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 children 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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This monitoring visit

Ofsted completed a monitoring visit on 10 February 2021. The inspector identified shortfalls in safeguarding practices in the home. Risk management plans were not consistently adhered to and the registered manager was unable to demonstrate robust oversight and monitoring of staff practice. As a result, compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, were issued.

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This monitoring visit

During this visit, inspectors considered the action taken by the provider to meet the steps in the compliance notices. This visit was carried out on site. The inspectors found that the provider had taken action to address the shortfalls identified in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

No children have lived at the home since 17 February 2021. Since the last visit, one child has moved to another care provider. The transition was managed well with a gradual introduction to the new home.

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This monitoring visit

Following the last visit, the registered manager had not updated and reviewed all risk assessments to minimise the risk of harm to the child who had remained living in the home. The risk assessment did not capture or detail the events that occurred on 15 February 2021, when the child went missing from home and returned with an alcoholic drink. However, staff did take appropriate action during and after the incident to safeguard the child. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581296 2 The registered manager had reviewed and updated the strategies in place at night to support the waking night staff. Roles and expectations are clearly captured on staff handover records, but not the relevant risk assessment. Records demonstrate that practice had improved, and staff had planned breaks during the night shift to minimise the risk of staff falling asleep.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment, on inspection, was found to be in a good state of cleanliness and repair. The back gate had been replaced with new padlocks and window restrictors in the child’s bedroom have been fixed. There are new arrangements for storing hazardous substances and sharp objects, which are now kept securely in a locked cupboard in the staff office.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager held team meetings to reinforce the importance of the staff team working together. The importance of consistency, roles and responsibilities and lessons learned from the previous visit had been discussed. In addition, staff had attended training sessions on risk assessments and other key areas such as safeguarding, health and safety, and recording and reporting. This has enhanced their knowledge and skill base. Staff now show a greater awareness of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe.

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This monitoring visit

The leadership of the home has been strengthened with the appointment of a deputy manager, who is an existing employee of the company and has the relevant experience and qualifications. There has been a review of the existing staff in terms of their skill set. As a result, there have been several changes to the staff team with more experienced staff identified to work at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has worked alongside the registered manager to support the improvements required in the home. The registered manager recognises that she will need to be more organised and develop her skills as a registered manager. She reported that she had learned a lot from this experience. However, she is not yet demonstrating the confidence and competence required to lead the home effectively, but she is committed to improving her practice.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager was able to demonstrate that there had been sufficient staff on shift to safely support the child prior to her moving. However, the current rotas do not record the full names of staff working each shift or the exact hours worked. This includes the hours that the registered manager is in work.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager presented formats, for example to show how she will implement more stringent monitoring and oversight of the staff’s practice in the home. She was able to discuss planned improvements to make sure that records are reviewed, evaluated and monitored.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements set at the previous monitoring inspection were not considered at this visit. However, due to breaches in regulation further requirements are issued. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581296 3

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Recent inspection history

Not yet inspected Inspection type Inspection judgement 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. 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. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i) This relates to staff keeping individual risk assessments up to date and identifying suitable and clear strategies where necessary to keep children safe. 12 May 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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) This relates to the registered manager ensuring that there is robust oversight of the home’s practice, with particular regard to the implementation of the risk assessments and an evaluation of incidents to inform lessons learned and future improvement. 12 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must— maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; 12 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581296 5 ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b)) In particular, ensure that the records include a copy of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home, a record of the actual rotas worked, and a record of any persons who work at any time at the home. The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)) This specifically relates to the need to making sure that 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 potential risk to

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Requirement Due date

other children in placement. 28 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

Notification of a serious event The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. A notification made under this regulation— must include details of— the matter; the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter; must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii) (b)) 28 March 2021

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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 the last monitoring inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581296 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Penelope Rafferty

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Inspectors

Michael Charnley, Social Care Inspector Michelle Edge, Social Care Regulatory Inspection Manager 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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