Children's home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Wyre

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:

 Young people are very positive about their progress and experience of living at the home, and say they always feel supported. Young people develop positive, nurturing relationships with staff. They are generally very well behaved, but if not, staff help them to learn from mistakes and to move on positively.  The views, wishes and feelings of young people are listened to and respected. They are encouraged to participate in decision-making processes concerning the development of the home.  Young people’s physical health is managed well. Staff ensure that young people’s healthcare needs are met, and that they access a range of specialist support to promote their emotional well-being. Some young people benefit greatly from the therapeutic input provided by the organisation.  The staff provide a wide variety of fun and stimulating activities, which have helped the young people to make great strides in their resilience, skills and

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The children's home provision is good because:

confidence.  Young people are encouraged and supported to engage with their education. Where young people are new to the home, the management team advocates strongly on their behalf and challenges education professionals effectively to ensure young people have appropriate learning provision in place.  Protecting young people and keeping them safe from harm are firmly embedded in practice. The management team and staff fully understand the particular vulnerabilities of each young person. Young people say they feel safe in the home.  Detailed planning supports young people in their day-to-day routines, and it is evident that young people contribute to their records and care plans. Staff offer consistent support and guidance to young people as they progress towards adulthood.  Leadership and management of the home are strong. The registered manager and deputy ensure that staff provide a high standard of consistent care, and that

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

they are provided with good-quality supervision and training. There is effective use of internal and external monitoring systems.  Significant financial investment in the home has improved the internal and external environment. This has created a warm and welcoming home.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Children should be in full-time education while they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full-time attendance at school unless the child's relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)  The registered manager should ensure that when considering new placements they fully consider the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of young people, and support their judgement with evidence of compatibility with existing residents. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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Information about this children's home

This is one of a number of children’s homes owned and operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 23/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/01/2016 Full Good 03/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/09/2014 Full Good

p.5

Good

Young people have positive relationships with staff and feel valued and listened to. The home provides a supportive, nurturing environment where young people develop a sense of stability and belonging. As a result, young people are more able to engage with the support and guidance that they receive through therapy. They become more emotionally resilient, and begin to overcome the negative impact of past traumatic events. From their starting points, young people enjoy new experiences and make progress.

p.6

Good

Young people who are new to the looked after system receive reassuring and supportive care. One young person said, ‘I was really scared about care and places like this, but now I am here it is great. I would sooner be with my family, but here is the next best thing. I have everything I need here.’

p.6

Good

Staff are aware of the need to listen to young people, and arrangements exist that allow young people to express themselves and share their views. Staff respect the view that young people do not want formal residents’ meetings. They seek young people’s views in a number of different ways – for example, through informal one- to-one discussions with staff, questionnaires completed by young people, and individual formal meetings with the registered manager or deputy. The home’s records reflect these discussions, and show that staff are responding positively and practically to young people’s suggestions about their care and day-to-day arrangements.

p.6

Good

Young people attend their health appointments. They have annual health assessments, and their physical health is monitored and maintained. Staff work in partnership with health professionals to ensure any treatment with medication is effective and reviewed regularly. Robust procedures are followed for the storage, administration, recording and disposal of medication. Regular stock checks ensure that all medication in the home is accountable.

p.6

Good

Young people living in the home lead healthy lifestyles; they do not smoke or engage in habits that may lead to poor health in the future. They have a healthy, balanced diet that is monitored by staff, so that they have a clear sense of the nutritional value of their overall diet. This allows young people to have the occasional unhealthy treat and still be healthy.

p.6

Good

Young people have access to a range of services to promote their emotional well- being. Some young people engage in therapeutic counselling for extended periods. Often, they can reflect on how this has helped them to understand and come to terms with the impact of negative experiences in childhood. Therapists working for the organisation provide regular feedback to staff of the work they have carried out with young people, and this is used effectively to update and amend care plans. Staff also have access to the organisation’s psychologist and, through discussion in team meetings, build a greater understanding of young people’s psychological needs and associated behaviours.

p.6

Good

The management team and staff have been proactive in liaising with schools, placing authorities and the virtual headteacher to ensure suitable educational arrangements are in place for young people. One young person has 100% attendance and is achieving well in education. Another young person, who has an educational provision in place, is not currently attending full-time. As a result, a recommendation is made. This is to ensure the home aims to support full-time attendance in education for this young person.

p.7

Good

Professionals and teaching staff are complimentary about the support and services that staff provide to the young people. One social worker said, ‘This home is really supportive towards my young person. Staff are very good in communicating with me, and always available for meetings. They have advocated well on my young person’s behalf in terms of education, and my young person has told me he is really happy living in this home.’ A designated teacher for children looked after said, ‘Staff go above and beyond to ensure young people do not miss out on education.’

p.7

Good

Young people’s relationships often outlast their placement in the home. The home stays in contact with many young people who have moved on. One young person recently moved into semi-independent accommodation and enjoyed a farewell meal with his staff. Another young person, whose placement at the home broke down, regularly telephones the staff. This young person has nothing but praise for the home, and told the inspector during a telephone conversation, ‘I wish I was back at the home. The staff were great, and it was me who got myself involved with the wrong crowd. I wish I had listened to the staff.’ This helps the young people who are currently living in the home see that staff are fully committed to supporting them in the long term.

p.7

Good

Young people are able to keep in touch with family members and significant people in their lives. Staff place great value on these arrangements as they are important to young people. Staff and each young person are clear about contact arrangements, including access to advocates and independent visitors, and any restrictions or limitations on their contact arrangements and the reasons for these.

