Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: 1244283 1 Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Ltd

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children’s home that provides care and accommodation for up to three children and young people.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The children and young people referred to the home may have experienced a sudden placement breakdown. They may be experiencing a situation which does not allow for a longer period of planning and preparation for admission.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home provides a service to children and young people who would benefit from a placement in a small, single-gender, residential setting.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since February 2018 and was registered with Ofsted to be the manager of this home on 11 July 2018.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 31 January 2018

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1244283 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 22/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1244283 3

p.2

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI and make a copy of it available upon request.

p.3

Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(4)(b)) 30/11/2018

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (‘a quality of care review’) at least once every 6 months.

p.3

Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45(1)(4)(a)) 30/11/2018

p.3

Recommendations

 Ensure a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3) Inspection report children’s home: 1244283 4

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s experiences and progress from their arrival in the home, no matter how small, are recognised and rewarded for each child. The children’s involvement in activities, holidays and their chosen hobbies is captured in their memory books. This gives the children a sense of importance, increases their confidence and allows them to quickly settle into the home.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from living in a home where the staff are passionate and committed to making a positive difference in the children’s lives. Staff build positive relationships with the children because they spend valuable time getting to know them. Because of these relationships, the children have a sense of belonging in the home.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are committed to meeting the children’s needs. The registered manager and the staff team consistently focus on the emotions behind the children’s behaviours and not on the specific behaviours themselves. This reflective, calm and therapeutic approach is successful in helping the children to progress.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The health, physical and emotional needs of the children are documented and supported by the staff team and the organisation’s therapist. Physical and mental health are given equal attention, resulting in improvements in both areas for the children.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is valued and supported in the home. When the children do not have an identified education provision, the staff work alongside the placing authority to arrange one. The registered manager has escalated concerns about the children’s education. This has resulted in additional support being provided. For example, trained tutors ensure that the children carry on with their learning and that they do not fall behind educationally.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good transitions into and out of the home. Wherever possible, the children come and visit the home and stay for tea, or the registered manager and staff visit them in their current placement. The children are provided with good information booklets. These show them what to expect, their entitlements and the rules and boundaries of the home. This information is provided to the children prior to or at the point of their admission into the home.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children leave the home, the registered manager and staff provide good ongoing support. This support extends beyond the time initially agreed with the children’s placing authority. The registered manager and staff see this as part of their ongoing duty of care to the children. This approach is excellent. Two children have successfully moved on from the home since the last inspection and they are doing well in their new placements.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are valued and sought regularly. This results in the children developing self-confidence. Children’s meetings are held regularly. These meetings cover a wide range of subjects. The records of these meetings note whether children agree or Inspection report children’s home: 1244283 5 disagree with the decisions made. Actions noted in the minutes are reviewed at the next meeting. This is a good opportunity to ensure that children see how their views make a difference.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children engage and contribute to their meetings held with professionals. The children have a ‘my placement plan’, and this plan runs alongside any plan of care for them prepared by their placing authority and the home. These arrangements ensure that the children have their say, that they are listened to and that they know their current and future arrangements.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff ensure that the children keep in contact with those people who are important to them. This is vital, especially for those children who live a long way from home. A social worker said that the arrangements made for the children keep them in touch with their family and friends. She described the staff as going ‘above and beyond’ in ensuring that safe contact arrangements for the children are maintained.

p.5

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

Children feel safe and protected inside and outside the home. The staff help the children to understand risk and how to keep themselves safe. The staff understand the need for the children to become independent and to take age-appropriate risks. This continues to be developed with the social workers to ensure that the children have the same opportunities as those of their friends.

p.5

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

Risk-assessment and risk-management plans are detailed, and they include clear strategies for the staff to follow. Staff are trained, and they have increased their knowledge around the risks relating to:  self-harm  child sexual exploitation  county lines  radicalisation  domestic abuse.

p.5

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

This allows the staff to anticipate, review, plan for and reduce the risks for the children.

p.5

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

Staff encourage the children’s positive behaviour through clear and consistent boundaries. The staff help the children to reflect on situations and this supports the children to understand acceptable behaviour. The children develop empathy towards each other and towards other people.

p.5

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

The home opened in January 2017 and since this time there have never been any physical interventions used to manage the children’s behaviours. This is because the registered manager and the staff know the children’s underlying emotions well. The staff identify the children’s triggers and they support the children to reduce their potential risks. This helps the children to change their behaviours.

p.5

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

Incidents of the children going missing from the home have reduced. When these do Inspection report children’s home: 1244283 6 happen, staff are proactive in their responses. The staff have clear guidelines on how to respond, including following the children. Effective return home interviews are carried out with the children.

p.5

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

These return home interviews gather intelligence on the children’s whereabouts. This information is useful and is shared should a multi-agency meeting be required. This allows all risks and strategies to be reassessed and strengthened by professionals when the children are away from the home without permission.

p.6

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

The organisation follows the safer recruitment guidance. All checks are completed and verified to make sure that new and existing staff are suitable to work with the children.

p.6

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

Regular health and safety checks are carried out, which means that the home is physically safe and secure. All visitors are required to show identification and to sign in and out of the home. Children and staff regularly take part in safe evacuations of the building. This means that they know what to do in an emergency.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced and qualified registered manager. She is supported by two senior practitioners. Together they set the high standards of care and they endeavour to improve the lives of the children. The registered manager is passionate and inspirational. She supports her staff and there is a clear commitment to ongoing improvement throughout the home.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

In addition to having formal reflective supervision and annual appraisals, staff report that the registered manager is always available for informal practice discussions. Formal supervision involves discussion about the children and particularly focuses on the children’s needs. Staff said that the registered manager is nurturing of the staff team, and regardless of what happens, she creates a stable environment because she has a good understanding of the children’s needs and the staff’s needs.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The records for the staff and registered manager’s supervision do show consistency in line with the organisation’s policies. However, the supervision records for September 2018 are not complete. Because of this, a recommendation is made. This is to ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is sufficiently staffed to meet the needs of the children. The staff are suitably qualified or working towards a recognised qualification. The staff undertake regular training and they attend team meetings. This keeps them up to date on current legislation or updated guidance. Staff cover shifts for each other, meaning that agency staff are never used in the home. This provides the children with consistency and means that the children can always approach someone whom they know.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s statement of purpose is available in the home. Since the last inspection, some staff changes have taken place, and this is reflected in the revised statement of Inspection report children’s home: 1244283 7 purpose. However, the revised statement of purpose has not been sent to Ofsted as required by regulation. Because of this, a requirement is made. This is to ensure that the regulator is kept informed of any staff changes in the home.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The senior practitioner’s internal monthly audits are carried out, and when completed these are overseen by the registered manager. This process ensures that the records the staff complete are legible and up to date. The registered manager welcomes the monthly report provided by the independent person. This provides an overview of the children’s quality of care and how the children are safeguarded.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager’s own review of the quality of care is complete. However, this has not been forwarded to Ofsted in line with regulatory timescales. Because of this, a requirement is made. This is to ensure that the regulator is kept informed of the developments in the home.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is proactive in challenging placing authorities when information on children is needed or is missing. The manager and the staff are strong advocates for the children. They work together to provide the children with consistent care and stability. They have a shared sense of responsibility and commitment to the children.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is spacious, well furnished, comfortable and personalised to meet the children’s needs. There were no requirements or recommendations made at the last inspection.

p.7

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.

p.7

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: 1244283 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Ltd

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Mark Kersh, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1244283 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9