Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: 1255520 1 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 is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home may provide care and accommodation for single- gender occupancy only. The manager is registered with Ofsted and has been in post since 2017. She has the relevant level 5 management qualification.

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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: 20 November 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1255520 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/11/2018 Full Good 14/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1255520 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have positive experiences living at this home. They receive good care from staff who are qualified and experienced. From their point of placement, they make progress in all areas. One young person has made exceptional progress from her starting point and her life chances and opportunities are significantly improved. Young people show particularly good progression in respect of their maturity, independence skills and ability to emotionally regulate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Opportunities for young people to share views and opinions are plentiful, and they engage well in discussions with staff. Direct work is relevant and meaningful and is underpinned by positive and trusting relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home itself replicates a family home environment. It has a warm, welcoming and friendly atmosphere. The young people evidently feel relaxed and at home in the setting. They value their personal space within the home and have a strong sense of their right to keep this private.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Every effort is made to get young people into education, although at times this is not entirely successful. Young people in placement are both currently registered in full-time education but on one day of the inspection, neither attended their identified provisions. One young person is unable to manage full days in school yet, but the part-days she is attending shows progression from her starting point.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The health needs of young people are met. They are supported to make and attend appointments as appropriate, and gain in confidence at doing this. One young person’s placement plan was not up to date in respect of information relating to her health. Similarly, the overall aims and objectives of a young person’s placement plan were not current.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both young people have specific needs arising from their cultural background. The home has been slow to respond to the cultural dietary preferences of one young person. She, her mother and social worker all commented on this when asked for their views about the placement. At the time of the inspection, a culturally appropriate weekly menu was in place.

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

Risk assessments correctly identify risks for children. Appropriate strategies are in place for risk management and reduction. One young person’s risks have reduced significantly over the duration of her placement. Her risks are now low. Another young person is less settled at the home. Her risks relating to going missing from home have increased recently, as has her risk of child sexual exploitation. Staff do everything they can to keep the young person safe. Despite their efforts, she is high-risk in this area. Inspection report children’s home: 1255520 4 Missing-from-home profiles are in place which are thorough. They contain detailed information about known associates and people who may harbour the young person when she goes missing. Missing-from-home records, although detailed, are not always clear to follow. One had the wrong date of the incident of going missing recorded.

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

Staff are trained in areas relating to risk and risk management. Staff spoken to during this inspection understood the risks relating to young people. They also felt confident in their ability to respond to those risks.

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

Young people’s positive behaviour support plans are detailed. They contain clear strategies for intervention and de-escalation. There is evidence of young people’s contribution to these plans. In general, young people’s behaviour is settled and well managed by staff. However, there had been a very serious incident relating to one of the young people immediately prior to this inspection. This had resulted in a staff member being assaulted and the police being called to the home. The incident had been managed and the young person was being helped to reflect on what had happened and to rebuild her relationships with staff.

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

One young person is at risk using social media and having access to the internet. Although this young person is high-risk and there have been several strategy meetings held in an attempt to manage this risk, there are still no restrictions around her internet access.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is well managed. The registered manager is passionate about the welfare and well-being of the young people in the home. She understands the home’s strengths and makes every effort to build on these.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is stable and consistent. Staff are well qualified and have a good variety of experience to bring to the team. Staff spoken to during this inspection were committed, confident and competent. Two members of staff have self-funded a level 5 management qualification to progress their professional development. Staff feel supported and valued by managers and this leads to positive staff morale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Working as part of a multi-agency team around the young people is central to the ethos of the home. Records evidence proactive multi-agency working. Positive feedback from several different agencies was reviewed during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records are generally of a good standard and most are detailed. Some records reviewed were not up to date and some had no manager’s evaluation or signature on them, such as the consequences log. More robust internal monitoring systems would positively address these deficits.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A complaint was recorded in a daily log which had not been recorded within the complaints book. There was no evidence that this complaint had been investigated. This has resulted in a requirement being made. Inspection report children’s home: 1255520 5

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(h)) 25/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 25/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 25/03/2020

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Recommendations

 The registered person must provide care which meets each child’s needs and promotes their welfare, taking account of the child’s gender, religion, ethnicity, cultural and linguistic background, sexual identity, mental health, any disability, their assessed needs, previous experiences and any relevant plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.2) Inspection report children’s home: 1255520 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: 1255520 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

Charlie Bamber, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1255520 8 to 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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