Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2616606 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 privately run children’s home is registered to provide care for two children. The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides care for children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2021. The manager does not yet have the relevant qualification in residential care at level 5.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

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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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2616606 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2616606 3

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outstanding

Children make significant progress in this home, taking their starting points into consideration. This is achieved through strong relationships with the staff and the highly effective support that is provided based on children’s individual needs and aspirations.

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outstanding

Children make significant progress in education given their initial starting points. Bespoke educational support plans enable children to access education which enhances their future opportunities and life chances. Staff provide excellent care and support to manage individual challenges to ensure that children continue to access and maintain appropriate educational placements.

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outstanding

Children feel highly valued and well respected by the staff team, which allows strong, meaningful relationships between children and the staff to develop. Children say that staff listen to them and respond well to their needs and wishes. For instance, the children say how supportive and responsive the staff are in helping them to maintain their relationships with the people who are important to them.

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outstanding

Staff work proactively and positively with parents and family members to promote meaningful, safe family time. Professionals comment on how the home’s facilitation and support of contact arrangements with family members has led to children feeling the most settled they have ever been.

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outstanding

Families consistently praise the care provided by the home. One parent said: ‘What they have done for our child and the communication we have with them is excellent. The way they have helped and supported our child is excellent.’ Another family member said: ‘The care provided is fantastic; it’s excellent and they deserve five stars.’

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outstanding

The work undertaken with children regarding their identity, relationships and managing individual differences is exceptional. Staff are proactive in supporting children on their individual journeys and they seek and implement support in a child- focused and child-led manner at all times. One social work professional commented: ‘The staff feel like family to them. They go above and beyond to put their needs as a priority.’

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outstanding

Staff are highly responsive to the children’s needs and individual differences and adapt their practice accordingly. The in-house therapist is integrated into the staff team, and therapeutic consultation and interventions are embedded in the staff’s everyday interactions with children. Consequently, the staff consistently provide a high level of care which is nurturing, innovative and focused on children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2616606 4 The manager is strongly committed to achieving positive experiences for the children to promote individuality, safety and positive relationships. It is evident that the manager is visible on a daily basis in the home and is heavily involved in the daily lives of the children.

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outstanding

Children speak of how happy and settled they are in the home and the opportunities that are available to them. Staff promote children’s hobbies and interests and actively engage and participate in activities alongside them.

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outstanding

Staff understand children’s individual vulnerabilities well. Consultation and liaison with the in-house therapist prior to children arriving at the home allow the staff team to develop an extensive understanding and insight into children’s difficulties. As a result, individual risk management plans are thorough and bespoke, supporting the staff to provide high-quality care to children from the day that they move into the home.

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outstanding

Regular discussion and liaison with wider professionals ensure that individual risk management plans and behaviour management plans are collaborative and holistic. Professionals praise the home’s staff for their excellent communication and how they consistently advocate for children.

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outstanding

Bespoke training provided by the in-house therapist is embedded in staff practice. This reduces and minimises risks for children. Incidents are rare, but, when they do occur, the staff handle these extremely well. Staff have a strong understanding of children’s individual needs and challenges, which allows them to manage incidents effectively and to successfully use de-escalation techniques when needed. They are able to recognise and identify times of need, or situations which may be unsettling or distressing for children, and adapt their practice accordingly.

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outstanding

Staff provide exceptional care and support to children experiencing mental health difficulties, which has resulted in a significant decrease in self-harming behaviours and a substantial improvement in children’s mental health and well-being.

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outstanding

The support provided by the staff, and the response to children’s wishes to spend time with their families, has resulted in a substantial decrease in missing-from-home incidents. The strong relationships staff develop with children’s families and friends allow risks to be fully understood and for effective preventative measures to be put in place.

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outstanding

Children say that they feel safe to speak freely and in an honest manner with staff. This promotes open discussions, which encourages children to make safer and more positive choices. Professionals have commented on how the home has been extremely positive for the children in reducing risks and improving previously challenging behaviour. An independent reviewing officer praised the support Inspection report for children’s home: 2616606 5 provided, saying ‘that without a doubt their risks have reduced’ as a result of the care provided by the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s manager is an influential and innovative leader. Children and staff speak extremely highly of him. The manager is a stable and calming influence in the home and is highly committed to providing outstanding care to children. He is a positive advocate for children and is proactive in managing challenge. He has a clear understanding of the children’s individual needs and abilities and has high expectations of himself and his staff team to provide excellent care at all times to ensure that the children have the best opportunities to achieve their potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Oversight of incidents is always completed in a timely manner and evidences the voice of the child throughout. The manager is responsive to children’s feedback or requests. However, some records lack management oversight. For example, it had not been identified that children’s records had not been reviewed by all staff, that risk management plans had not been updated with information in respect of a child returning to full-time education and that mobile phone checks had not been recorded in line with the agreement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Permanent staff are supervised on a regular basis. However, non-regular staff do not receive supervision by the management team at the home. Although the manager confirmed that appraisals have taken place, for some staff the appraisal documents could not be located. The manager does not share written appraisal documents with individual staff. This is a missed opportunity for staff to review their agreed targets.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager promotes the development of his staff team. One member of staff commented how he has ‘inspired me to want to progress in my career’. Another staff member commented: ‘He is so supportive. If there has been an incident, he contacts you straight away to check you’re OK and will follow this up the following day.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been staffing issues during this inspection period, mainly due to COVID- 19 and staff sickness. The manager has used a small group of staff from within the organisation to ensure that children are cared for by a consistent staff team. The manager has been proactive in recruiting to the vacancies in the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular monitoring of the home is undertaken by the registered manager and the regulator regularly receives the required quality of care report. The independent visitor attends the home and produces a good quality report, which highlights areas for development. The registered manager reviews these reports and ensures that any actions arising are completed in a timely manner. Inspection report for children’s home: 2616606 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 leadership and management standard requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that records are maintained when mobile phone checks are undertaken; that staff consistently review documents related to the child and that these records are reviewed and updated regularly. 3 June 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that they have systems in place so that all staff, including non-permanent staff, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person must ensure that a record of appraisals is kept for all staff and that a copy is shared with individual staff. The record should provide evidence that appraisals are being delivered in line with regulation. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraphs 13.3 and 13.4)

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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, Inspection report for children’s home: 2616606 7 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: 2616606 8

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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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Inspectors

Claire Hobbs, Social Care Inspector Mandy Williams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2616606 9 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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