Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2527860 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 is a privately owned children’s home. The provider states in its statement of purpose that the home provides care for one child who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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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 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection : none Inspection report for children’s home: 2527860 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/03/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2527860 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is currently one child living at the home. The child has started to build friendly and trusting relationships with the staff team and said that she can share her views, wishes and feelings with them. As a result, the child said that she is happy and safe, and starting to settle in the home. Children who had previously lived at the home sent cards and notes to the staff team to thank them for the support and help they had been provided with.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff understand the children’s anxieties about returning to education and have acted to address this for all children living in the home. Managers have liaised with the local authority and education and training providers to identify suitable provisions that children will engage in, as well as meeting their educational needs. The child living in the home has been out of full-time education for some time. The home’s manager and staff are currently awaiting a start date for a placement. In the interim, the child is supported and encouraged to engage in educational activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to attend health appointments to promote their emotional well-being and health. The company’s therapist provides guidance to the staff team and works directly with the children. Children thrive because of the consistent therapeutic approaches used in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team provide opportunities for children to enjoy themselves and achieve. The child told the inspectors that she has lots of opportunities to enjoy herself and have fun, with activities including meals out, pamper weekends with the staff and shopping. This has helped develop relationships between the child and the staff team. Children who have previously lived at the home have joined clubs and taken up new hobbies, including going fishing and going to the gym.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are conducted in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Children new to the home are welcomed and cared for well by the staff team. The manager works well with the children and all the necessary agencies to ensure that children’s transitions into the home are planned and coordinated. Those who have joined the home since the last inspection speak positively about their experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff demonstrate a strong commitment to ensuring that children are supported to maintain safe family time with important family members, where possible. The child living in the home said that staff talk to her about family time and different ways this can be supported. This supports the child’s emotional well- being and sense of identity. Inspection report for children’s home: 2527860 4

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

Staff understand the risks to children’s welfare and have helped them to become increasingly safe. The risks relating to being missing from care, aggression, criminal and sexual exploitation and antisocial behaviour have reduced significantly. The child told the inspector that she feels safe and protected from harm.

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

The child receives advice and guidance on how to keep herself safe from harm. Staff spend time talking to her about the risks she may face and the strategies to reduce the risks. Furthermore, the child is supported to take age-appropriate risks as part of developing her independence.

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

Although the child’s risk assessment is regularly reviewed and updated, some of the information contained in the risk assessment is confusing and not in chronological order. Consequently, it is unclear what are current and historical concerns. Furthermore, the risk levels in the risk assessment do not consistently demonstrate the progress made and the reduction in risks to the child. However, core team members were fully aware of all risk factors. Managers accepted the shortfalls in the records, and prior to the inspection ending had made suitable changes to risk management plans.

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

Staff demonstrate a good level of insight into the child’s emotional responses and behaviours. There are clear, individualised strategies in place to assist staff in supporting the child to develop safe and appropriate behaviours. Staff are encouraged, both individually and as a group, to reflect on their responses when the child displays unsettled or heightened behaviours. This reflection takes place with a view to enhancing practice and identifying successful strategies.

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

Medication, in particular controlled drugs, is not consistently recorded in line with policies and procedures. A requirement is made to address this breach in regulation.

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

Physical intervention is used in the home as a last resort. Records are detailed and include oversight by the managers to ensure that they are appropriate and effective. Consequences are used to impose conditions on children who may display inappropriate behaviours. However, restrictions on takeaway meals are used as a punishment. The impact from the child’s history has not been considered when using food as a consequence. The manager accepted this shortfall in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, a new management team has been appointed. The registered manager and the lead practitioner are passionate about improving the lives and experiences of children at this home. The management team demonstrates a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development at the home, while acknowledging that there is still work to be done. Managers are confident that, with their internal and external monitoring processes and detailed action plans, their good progress will continue. Inspection report for children’s home: 2527860 5 Managers and staff have managed the restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic sensibly. They have placed the well-being of the child at the centre of their practice and decision-making. They adapt well to the changing government guidance. A consistent core staff team has continued to provide continuity of care for the child during the pandemic. However, managers said that the changes to the staff team

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

and changes in responsible individuals have led to some inconsistencies in practice. A plan is in place to stabilise the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that helps them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the child. The continuous professional development of staff is a priority and staff receive regular training and development opportunities. Team meetings give the manager and staff the opportunity to discuss the needs and progress of the child, staff practice, and to develop their knowledge and skills. During periods of restriction on face-to-face training, staff have continued to access training in a variety of formats.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The monitoring and review systems at the home help the managers to identify the strengths and areas for development for the home and the staff team. Managers take effective action to address shortfalls and build strengths to improve practice and outcomes for the child. However, management oversight is not sufficiently robust, as managers have not identified the shortfalls in rotas, medication, record- keeping and risk assessments.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff work collaboratively with professionals who are involved in the child’s care to support positive outcomes for her. Feedback from professionals is positive, praising the management and staff’s commitment to the child and the progress that she makes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2527860 6

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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 make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that a record is kept of all control drugs administered. The records must include how controlled drugs are transferred to another party to administer. 29 April 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control and discipline are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and the principles as set out in paragraph 9.35 are respected. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person must ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: 2527860 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: 49 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool FY3 9DG

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Inspector

Michelle Edge, Social Care Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home: 2527860 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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