Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1223681 1 Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to three children, irrespective of gender, who may be socially and emotionally vulnerable. The home’s registered manager has been in post since January 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Ofsted has received notice of the registered manager’s absence that may continue for an extended period exceeding 28 days.

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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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Inspection date: 11 November 2021

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 11 November 2021

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1223681 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the home’s last full inspection, the home has reduced its available occupancy from four to three children. This was in acknowledgement of the difficulties they were experiencing in matching four children successfully and the feedback they received from children and practitioners.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Damage identified at the last inspection has been suitably repaired and the home has benefited from further redecoration, returning it to its former comfortable and homely environment. Children’s views and wishes have been incorporated into the redecoration of the home. The transformation of a former bedroom into a cinema room has given children an additional activity area as well as a sense of pride in their home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some minor damage to one bathroom wall was observed and some sealant inside children’s showers was showing signs of mould. This had not been identified as a general maintenance issue, but was followed up during my visit.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In spite of the above, the home is inviting, comfortable and homely. The children living at the home are settled and not reporting any concerns of bullying or difficult peer relationships. Children share positive and trusting relationships with staff. Children do know how to complain if they are unhappy and feel assured that they have a voice in this home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Social workers and other professionals speak highly of the support children receive from staff. In particular, they acknowledge that staff are proactive in supporting children’s learning.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although the home’s registered manager was not present during this inspection and is likely to have some extended absence from work, the home’s deputy manager is appropriately supporting the staff team in the interim. Despite the home’s recent quality of care review report falling short in providing a transparent and accurate evaluation of the review period, the deputy manager has a strong grasp of the home’s strengths and areas for further development.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although action has been taken on all requirements from the full inspection, one requirement has been repeated due to the lack of planned maintenance in children’s bathrooms. Inspection report for children’s home: 1223681 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/10/2019 Full Outstanding 04/12/2018 Full Good 06/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1223681 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that children’s bathrooms and showers are regularly maintained. 29 December

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that each six-monthly review of care report focuses on an evaluation of the specific circumstances of the home and any areas of high risk during the review period. Thus, enabling the reader to be clear about the home’s strengths and weaknesses and actions planned for the next six-month period to support the home’s continuous development planning. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 1223681 5 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: 1223681 6

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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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Inspector

Gillian Walters, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1223681 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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