Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report children’s home: SC363398 1 SC363398 Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to seven children or young people who require care and who may have a range of learning, emotional or physical needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a suitably qualified and experienced manager in post who has been registered with Ofsted since November 2017.

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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 good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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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

Date of last inspection: 20 February 2019

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC363398 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/06/2018 Full Good 15/11/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/04/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC363398 3

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Recommendations

 Staff must ensure that written plans outline young people’s needs and detail how young people are being prepared for independence: This includes supporting the young person to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support and, where the young person is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. (‘Guide to the children’s home’s regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)  Specifically relating to staff debriefing: Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page

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Recommendations

49, paragraph 9.59) Inspection report children’s home: SC363398 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people receive an excellent standard of highly individualised care. This supports them to make consistently positive progress and enhances their day-to-day experiences. A parent commented, ‘The care that they have given [name removed] has been second to none. We couldn’t have asked for anything more.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people benefit from stable placements. One young person recently moved to a service for adults after living in the home for eight years. Staff know young people very well and understand their individual methods of communication and behaviours. This recently resulted in some health issues of one young person being quickly identified and resolved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Managers and staff have developed highly positive relationships with parents. They have worked very closely with one parent to support a young person’s return home. This parent said, ‘I cannot thank them enough for everything they have done. They have made it possible for [name removed] to come home to me. They have made it all possible. They have helped with everything and they really speak up for us.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Care is taken to ensure that young people are supported to express their views and wishes. For example, staff carry out consultation sessions with young people using their individual methods of communication. This helps staff to understand about the things that are important to young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All young people are in education and making good progress. Staff engage in young people’s education planning meetings and demonstrate good awareness of their individual targets. Staff ensure that young people’s education targets are supported by using learning opportunities within the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people have a variety of opportunities to socialise and develop confidence. They are encouraged to take part in fun and fulfilling activities, and have all enjoyed holidays this year. One young person, in particular, has shown remarkable improvement in his ability to interact with peers and engage in social events. This demonstrates his growing confidence and personal development.

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

Arrangements to protect and safeguard young people are good. Managers and staff are intuitive. They know children well and are able to identify potential safeguarding concerns and take appropriate action.

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

Staff have a good understanding of risks to young people’s safety and well-being. There are clear, well-detailed plans in place to manage risks, which are regularly reviewed. This helps to ensure that staff have up-to-date and relevant guidance about supporting young people in a safe manner. Inspection report children’s home: SC363398 5 Due to the nature of their needs, some young people require constant support and supervision. In addition, there are circumstances where young people’s freedom of movement may be restricted in order to protect them from harm. In such circumstances, managers ensure that regular multi-agency discussion and review take place and that agreements are clearly recorded.

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

Staff have a good understanding of individual young people and how they may express anxiety or distress through behaviours. Staff work closely with an in-house clinician to develop positive strategies. This results in a consistent approach, which helps young people to develop safer behaviours, over time.

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

Records of significant events are generally satisfactory but, in some examples, could be improved. Managers have recognised this and are supporting staff to develop their recording and reporting skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a suitably qualified and experienced manager in post who has been registered with Ofsted since November 2017. She is supported by a well-established management team of staff who have a good range of skills and experience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents and external professionals involved in young people’s care speak highly of the home and its leadership. Managers work well with external professionals to help to ensure that young people receive the care and support that they need. Managers advocate strongly for young people and challenge external services that are falling short. This has resulted in some good outcomes for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager carefully considers the needs of prospective young people prior to making admission decisions. She ensures that young people are admitted only if their needs can be met effectively and if they are a correct match for the young people already living in the home. This results in a stable home where young people’s placements do not break down and end only due to planned transitions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are highly motivated and express pride in the home. They confirmed that they receive good levels of support and have regular access to formal supervision. Practitioner well-being sessions are made available to all staff. These are organised by an in-house clinician and are designed to help staff to develop physical and mental self-care strategies to support their well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from a comprehensive training package, which includes a number of courses pertinent to their role. In addition, staff are provided with specialist training based on the complex needs of some of the young people whom they support. Regular team meetings and supervision sessions enable staff to reflect on their practice, share ideas and raise concerns. Inspection report children’s home: SC363398 6

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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 difference 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: SC363398 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

Marie Cordingley, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC363398 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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