Children's home run by Sandcastle Care Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2534580 1 Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home offers care and accommodation for up to two children who may experience emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Children are supported by an experienced registered manager and a dedicated and consistent staff team.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

We previously visited this children’s home on 25 February 2020. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Inspection dates: 2 November 2021

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people, taking into account outstanding

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Inspection dates: 2 November 2021

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Inspection dates: 2 November 2021

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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Inspection dates: 2 November 2021

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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Inspection dates: 2 November 2021

Date of last inspection: 25 February 2020

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Inspection dates: 2 November 2021

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good

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Inspection dates: 2 November 2021

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report for children's home: 2534580 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2534580 3

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outstanding

Children make exceptional progress and thrive in this children’s home. Care is co- ordinated using a range of external agencies. This meticulously planned care ensures that children’s individual needs are consistently supported and extremely well managed. One child said, ‘This is the best home anyone could ever live at.’ The staff enjoy spending time with children and display genuine affection and enthusiasm regarding each step of the child’s journey with them.

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outstanding

Educational achievement is consistently supported and promoted in the home. This is seen through the detailed support programme identified within the education, health and care plans. This individual support has enabled children to develop in confidence and succeed within education. For example, children have significantly improved educational attainment and are developing and sustaining positive friendships in the community in which they live.

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outstanding

The assistant principal of one school said, ‘The manager is outstanding. She maintains regular contact with school, acts as the voice of the child and prioritised the child’s needs. Staff always attend meetings and give constructive and valuable feedback. In terms of homes I have worked with throughout my career, I would list this home as one of the best and would not hesitate in recommending it.’

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outstanding

Children’s health and well-being are prioritised. The registered manager and staff respond quickly to health concerns to ensure that the children receive the care, support and treatment that they require without delay. Through consistent support, the children engage exceptionally well with external agencies including art psychotherapists, clinical psychologists and family liaison officers. This exceptional wrap-around care and support means that children’s physical health, emotional well- being and self-esteem are significantly improved.

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outstanding

Children are celebrated for their individuality and personal interests. Staff go the extra mile to ensure that children feel a sense of belonging and worth. Through consultation, the home is designed and decorated to reflect the children’s individual style. For example, the decoration of one child’s bedroom includes a commissioned hand-painted mural of wolves, and another child’s bedroom is styled in a Harry Potter theme. One child said, ‘My room is great. I designed it myself and the staff got it done for me. The staff always help me to be who I am.’ This demonstrates the pivotal importance that consultation plays with children in this home.

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outstanding

Children’s individual skills are nurtured and exceptionally well supported and promoted. One child has used her artistic flair to create fabulous portraits that are being displayed for auction in support of a local charitable organisation. Likewise, another child’s horticultural skills have resulted in the production of fresh vegetables which she proudly shares with her neighbours. This demonstrates how staff are Inspection report for children's home: 2534580 4 helping children to develop a sense of community and empathy for others. Children take pride in their actions and are delighted with their personal achievements.

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outstanding

The children have a genuine sense of belonging in their home and community. Photographs and children’s paintings are proudly displayed throughout the house, making this house their home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children’s safety is prioritised in this home. Risk assessments and risk management plans are developed with clinicians and clearly support and guide the staff in the management of all known risks. When a concern arises, staff respond quickly and consistently to reduce and minimise any potential harm to the child.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

From their initial starting point, children’s risk-taking behaviours have significantly decreased while living in this home. Since the last inspection in February 2020, there have been two incidents where a child has absented themselves from the home. On both occasions, staff acted quickly to ensure that the child was returned safely to the home. However, the record of one incident lacked clarity. Therefore, the registered manager should ensure that records reflect if a child’s whereabouts are known or not in order to determine if the child is missing or absent from the home. A recommendation is made to address this matter.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff are trained in the use of de-escalation and physical intervention techniques. They are guided by clinicians in their approach to children’s emotional deregulation and how they can safely support each child. This means that children experiencing crisis are helped and supported in a consistent and informed way. Records of incidents requiring a physical intervention demonstrate that the intervention is only used where there is a concern for the safety of the child or those around them. Should an intervention be required, children are provided with a debrief session and follow-up sessions are completed with the key worker and psychologist.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

At the last inspection in February 2020, a requirement was made in relation to regulation 40, notifications of serious events. The registered manager has addressed this concern and now ensures that all matters are reported in accordance with this regulation. However, one amended electronic record held inaccurate information pertaining to a date of an incident. The registered manager should ensure that all records are cross-referenced for accuracy. A recommendation is made to address this matter.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and staff team have developed a caring, supportive and affectionate culture for children to thrive and grow. The children accommodated in this home receive informed and consistent high-quality care. Inspection report for children's home: 2534580 5 The majority of the staff team have successfully completed the diploma level three. In addition, staff receive consistent and targeted training, including clinical input, to assist them in their work with the children. A staff member said, ‘The training is excellent and the support is fantastic. We love the children to bits. We all work closely as a team and have one aim and that is for the children to have the best life now, and when they move on. What we do works well, and we all support one another to do the best we can.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Likewise, the registered manager provides regular formal and informal supervision. A staff member said, ‘I have worked in other residential homes but never one like this. We are more than a team we are a family. The registered manager is fabulous and extremely supportive. We are all working to get the best outcomes for our children.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

At the last inspection in February 2020, a requirement was made to address the shortfalls in the range of sources used to form an opinion about the quality of care provided in the home. This matter has been addressed. The external monitoring process has been further developed to ensure that all external parties are offered an opportunity to express their views about the care provided to children. This essential feedback enables the registered manager to address any shortfalls in practice and consider any suggestions to aid the home’s future development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is thorough in her approach to monitoring the quality of care provided in the home and the positive impact this is having on the children living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The care provided in the home is supported and organised to reflect the theoretical framework of attachment. The team demonstrates that it works closely together to create an environment where children are safe, valued, respected and accepted. This is evident in the exceptional progress and achievements the children make. Inspection report for children's home: 2534580 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person must specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission, and how staff should support the child on return to the home. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards, paragraph 9.28, page 45)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that case records are kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, paragraph 14.3, page 62).

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children's home: 2534580 7

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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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Inspector

Maria McGranaghan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2534580 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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