Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report children’s home: 1241970 1 Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home may provide care and accommodation for single gender occupancy only.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people admitted to the home have displayed challenging and complex behaviour. Staff have shown an ability to develop strong relationships with young people who challenge rules and boundaries, and who put themselves at risk. Staff have used positive behaviour management skills and they have a good understanding of when to seek support from external agencies. Although this has been an unsettled period at the home, young people have been kept safe and have been cared for well. One young person has been discharged to another home within the company. She identified for herself that she needed a smaller home environment with higher levels of staff support. The move was planned and her risks were well managed until she was able to transfer to the new home, making the move a positive one for her that took into account her wishes and feelings. Inspection report children’s home: 1241970 2 Two young people have been admitted to the home. Managers collate information about

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

young people prior to placement and consider their risks when matching to the young people already resident. Wherever possible, transitions are well planned with young people having the opportunity to visit the home prior to moving in. This helps them adjust and prepare for their placement. One young person’s risks were not fully known at the point of placement and this has resulted in an unsuitable match of young people in the home. Managers could not have foreseen the unidentified risks and had attempted to match the young person appropriately. Young people have made progress in some key areas such as forming trusting relationships, identifying the consequences of their actions, understanding their emotions and improving their confidence and self-esteem. In particular, young people who cannot articulate their feelings have started writing them down in the form of letters, which they pass to staff so that staff know how best to support them.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

None of the young people placed are in a suitable education provision. The manager has worked tirelessly by challenging placing authorities to complete individual educational assessments of young people’s needs. Funding for appropriate schools has also been requested. Although this has not yet been achieved, young people have advanced along the process and are closer to having a suitable education provision in place. On the occasions when young people have gone missing from the home, staff have followed their missing from home procedures. Staff have worked in partnership with parents and other agencies to ensure that young people return safely. The manager requests independent return interviews and has used the records of the return interview to identify any patterns or triggers for young people going missing. Young people do not always have positive relationships with each other. When incidents of threatening behaviour and name-calling have occurred, staff have addressed the issue

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

by holding a group key-worker session. Each young person has been supported to share their feelings about the relationships in the home, and how they can work with one another to prevent or minimise arguments. This is a positive example of young people being helped to cooperate, compromise and be aware of each other’s needs and feelings. One young person admitted to the home has caused significant disruption which impacts on other young people’s happiness and safety in the home. The young person was appropriately matched on the evidence provided to the home at the point of placement. Staff have managed difficult situations well, and made every effort to minimise the impact on other young people. Although the home is committed to maintaining stable placements for young people by reducing any unnecessary placement moves, the manager had identified that the young person was not making good progress and was

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

having a detrimental impact on others in the home. She requested a disruption meeting and has served notice on the placement. Incidents of physical intervention have increased in line with the increasing challenges of young people’s behaviour. Staff have managed situations well, and complete detailed records of the interventions. Young people always have an opportunity to express their views about the incidents. Managers have robust monitoring systems in place that Inspection report children’s home: 1241970 3 identify areas for improvement in the incident records. The general quality of record-keeping in the home is very good. Plans are regularly updated and any changes are clear. Incidents are recorded in detail and records are regularly audited. Staff are positive about working in the home and feel that they are keeping young people safe and helping them to with their progress. Staff report that morale is high and

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

they feel well supported by the manager. One requirement is made at this inspection. This relates to the admission and discharge register being completed for young people who are discharged from the home. This omission does not impact on the care young people receive at the home.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must maintain the records in Schedule 4. Specifically the registered person must maintain a record in the form of a register showing in respect of each child the date on which the child ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 37(2)(a), schedule 4 1(b)) 21/02/2018

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home Inspection report children’s home: 1241970 4 knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sandcastle Care Ltd, 49 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire FY3 9DG

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Inspector

Charlie Bamber, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1241970 5 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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