Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report children’s home: 1184093 1 Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is managed by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for three young people of the same gender, aged between 10 and 18 years, who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is a suitably qualified manager in post who was registered with Ofsted on 31 October 2017.

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 requires improvement to be 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: 6 February 2019

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 1184093 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/02/2019 Full Good 07/11/2017 Full Good 18/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/07/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1184093 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people live in a good home. They benefit from excellent relationships with staff. These relationships enable children and young people to invest in their home and make good progress. On occasion, these relationships break down. Consequently, children and young people disengage with their home. In these instances, staff are proactive and work in partnership with relevant people to resolve the issues.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care planning arrangements for children and young people are inconsistent. In some instances, the care plan is clear. When they are clear, children and young people progress well. However, in more than one circumstance, care planning has not been clear. This has had a negative impact on the children and young people’s progress. This relates to children and young people moving into the home and those who have disengaged with their home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people have opportunities to try new things and develop interests. These interests support them in developing a variety of skills. For example, one child progressed well at sea cadets and really enjoyed his time there. Children and young people are also encouraged and supported to learn more about things they are passionate about.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate well on behalf of the children and young people. This is particularly evident as they prepare young people for adulthood. Staff are sensitive in these situations and work with the young people at their pace. This helps to reduce any fears and anxieties for the young person.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff support children and young people to be healthy and happy. They provide a caring environment where children and young people can feel safe and cared for.

p.3

improvement to be good

When staff understand children and young people’s needs and risks, they manage these well. However, there are times when a child’s care and criminal history is not known. In these instances, the assessments and plans do not provide the required insight to keep children and staff safe. Consequently, children and young people do not progress well.

p.3

improvement to be good

The practice supporting children and young people who go missing from care varies. The policy does not support good safeguarding practice for when children and young people are categorised as absent by the police. Managers agree that this policy needs to be revised to reflect current multi-agency practice. Inspection report children’s home: 1184093 4 When children and young people make complaints, managers respond in a timely way. However, the investigations and reports do not provide all the required information. In addition, the actions taken are not clear enough.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff are passionate about achieving positive outcomes for children and young people. They spend time getting to know children and young people and how they can help them. They are positive advocates and work hard to ensure that children and young people have access to the help and support they need.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff work well with other adults that are involved with each of the children and young people’s lives. Parents and professionals speak positively about the partnership working and the progress that children and young people make.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One professional said, ‘My experience of working with [name of the home] has been positive. I have found the staff team to be very helpful and friendly.’ They went on to say that, ‘I have found the staff team to be proactive in meeting [name of the young person]’s needs.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One parent said, ‘I can’t praise the home enough or what they have done. They have gone above and beyond for [name of the child].’ They went on to say that, ‘The staff are fantastic and that they have really supported [name of the child].’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good support. They have regular supervisions and appraisals. They also have access to a variety of training. However, staff have not undertaken training that is specific and focused in meeting all the children and young people’s needs. Consequently, they do not have the required knowledge to help and support children and young people with specific needs. Inspection report children’s home: 1184093 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child, have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm and that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)(b)) 10/04/2020

p.5

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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose, and that arrangements are in place to ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)) 10/04/2020

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect. The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the missing child policy”) setting out the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission and the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent. Before implementing or making an amendment which the registered person considers to be substantive to, the missing child policy, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person and have regard to any relevant local authority or police protocols on missing children. The registered person must keep under review and, 10/04/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1184093 6

p.5

Requirement Due date

as necessary, revise the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)(6))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, that young people’s absences from home are assessed in line with missing from home policies and procedures, and that these are responded to accordingly.

p.6

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)) 10/04/2020

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and that the training available meets the needs of the children in their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

p.6

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: 1184093 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Lisa Gregoire-Parker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1184093 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.

p.7

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 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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8