Children's home run by Sandcastle Care Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1276050 1 Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of a number owned by a private provider. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for two children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is currently occupied by one child.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has recently resigned his position as he moves to another home within the organisation. He is currently supporting the deputy manager in an extended handover as she prepares to submit an application for registration to Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 18 to 19 December 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: this is the home’s first inspection

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1276050 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

No previous inspections Inspection report children’s home: 1276050 3

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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

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans

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Requirement Due date

In particular that incidents are managed in line with behaviour management plans and risk assessments and this is reflected in records. 18/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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— the name of the child; details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used; 18/01/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1276050 4 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person

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Requirement Due date

to do so (‘the authorised person’)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a home that is safe and homely and that provides them with space to grow and develop. One child has said that the home is ‘too big’ and staff have made changes to living arrangements and the layout of the home to relieve anxiety around this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have encouraged children to personalise their bedrooms, and they have personal photos of staff, family and of various activities displayed. The inspector observed many pictures made by children through arts and crafts sessions displayed in their bedroom. One child keeps pet fish in their bedroom, helping to encourage their independence and responsibility. However, routines need to be further developed to improve children’s understanding about tidying their bedrooms and role-modelling acceptable standards.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have opportunities on a day-to-day basis to take part in hobbies and have fun. One child is progressing in horse-riding lessons as well as taking part in activities such as trampolining, theme parks and baking. Staff demonstrate a very good understanding of each of the children’s likes, and together they design structured, well-planned activities. This was confirmed by the social worker who said the home is providing ‘opportunities she has not had before’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend school regularly and do very well. Managers at the home have been proactive in arranging education for one child who was not in education before coming to the home. Managers arranged a horse-based training and education placement to engage the child through their interest in horses. This was then progressed to 1-to-1 tutoring before a planned transition to school was arranged. School staff confirmed that communication and collaboration were successful in helping to re-establish a school Inspection report children’s home: 1276050 5 routine.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between staff and children are good. Children spoke extremely positively about staff and said they wanted to stay at the home and were happy, giving the home ‘10 out of 10’. Children’s confidence has grown, enabling them to chair their own looked after children’s review.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Transitions into and out of the home have been poorly planned. Assessments to match children to live together were poor and have not taken into account the skills and abilities of the staff team to meet children’s needs and keep them safe. As a result, placements ended in crisis. This has led to a requirement.

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

Children are becoming increasingly safe in this home. Incidents of challenging behaviour are reducing. Clear, well-written behaviour management plans and risk assessments mean that staff are able to use consistent strategies that work to defuse and de-escalate incidents. To further improve records of incidents, managers need to reflect on the strategies used to enable an accurate review of plans. This will also provide a further opportunity to reflect on practice.

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

The home provides trained therapists. Therapists practise in line with professional standards. Multi-professional plans are devised to help children manage their behaviour and worries. As a result, children are learning to understand triggers and use strategies that help prevent escalation. One child said, ‘I have learned how to control my behaviour a bit better and I’ve built my confidence up… I’ve been a bit better at controlling my anger.’

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. If this does happen, staff are proactive in their responses. They report to all relevant agencies in a timely manner and request that return home interviews are undertaken. However, when these have not taken place, managers have not escalated this to the relevant professional. This means that they are unable to learn from independent interviews with children.

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

Staff provide key-worker sessions on a regular basis, including after incidents. Training is also provided to children to help them understand risks, such as being involved in gangs and drugs and alcohol misuse. This helps children to develop their knowledge and skills and understand how to keep themselves safe when not with an adult.

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

Restraint practice has not always been recorded in line with regulation. Following restraints, debriefings have been completed with staff and children. The feedback received is used to inform plans for children. As a result, incidents of restraint are reducing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has recently resigned his position as he moves to another home Inspection report children’s home: 1276050 6 within the organisation. He is currently supporting the deputy manager in an extended handover as she prepares to submit an application for registration to Ofsted. This practice is ensuring that there is continuity of care for staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The current management team leads a staff team which is passionate and motivated. Staff have a good understanding of children’s needs. Relationships between children and staff are positive and sincere.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers work well with other professionals. One social worker spoke highly of the progress that has been achieved with children because of the support and advocacy for children. Managers send regular updates to professionals on the progress of children and include the child’s voice, including their views, wishes and feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision resulting in action plans that detail their development needs and priorities for learning and practice. This ensures that staff continue to develop in their role. Training is good. Staff told the inspector that they have ‘a mixture of online learning, face-to-face training and group work’. This has supported their personal development as well as development of the staff team.

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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: 1276050 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Jessica Forshaw, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1276050 8 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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