete. As a result, a requirement is made. This is to ensure that records show the effectiveness of any consequence imposed and the effectiveness and impact that this has on young people’s behaviour.

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Good

Regular routine health and safety checks are carried out and recorded by staff. There are risk assessments in place covering the locality in which the home is situated and risk assessments in relation to the home and fire alarm systems. All visitors to the home sign in and are given an explanation of the fire evacuation procedure and assembly point. External professional contractors service electrical and gas appliances as required. These actions keep young people, staff and visitors safe.

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Good

Staff files selected at random show that there are robust recruitment procedures in place. Some relatively new staff also confirmed the checks and application and interview process they went through before commencing work in the home. These included arrangements for training, shadow shifts and information on how young people communicate. These procedures ensure that young people are not placed at risk from unsuitable people.

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Good

Young people benefit from a strong, dedicated and qualified management team. The registered manager is qualified to level 4 and has over twenty years of experience in working with young people. She oversees and supports the work of her management team and staff. The registered manager was not present during this inspection, and all information was easily obtainable from her management team and staff. This ensures that the home continues to operate effectively in the absence of the registered manager.

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Good

The registered manager has a thorough understanding of the complex needs and vulnerabilities of each young person. She maintains oversight of their care plans to ensure that these are focused on improving the life chances and experiences and progress of young people in the home. She is proactive with other professionals and agencies.

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Good

The registered manager and staff advocate well for young people. They use their experience to support proposals for specialist services. Their persistence and perseverance has secured swift allocation of specialist resources to support young people, such as education, health, speech and language services and young people’s futures as adults.

p.9

Good

Sufficient numbers of permanent staff are available to care for young people, some of whom require one-to-one support. Staff receive regular formal supervision and training, and attend team meetings. Observations of staff practice showed staff providing sensitive, caring and thoughtful care with young people. They confirm that they feel supported by the registered manager and management team and that practice is always reflected upon to improve the support and care provided to the young people. The team members are enthusiastic about their roles and clearly enjoy being with the young people. Staff say that they have the training they need to undertake their roles effectively. New staff benefit from a structured induction and higher levels of supervision and support throughout their probation period.

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Good

The home has a development plan to identify and monitor strengths as well as to address any shortfalls or weaknesses in the home. New furnishings, decor and carpets have been completed in line with the timescales set in the development plan. This enhances the quality of the accommodation for the young people and reflects the financial investment of the provider. Other planned work for improvement is ongoing, with the management team and staff being delegated key tasks to ensure that progress is made. This is in relation to administration systems, quality standards and research into practice.

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Good

The registered manager has a good oversight of the quality of care and an accurate view about areas that would benefit from development. She is proactive in ensuring that the home continually develops. For example, young people having a wider range of accessible ways to express their wishes, feelings and views, and staff thinking about how they interpret young people’s non-verbal communication, therefore developing their awareness and skills in evidencing young people’s choices and the progress they are making.

p.10

Good

The home’s statement of purpose document has been revised to reflect staff who have left and new staff who have joined the team. This document is clear and informative. Staff are meeting the expressed aim of the home by providing a safe, structured and supportive environment while providing an integrated and cohesive range of opportunities in line with young people’s individual needs. However, Ofsted has not been provided with the revised statement of purpose document. As a result, a requirement is made. This is to ensure that the regulator is kept informed of any changes in the home, specifically staff changes.

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Good

The young person’s guide is not available in an appropriate format that some young people will be able to read and understand. This was raised during the last full inspection in January 2016. As a result, a recommendation is made. This is to enable all young people to have an accessible formatted document that can be explained to each young person to make sure that they understand it.

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Good

Appropriate monitoring processes, that routinely assess, review and evaluate the quality of care being provided, are in place. The registered manager completes regular reviews of care that are objective and reflect the progress of young people. Independent monitoring, which provides a useful critique of the home and the quality of care provision, occurs monthly.

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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’. 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 children looked after is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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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