p.7

Good

Young people are provided with living accommodation that is spacious and tidy. The home has benefited from financial investment and improvements, including complete decoration and replacement floor coverings, new furniture, fixtures, fittings and bathroom suites. Consequently, young people’s surroundings and comfort in the home have improved significantly. The staff offices have been redesigned, and an extra computer supplied. This contributes to better organisation, and the staff’s access to documentation is improved.

p.7

Good

Young people are safe in the home and say they feel safe. This is because the management and staff team are proactive and highly skilled in dealing with any incidents that occur. As a result, young people feel secure in the knowledge that staff will keep them safe. Consistent boundaries and staff practice have resulted in sustained improvement to young people’s behaviour. The management and staff team use positive parenting strategies. They know where their young people are and enquire, as any reasonable parent would, before agreeing arrangements for young people to be at certain locations, such as at the homes of friends or family or at local activity clubs.

p.8

Good

As a result, young people enjoy a variety of activities away from the home. They continue with their own preferred interests and hobbies. One young person enjoyed their time at the art project over the summer break, and another young person enjoys the cinema and theme park. Young people experience the same opportunities as their peers.

p.8

Good

Staff have a good understanding of each young person’s specific vulnerabilities and associated risks. These are reflected in risk assessments that provide detailed strategies for staff to follow to minimise the chance of the young people being absent or missing from the home and coming to harm. There have been no instances of young people currently living in the home being absent or missing. And records kept in the home show staff have followed the necessary procedures when previous young people have been absent, and these include a return home interview for young people.

p.8

Good

Young people’s care is individualised, and received from staff they know and trust. Care plans are detailed, and in the main risk assessments are well written and reviewed regularly. While young people’s risks are considered and recorded during the referral process, there is no system in place to show strategies for staff to use at the point of accommodation. As a result, a recommendation is made. This is to ensure that young people living at the home experience less disruption due to challenging behaviour of other young people, and in addition that risks at the point of admitting young people are fully understood by staff, with strategies in place to manage young people’s risks.

p.8

Good

There has been a period of disruption in the home. The registered manager recognised when they could no longer keep a young person safe, and worked with the social worker to identify a safe placement. A police officer attached to the early action team said, ‘The young person was mixing with inappropriate youths who have been troublesome in the local area. And, if the young person had stayed in the home, he would have ended up being criminalised, which would jeopardise his future. I have been to many children’s homes and this is one of the best as the staff put young people’s needs first.’

p.8

Good

There are currently no behavioural issues with any of the young people living in the home. Where issues have arisen previously, restraint was only used to protect a young person, others and property. All staff are trained in safe restraint techniques, and the records in the home show interventions were short in duration. It is evident within the records that opportunities for young people to reflect on incidents, and staff to reflect on practice, took place.

p.9

Good

The home provides young people with appropriate levels of physical safety and security. This is achieved through established risk-assessment processes that are overseen by the management team. In addition, regular health and safety checks by designated staff are carried out and recorded, including fire drills and evacuations, and fire equipment is checked and serviced at required intervals.

p.9

Good

A new staff member confirmed that she was suitably vetted and checked prior to appointment, and that she completed a full induction into the organisation and the home. This ensures that safe and appropriately trained staff care for young people. The home provides a thorough and extensive induction period, which is monitored and evaluated by the registered manager. Through this effective system, staff are confident in their role prior to working directly with young people, and young people are not put at risk from unsuitable adults caring for them.

p.9

Good

An inspirational and ambitious registered manager leads the home. She holds a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Care, and has substantial experience of working in children’s homes. She is supported by a competent deputy and experienced team leaders. The home is well resourced and managed in line with the home’s Statement of Purpose document. The management team creates a culture of high aspiration within the staff team. Strong leadership means that staff are positive, and provide the best quality of care to make a sustained difference in the young people’s lives.

p.9

Good

The management team provides an ongoing programme of formal supervision and annual appraisal. This is used effectively to promote the professional development of the staff team, and to set out expected standards of work practice. Staff participate in core training events regularly to update their knowledge and skills. This means that staff are able to build their knowledge and skills, and develop ways of working with young people with differing needs.

p.9

Good

The home has a stable and skilled staff team. Staff turnover is low, ensuring consistency of care for the young people. The majority of staff have an appropriate qualification. Two members of staff are currently completing their Level 3 Diploma for Residential Care, within the timescales specified by the regulation. When complete, all staff in the home will have an appropriate qualification.

p.10

Good

Collectively, staff are proud of the work they do, the support they receive, and the achievements the young people make. One said, ‘Managers are very supportive. Our young people come first and I love working here. This home has a relaxed and calm feel to it; you notice it when you walk in.’

p.10

Good

The registered manager is committed to developing the service, and has effective internal and external monitoring processes in place. The independent person reports provide a high level of scrutiny, which is valued by the registered manager, who strives for continual improvement. The registered manager and deputy undertake a range of monitoring activities. This includes completing monitoring reports, monitoring young people’s case files and paperwork, and seeking feedback from professionals, parents and young people. This feedback informs an overall development plan, which has been actioned within the timescales specified.

p.10

Good

The management team and organisation are committed to continued improvement for the benefit of the young people. The one requirement made at the last inspection has been met. Arrangements are now in place to ensure a return home interview is carried out should a young person be absent or missing from the home.

p.10

Good

The management team and staff work effectively in partnership with other agencies and professionals to ensure young people are safe and that care planning is meeting their needs. They challenge and negotiate constructively to find solutions with other professionals and agencies. This benefits young people in relation to their health, education and emotional needs.

p.10

Good

Young people contribute to their care plans, and have their own placement plan. They participate in review meetings, and understand the decisions made about their care and future. Memory boxes and scrapbooks build up to provide young people with a memory and journey. This will benefit young people when they are older, and allow them to reflect on their time spent in the home.

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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 that 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 that 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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