Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report children’s home: 2634800 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 is operated by a private company. The home provides care for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2021.

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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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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since registration: none Inspection report children’s home: 2634800 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection one child was living at the home. The child stated that they are happy living there and described it as ‘my home’. Staff enjoy coming to work and spoke positively of the home environment and their relationships with the child. As a result, the child is happy, settled and making good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff’s relationships with the child are a strength. Staff spoke with warmth, care and pride about the child they are caring for. Observations were made of positive interactions with the child, who appeared happy in staff members’ company. This supports the child to feel valued and cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to access education and they promote its importance. As a result, the child has made notable progress in his attendance in education. The manager and staff facilitate attendance and attend all relevant meetings. Consequently, the child is making some progress in his education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the child’s health and well-being. They have ensured that the child is registered with health providers and attends appointments. Staff seek appropriate medical advice in response to any health concern. Therefore, the child develops an understanding of the importance of maintaining good health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff at the home recognise the importance of family relationships. Staff facilitate and supervise the child’s visits to his family in line with local authority plans. The frequency and quality of visits have improved significantly during his time at the home. Staff enable the child to build and maintain relationships with his family and develop a positive sense of identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff were not aware of the local offer that sets out the support available for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Their lack of knowledge in this area could prevent the child from accessing a range of services intended to help them achieve their full potential.

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

The home has a clear and consistent approach to risk management. There are clear and individualised risk assessments in place for the child. The registered manager regularly reviews risk assessments, and staff are knowledgeable about the strategies within them. The child living in the home is kept safe.

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

The registered manager and staff implement a restorative model of behaviour management. There have been no incidents of physical intervention. The staff are trained in using de-escalation techniques and these work well for the child. Due to this, the child is developing a positive sense of well-being and respect. Inspection report children’s home: 2634800 3 The registered manager ensures that staff access training and are knowledgeable about the risks identified for the child. The knowledge that staff members gain from training is revisited in both supervision sessions and team meetings to ensure training is effective. As a result, staff have a good knowledge and skill base to safeguard the child.

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

Staff are proactive when the child goes missing from home. There is a clear missing- from-home protocol in place, and staff know what to do if the child goes missing. Staff complete direct work sessions with the child regarding the risks of going missing from home. This has resulted in a significant reduction in episodes of missing from home for this child.

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

There is an environment of openness encouraged in the home. In discussion, the child was able to identify the manager as a member of staff who they could speak to if they were concerned or worried. The child also said that when they make requests, the manager ‘will make it happen’ and will speak with social workers. As a result, the child feels able to share any concerns and trusts that staff will act appropriately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is passionate about his role and leads the home with high aspirations for the child and the staff team. The manager is knowledgeable about the child and spoke with pride, celebrating their progress. This supports positive outcomes for the child because they will have high aspirations for themself.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff’s feedback regarding the registered manager is positive. Professionals provided positive feedback and highlighted the manager’s commitment and communication as particular strengths. As a result, staff and external professionals trust the manager and the care provided to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a clear care plan in place for the child. The plan accurately reflects the child’s needs and the plans of the local authority. The manager regularly reviews the care plans and they include input from involved professionals. This results in the manager being able to evidence progress effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team and the manager benefit from regular supervision sessions. These are structured and demonstrate room for reflection. Supervisions are also utilised as a space to revisit training and staff’s knowledge. As a result, staff feel supported and leaders have a good oversight of staff’s strengths and areas for improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager completes a regular review of the service. The review covers all areas of the quality standards. However, the review lacks evaluation and a clear action plan. Enhancement in this will result in a more effective plan to improve the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recruitment of staff is an area for improvement. The manager did not have full and satisfactory information regarding one member of staff. Consequently, the registered manager is not ensuring that arrangements for recruitment are robust. Inspection report children’s home: 2634800 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that they have all relevant information regarding staff’s previous employment and that reasons for gaps in employment are known. 13 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children; 13 April 2022 Inspection report children’s home: 2634800 5 the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that the review of the quality of care provided to children is evaluative and includes actions to maintain or improve the quality of care provided.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that managers and staff are aware of the local offer setting out the support available for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 26, paragraph 5.4)  The registered person should ensure that there is a gender balance within the staff team to enable children to maintain relationships with people of both genders. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 54, paragraph 10.22)

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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 children’s home: 2634800 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: 49 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool FY3 9DG

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Inspector

Rose Maddocks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2634800 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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