Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581296 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 provides care and accommodation for up to two young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 10 and 11 February 2021

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out in line with Ofsted’s procedures for monitoring services when there are concerns about the safety of children during the current period of suspended routine inspection activity. The visit was carried out using a combination of on-site and off-site activity.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found shortfalls in safeguarding practices and identified that the registered manager is not leading and managing the home in a manner that is consistent with the aims outlined in the statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

The home registered with Ofsted in March 2020. Since registration, the previous manager was promoted and resigned from the post. The company has recruited a permanent registered manager, who has stepped up from a deputy manager position.

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This monitoring visit

There have been two separate serious incidents that occurred in the early hours of the morning when the child had been left unsupervised due to staff negligence. This placed the child at risk of harm, and it fails to demonstrate that staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Following the serious incidents, the provider took appropriate action against the staff members involved and introduced safeguarding strategies to prevent further incidents occurring. However, not all staff then followed the strategies in place to keep the child safe. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581296 2 The registered manager has not included all known risks when undertaking impact risk assessments. This does not ensure that children’s needs are fully understood or carefully planned for.

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This monitoring visit

Some care documents in the home provide staff with conflicting information about the strategies in place to minimise risks. For example, not all documents provide the same information about the safety measures in place for when the child is travelling in a vehicle. Consequently, staff practice is not consistent when minimising risks. The registered manager had not identified this conflicting information.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that not all areas of the premises are secure and designed to keep the child safe. The padlock on the gate in the rear yard was unlocked and window restrictors in the child’s bedroom were broken. Dangerous substances and sharp, hazardous items, including knives and scissors, were not stored securely. Given the nature of the child’s behaviours and strategies implemented to keep the child safe, this is crucial, and it fails to demonstrate that the registered manager and staff are consistently following the safety measures in place.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not always work together as a team and have not consistently followed the risk management strategies in place to keep the child safe. Although staff have received training in areas such as safeguarding, self-harm and trauma, this has not had the desired impact in bringing about a reduction of incidents and stability needed for the child. The registered manager and staff are unable to demonstrate that they have sufficient skills and experience to manage the complex behaviours of the child effectively and support her to consistently achieve positive outcomes.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s monitoring and review systems are not robust. Although incidents occurring inside and outside the home are reviewed and evaluated by the registered manager, they do not identify what is working well, any weaknesses in practice and what needs to happen to make sure the child is safe. Furthermore, the registered manager was unclear if the shortfalls identified during the visit are serious incidents and notifiable.

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This monitoring visit

Despite the shortfalls identified, the child spoke positively about the staff who care for her. Work has been completed with the child about the dangers surrounding social media platforms and she has a good awareness of the associated risks.

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This monitoring visit

Children living in the home have access to the company’s therapist. The child spoke positively about the support she has received from the therapist. The child said that this has helped her start to understand her emotions. However, due to the therapist being unable to visit the home, the child feels that this has had an unsettling effect on her behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have access to individual supervision sessions, team meetings and daily handovers. This provides staff with opportunities to reflect on their practice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581296 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581296 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, 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 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v) )

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff’s understanding and implementation of each child’s risk assessment, and their role in keeping children and the premises safe and secure. 28 March 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—

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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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 28 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581296 5 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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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)(b)(c)(d)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff training, sufficiency of staffing to reflect the needs of the children and monitoring of the home’s practice by the manager.

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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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the need to making sure all necessary information is captured on the impact risk assessments, including relevant background histories, in order to make an accurate assessment of the risk factors associated with any new admissions and also the potential risk on other children in placement. 28 March 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

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 28 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581296 6

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the home’s safeguarding practice. This was due to an escalation in serious incidents arising from notifications.

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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

Mike Charnley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581296 7 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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