Children's Home run by Aspris Care North West Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2595021 1

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Sandcastle Care Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is one of several children’s homes operated by a private provider. The home is registered to care for two children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has managed the home since it registered in July 2020.

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This monitoring visit

The home registered in July 2020 and has not yet had a full inspection. This visit was undertaken due to the home being newly registered and concerns being highlighted within the monthly monitoring reports sent to Ofsted, which had not been subject to a safeguarding notification.

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This monitoring visit

The visit was undertaken on site. Inspectors were able to review documents, speak to children, the manager and a member of staff, and have a tour of the premises. There are currently two children living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Children live in a comfortable and nurturing home. The accommodation is of a good standard and children’s bedrooms are decorated to their own tastes. The manager and a member of staff spoke warmly about the children living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Children have been supported to re-engage with education after periods without an educational placement. Both children were attending school at the time of the visit. One child is aiming to return to mainstream school and staff are supporting him to achieve this goal.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors found that impact risk assessments are not robust and do not contain sufficient detail. One child has a serious health condition which was omitted from Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2595021 2 this document. The initial assessment failed to capture detail of the risks associated with this and how staff were able to safely manage this condition. Furthermore, matching documents do not consider the impact that the needs and behaviours of children currently living in the home may have on children who move into the home. There is no clear evaluation that shows how the manager has considered the presenting risks of these children living together and why they feel the matching is appropriate.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s risk management plans do not always contain details of known risks or the strategies to manage these. They do not provide staff with clear actions to follow to minimise all known risks. Where some risks have not been presented for a period of time, these have been removed from the most current assessments. This means that staff would not be alert to the possibility of children presenting this behaviour, or how to respond if they did. Similarly, one child’s missing-from-care profile did not contain key information in relation to risks associated with going missing. This included a history of approaching strangers for lifts and poor awareness of road safety.

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This monitoring visit

The statement of purpose outlines the functions of the home. However, an updated document has not been sent to Ofsted, as required by regulation, following changes to staffing arrangements. The manager sent this to Ofsted when prompted to do so during the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

There have been a number of serious incidents which have not been notified to Ofsted. On one occasion, children left the home after they settled to bed for the night and later returned without staff being aware. Furthermore, where such incidents have required investigation, the manager has failed to keep a written record of this and any learning or action taken as a result.

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This monitoring visit

Social workers are positive about the home. One commented, ‘Staff are good advocates. [Name of the child] is developing a sense of stability and safety.’

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This monitoring visit

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has had a negative impact on activities that the children have been able to participate in since moving into the home. However, staff promote healthy activities such as football and a walk on the beach. One child has learned to ride a bicycle since moving here. Children also enjoy playing on electronic games consoles. However, they have been playing on games which are not appropriate for their age, without challenge from staff, leaving them vulnerable to inappropriate content. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2595021 3

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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

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)(b)) 3 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 3 May 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2595021 4 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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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 any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 3 May 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s record of the event must include a description of the action taken and the outcome of any resulting investigation. Following a notifiable event under regulation 40 the home should contact the placing authority to discuss the need for further action. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.14)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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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 Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sandcastle Care Ltd, 49 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool FY3 9DG

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Inspectors

Genevieve O’Reilly, Social Care Inspector Mandy Williams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2595021 5 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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