Children's Home run by Aspris Care North West Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report children’s home: 1254055 1 Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s ethos of care is one of immediate acceptance and empathy, irrespective of presentation. It is flexible and responsively determined by the unique circumstances of the children at the time, without detracting from the need for children to experience a safe, warm, nurturing, stable and consistent living environment, however short or long their stay. The home is operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children. The registered manager has been in post from the home’s registration in August 2017. He is currently undertaking his level 5 qualification.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1254055 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 30/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1254055 3

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a workforce plan, which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 paragraphs 19 and 20. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There has been meticulous planning for every young person who has been accommodated in the home, with careful matching that involves the children. The management team and staff respond to the children and to their individual needs so that their experience of care is highly personalised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The whole staff team strongly commits to never ‘give up’ on a child and the staff team members do everything possible, including challenging professionals and placing authorities, to maintain the placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The management team and staff know the children extremely well; they have built and sustained strong attachments and effective relationships with them. The care and support that they provide is bespoke to meet the individual and collective needs of the children. For example, group camping activities and holidays feature regularly and the children’s individual interests are catered for, such as going to watch their favourite premiership football team, fishing and attending wrestling tournaments across the country. Children are afforded the same opportunities as their friends who live at home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Without exception, each child has made remarkable progress from the time that they came to live in the home. Working hard to ensure that this continues, the manager describes the staff approach as good parenting, where the children trust the staff who care for them. The rules in the home are fair and agreed with the children. Regular attendance in education and clear aspirations for their future mean that all of the children are achieving improved outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All staff have embraced the therapeutic model of care described in the statement of purpose and either naturally understand the principles of attachment and good parenting or have learned them. The staff team members work hard to put the theory into practice. They benefit from the organisation’s psychotherapist for continual guidance and support. This greatly benefits the children who willingly engage weekly in therapy sessions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff act as very good role models to the children. They participate in activities, explore Inspection report children’s home: 1254055 4 favourite holiday destinations and lead by example, providing the children with positive values and aspirations to help those less fortunate than them. For example, the children’s idea to organise a football tournament including boys and girls has been embraced by the senior management team and other homes within the organisation. As well as having fun and being competitive, the children and staff will also raise money for a national charity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are encouraged to build their independence skills by using a fully furnished flat, away from the home. This provides them with a sense of reality and prepares them well for adult life.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

The children told the inspector that they feel safe and protected in the home. They have no complaints and told the inspector that they are really settled in the home. Individual risk assessments are detailed, relevant and clearly focused on reducing all identified risks.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

The staff have a good understanding of safeguarding and all staff are fully trained. There is a ‘read me’ file containing research-informed practice on all aspects of safeguarding, which staff regularly discuss. Children have a ‘current affairs’ file where up-to-date news stories are regularly discussed with them.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

From the commencement of placement, none of the children have been missing or absent from the home. They are not considered to be at risk, even when out of the home taking age-appropriate risks but keeping themselves out of trouble.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Restraint has never taken place as the children fully understand the rules of the home and fully adhere to these. Sanctions are minimal and they are usually earned back because of children acknowledging their inappropriate behaviour and quickly changing their ways.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Safe systems ensure that all visitors to the home are asked to produce their identity and sign in. Thorough recruitment checks are completed on new or existing staff to ensure that those providing the care to the children are suitable to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is experienced, on target to complete his level 5 qualification, enthusiastic and wants the best outcomes for the children and his staff. He is supported by a senior practitioner and a whole staff team whose members share the same vision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The children’s progress is captured in their individual records and shows clear benchmark data. The whole team regularly analyses this information and the records show the journey of the children. The staff celebrate the children’s achievements in education, employment and social presentation and attitude every day. Inspection report children’s home: 1254055 5 Staff are encouraged to develop their skills and experiences through regular training and reflective supervision and team meetings. They told the inspector that they feel very much supported in the work that they do with the children. Individual staff roles are delegated, such as education, activities and training around child exploitation and radicalisation and online safety. This helps staff to develop an area of expertise that they can share with each other and the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Regular monitoring, internally and externally by an independent person, clearly identifies the strengths of the home and areas for improvement. The provider has an accurate view of what needs to improve and what is working well through regular monitoring arrangements. The staff are sufficient in number and mostly qualified. The registered manager is putting together a workforce plan. Once completed, this will detail the necessary management and staffing structure and will bring all information together, as required by regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

During the inspection, the inspector viewed very positive feedback from professionals and other agencies that visit the home. Those who the inspector spoke with commended their positive relationships with the manager and staff and how well the home’s staff communicate with them. Individually and collectively during discussions with the inspector, the children interacted well and they told him how proud they are of the progress that they have made since arriving at the home.

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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 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

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’. Inspection report children’s home: 1254055 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Mark Kersh: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1254055 7 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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