Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1271375 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

The home is operated by a private provider. It provides care for up two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 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: 1271375 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/07/2021 Full Good 10/03/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/10/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1271375 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is one child living at the home and one child has recently moved out. Children receive individual care that meets their assessed needs. Staff provide a caring environment that enables children to have positive experiences and make measurable progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive care from a consistent and caring staff team. Staff develop trusting relationships with children. Children talk openly about their wishes and feelings. Children feel that staff listen to them and take their views seriously. Staff make sure that children contribute to the decisions which affect their lives. Children are supported to contribute to their care planning, and there is appropriate consultation with children. This means that children feel listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children move into and out of the home in a planned and positive way. Prior to a child moving in, leaders and managers assess children’s individual needs and evaluate how these will be met. Children experience positive endings to their placements. One child enjoyed a meal out with staff and was given an opportunity to say goodbye to those who cared for them. Children are provided with a memory book that captures their time in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff have high aspirations for children to reach their potential. They make sure that children take part in education and are supported to make progress. They work effectively with teachers and the virtual school to identify any barriers to children’s learning and make sure that the children get the help that they need, including working with a tutor. Children are supported to attend after-school clubs, which supports their learning and development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff understand children’s individual healthcare needs. They make sure that children receive the advice, assessment and treatment that help them to be healthy. Staff help children to receive support from specialist health and therapy services. A therapist works directly with children and staff. This arrangement provides children with consistent therapy-informed care and makes sure that their emotional well-being is monitored effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy taking part in hobbies and a range of activities, including trampolining and fishing. Staff encourage children to try new things. Recently, they have taken a child swimming for the first time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with their family and friends. Staff make sure that children have safe and meaningful experiences with their family. Inspection report for children’s home: 1271375 4

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

Managers and staff help and protect children. Staff understand how to respond to risk, and there are clear strategies in children’s plans. Risk assessments are detailed and contain actions for staff to take to minimise the risk of harm. The registered manager regularly reviews and evaluates risk management plans. Children’s individual plans are updated consistently.

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

The manager and staff provide children with clear expectations and boundaries that promote positive behaviour. Staff have used consistent strategies to challenge any unwanted behaviour. Staff spend time with children to help them to understand their emotions and find healthy ways to manage them.

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

Staff know what to do when children go missing from home. There are robust missing-from-care protocols which are updated to reflect children’s individual plans. Managers and staff work with professionals and parents to support the child’s safe return.

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

Staff rarely need to use physical intervention techniques to protect children from the risk of harm. However, when physical intervention has been used, the manager has not spoken with the child to get their views about what happened.

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

The manager deals with allegations about staff appropriately. They work closely with safeguarding agencies to understand any concerns and risks. Managers and staff take action to protect children from harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A qualified registered manager leads the home. The manager knows the children well and is child centred. One staff member said, ‘He is very understanding and great with the children, he is always available.’ Staff state that they feel supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses monitoring and review systems effectively. They make sure that children’s plans are comprehensive, up to date and continue to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager reviews and evaluates serious incidents effectively. They identify learning from what happened. The manager uses staff supervision and team meetings productively to talk about their findings, help staff to reflect on children’s progress and improve the quality of care and protection that children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that children are cared for by a consistent, skilled and well-trained staff team. Staff receive training that is relevant to the needs of the children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose does not accurately describe the home’s accommodation. It states that the home can provide care for two children; however, the second child’s bedroom is currently being used for staff accommodation. Inspection report for children’s home: 1271375 5

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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

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Nothing in paragraph (5) or regulation 46 (review of premises) requires or authorises the registered person to contravene or not comply with—

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Requirement Due date

any other provision of these Regulations; or

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Requirement Due date

any conditions in relation to the registration of the registered person under Part 2 of the Care Standards Act 2000. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b) (5) (6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that there are sufficient bedrooms available for children, in line with the conditions of registration and statement of purpose. 7 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(c)) 7 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1271375 6

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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: 1271375 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 Limited, 49 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool FY3 9DG

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Inspector

Nichola Croft, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1271375 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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