Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: 1265128 1 Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is one of a number operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for two children. The home may provide care for children who have emotional and/or social difficulties. The registered manager has been registered since November 2017.

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Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 14 November 2018

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Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person currently living in the home has a strong sense of belonging. It is where she wants to live. She said, ‘This is my home and I’m happy here.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff encourage the young person to feel at home. The young person has added some personal and creative touches to her bedroom. She likes elephants and has bought cushions and a duvet cover with elephant designs. She has a natural flair for interior design and staff have nurtured this talent. She is taking the lead in making the house Inspection report children’s home: 1265128 2 more homely, for example by adding soft furnishings to the living room.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person feels safe and emotionally secure. She enjoys trusting relationships with the manager and staff. She feels able to talk to any of the adults at any time. Staff support the young person in having a voice. She is an active member in the organisation, speaking out about young people’s experiences of being in care.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person is involved in the decisions about her life. She does not like some of the decisions that the adults make but understands it is necessary so that they can keep her safe.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and leaders have acted decisively to deal with the weaknesses found at the last inspection. This has led to improvements to the young person’s safety and experiences.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff use therapeutic advice and guidance to understand the young person’s experiences and needs and to inform their day-to-day practice. They are providing her with a safe and reliable environment that is helping to improve her emotional well-being. The psychotherapist said, ‘The staff are incredible and really want to get this right. They are generally receptive to advice and are getting more confident with it. Everybody really cares about the young person. It has been a difficult time, but we are in a better place now.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff take effective action when they have concerns about young people’s welfare. They work well with parents, social workers, the police and health and other key professionals to understand the risks to the young person and to put suitable protective measures in place.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff understand and continually assess the risks for the young person. They take considered and reasonable precautions to make sure that the arrangements for the young person’s care protect her from harm. This includes making sure that the arrangements for checking the young person’s welfare at night are followed. The manager is now using thorough monitoring systems to make sure that staff always follow safe care practices.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff, including new members of staff, are vigilant and curious. They recognise when the young person may be struggling. They support her confidently and sensitively and help her to reduce the risk of self-harm. For example, staff let her know that they can see something is wrong and she can talk to them about it when she is ready.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has challenged the local authority and education providers effectively when they have failed in their statutory duties. She has escalated her concerns appropriately and made sure that action is taken to provide young people with the best possible support.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff work successfully with the virtual school head and education providers to ensure that the young person attends formal education. The manager is Inspection report children’s home: 1265128 3 making sure that the plan for the young person’s education does not drift. The young person is increasingly spending more time in school. Consistent daily routines and boundaries are encouraging the young person to take part in education and to make steady progress.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has established a new staff team since the last inspection. She anticipates some further changes and is recruiting new staff. Changes in staff and staff leaving have caused the young person anxiety. The young person said, ‘Staff come and go but we have to live here. It’s not right that they know so much about us then they just go.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Most of the new staff are inexperienced and do not yet have the necessary qualifications, yet they are supporting young people with complex emotional needs. Experienced senior staff and the psychotherapist are working with staff to develop their knowledge and skills. However, staff need opportunities to embed their understanding and use of the home’s therapeutic model of care and to develop their understanding and expertise in supporting children who may have experienced attachment difficulties, trauma, low emotional well-being and self-harm.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good

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Recommendations

 Where positive relationships exist between children and staff this should be respected and maintained as far as possible when making any decisions to alter staffing arrangements. The registered person should respond to children’s views about changes to staff and be aware of the potential impact this may have for the child’s stability and emotional well-being. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.12)  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) In particular, make sure that staff have opportunities to embed their understanding and use of the home’s therapeutic model of care and to develop

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Recommendations

their understanding and expertise in attachment and trauma and self-harm.  All staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, must have the Inspection report children’s home: 1265128 4 qualification in Regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale listed in Regulation 32(5). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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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

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’. Inspection report children’s home: 1265128 5

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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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Inspectors

Nick Veysey, social care inspector Kamal Bhamra, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1265128 6 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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