Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240572 1

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Sandcastle Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company and is registered to accommodate up to two children or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since May 2020.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of the visit was to check the safeguarding arrangements in place for protecting children and young people from harm as a result of a rise in serious incidents at the home in recent months.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this visit.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, there have been new admissions; one notably in June 2020 when a young person was placed in an emergency with another young person. Prior to admission, an impact risk assessment was completed that carefully considered the risks that both young people might pose to one another.

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This monitoring visit

Although strategies are in place to prevent or reduce the risk of incidents such as bullying behaviour, these have proved not to be effective. Despite staff’s best efforts to build positive peer relationships, behaviours escalated to the point when one young person was seriously assaulted. This led to a young person’s placement being terminated.

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This monitoring visit

One young person has since moved on to a foster placement as part of his planned transition. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240572 2 The home experienced an unsettled period because significant changes were made to the staff team as a result of some staff being suspended following an allegation. This led to inconsistency in practice. As staff returned to the home, stability was restored and consistency improved.

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This monitoring visit

Staff work with each young person with the help of the therapist to self-regulate their emotions and take responsibility for their behaviour through key-work sessions that are relevant to their age and understanding. Staff also help young people to resolve conflicts, but this has not always been effective as confrontations have continued and led to negative relationships between peers.

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This monitoring visit

The home is currently settled with only one young person in placement. Suitable boundaries are being implemented to help the young person settle in placement and self-regulate his emotions. During the inspection, the young person indicated that he likes the home, is happy and feels safe. There are no immediate plans to make any further admissions.

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This monitoring visit

High levels of supervision and positive engagement help to reduce the risk of young people going missing from home. When there have been missing-from-home incidents, the protocols have been followed and records clearly reflect the actions taken to prompt their safe return. Young people have been spoken to when they return to the home about the risks associated with going missing. There have been no emerging patterns of missing-from-home episodes or any detection of external association with exploitation.

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This monitoring visit

Risk management plans are comprehensive and tailored to the specific needs of the young people. Risks are rated according to their prevalence, and strategies are set out to guide staff in their response to incidents such as self-harm and episodes of young people going missing from home.

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This monitoring visit

A recent incident of self-harm was dealt with quickly and involved carrying out regular room checks, seeking medical attention and removing ligatures. There have been no reported repeated incidents of this nature.

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This monitoring visit

The manager demonstrates good insight into incidents that have occurred and some reflective learning from these events, including the breakdown of a recent placement. However, the learning lacks depth and analysis of how it has impacted on the overall quality of care. The manager evidenced that all necessary action is being taken to keep young people safe, including the use of appropriate holds when physical intervention is required.

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This monitoring visit

Allegations made against staff have been acted on quickly with appropriate safeguards in place to protect young people. There are good recording mechanisms in place which demonstrate a clear audit trail of events, including actions taken in response to allegations against staff. However, the provider has not consistently notified the regulator of all serious incidents and allegations. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240572 3 The registered manager is on track to meet the recommendations set at the last inspection. He has produced a document as part of the home’s development plan that outlines the actions being taken. Individual pieces of work have been undertaken with young people surrounding the risks associated with social media through e-safety, therefore contributing to young people’s safety and protection from harm.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/03/2020 Full Good 23/07/2018 Full Outstanding 22/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 19/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240572 4

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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, the 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—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iv)(v)) 1 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iv)) 1 January 2021

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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— 1 January 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240572 5 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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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) (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 1 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child— 1 January 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240572 6 is instigated; or

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s reasonable preferences in relation to day-to-day arrangements are met with consideration given to safeguarding, particularly in relation to the use of technology. Where a child’s preferences are unreasonable or cannot be met for safeguarding reasons, staff should discuss this with the child to help them understand why. This is with particular reference to ensuring that video games, DVDs and online activities are age appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.21)  The registered person should ensure that all records that must be kept in children’s homes are in place, as detailed in regulations 35 to 39. Case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are actively encouraged to read their records and to add further information to them. They should be regularly reminded of their rights to see information kept about them and be given information about how they might be supported to access their records in later life. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.6)  The registered person should ensure that any registered manager placed in charge of a children’s home or staff member in a deputy or supervisory role, such as shift leader, should have substantial relevant experience of working in a children’s home and have successfully completed their induction for the home in which they are employed. This is with particular reference to the experience, skills and training of lead practitioners. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.21)

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Recommendations

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240572 7

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the actions taken to safeguard children and young people in response to serious incidents.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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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 FY3 9DG

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Inspector

Michael Charnley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1240572 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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