Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2495513 1

p.1

Sandcastle Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is one of a number of homes operated by a private provider. The home provides care and accommodation for up to three children who may have social, emotional and/or behavioural needs.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Routine inspection activity is currently suspended because of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. This monitoring visit was carried out in line with Ofsted’s procedures for monitoring services during such periods of suspended routine inspection activity due to concerns identified in safeguarding notifications and the independent visitor reports.

p.1

This monitoring visit

During this visit, inspectors identified that the home environment does not promote a safe, nurturing home for children to live in. The home requires immediate work to fix leaks in pipework that has caused damage to the living room ceiling and hallway.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Not all the children’s bedrooms and bathrooms are maintained to an acceptable standard. The rear back garden area has a significant amount of cigarette stubs strewn across the floor and empty food packaging. This detracts from the warm, caring environment that the registered manager is trying to create for children. The registered manager took immediate action to rectify these concerns when this was brought to his attention. He has arranged for contractors to attend to carry out the repairs to the building.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Since the last visit, there is a new registered manager in post. All children have remained living in the home and are making progress in all areas of their lives. All the children spoke positively about the registered manager and staff who care for them and said that staff are ‘great’, ‘helpful’ and ‘understand what I need in my life’. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2495513 2 Professionals are positive about the progress that children make and about the communication systems in place that support children.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The registered manager and staff have recently had to use physical intervention practices due to a significant escalation in children’s behaviours. The interventions were appropriate and well recorded. However, the registered manager had been involved in one of the incidents. Despite his involvement, he had then completed the debrief with the child and compiled the document commenting on the effectiveness of measures. In addition, consequences are not consistently recorded nor is it clear when consequences are reviewed and retracted, if children’s behaviours improved. This is a missed opportunity to demonstrate good practice.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Incidents involving children gaining access to knives has increased in the home. However, the registered manager and staff support children so that they understand the potential outcomes of this risk-taking behaviour. Group and individual work, using online videos and literature, have been completed with all children to help them understand the consequences and legalities around knife crime. Children were very positive about the direct-work sessions that have been completed with them on knife crime, alcohol and drug misuse, county lines and exploitation.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Allegations against staff have been addressed in line with regulations and procedures. Detailed records have been maintained to demonstrate that all necessary actions have taken place and that all safeguarding professionals have been notified and updated throughout the process.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The staff currently working in the home on a full-time basis, including the registered manager and the responsible individual, are male. There is one female night-time practioner. Consideration needs to be given to the gender balance in the team to ensure that children have contact with positive female role models. The registered manager is aware that this was a recommendation at the previous visit.

p.2

This monitoring visit

External monitoring of the home has not been taking place at the children’s home and has remained off site. This does not demonstrate that the independent visitor has reviewed all areas of practice but is reliant on what the manager provides as part of the visit. The visitor’s reports do not consistently include an evaluation of all areas of good practice and identify clear areas that require improvement. This does not help managers to make consistent improvements in the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2495513 3

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 05/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/05/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2495513 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

that that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

p.4

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to improving the cleanliness of the home, repairing pipes and making good any areas affected by water leaks. 2 April 2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

p.4

Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

p.4

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.4

Requirement Due date

the name of the child; 23 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2495513 5 details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.4

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.5

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.5

Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.5

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.5

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.5

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

p.5

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that following any restraint or control, an appropriate person, who was not involved in the restraint or control, completes the relevant recording.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 44 (1)) 23 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2495513 6 This specifically relates to ensuring that the visit routinely takes place on site, rather than virtually.

p.5

Recommendations

 Whenever possible, staff in day-to-day contact with children should include staff from the different gender groups. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.22)

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

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

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.6

Inspectors

Michelle Edge, Social Care Regulatory Inspection Manager Elaine Allison, Social Care Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2495513 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.

p.6

Inspectors

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.7

Inspectors

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

p.7

Inspectors

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

p.7