Children's home run by Sandcastle Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2529355 1 SC2529355 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 one of several homes operated by a private provider. It provides care for one child who experiences social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2022.

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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: 13 January 2022

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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: 2529355 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/01/2022 Full Good 05/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2529355 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children have lived in the home since the last inspection. Two children have been discharged from the home due to risks in the local area and the difficulties the staff experienced in managing these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in the home have made progress from their starting points and have been supported to enjoy positive experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has been supported to engage in activities and develop his interests, which resulted in him joining a football team and a boxing club. This allowed the child to develop social skills and meet new peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The health of one child improved while living at the home as he was supported to manage an illness effectively. The staff have carried out direct work with the current child to support their health needs which have not been met due to their refusal to attend several health appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education attendance and achievement levels improved for one child who was living in the home. The child attended a school appropriate for his individual needs. Staff are now working hard to support the current young person into a suitable educational provision. The child has not been in education for a prolonged period and the staff are realistic with their targets for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain contact with people who are important to them. Family time is promoted, staff are adaptable and look at alternative ways to support family time when issues arise. For example, when the level of risk was deemed high for a child travelling in a car, the staff agreed alternative arrangements with people important to the child to ensure that time together remained consistent.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager has failed to implement a clear transition plan for a child leaving the home due to increasing concerns in the community. The placing authority extended the placement on two occasions; however, the manager was unable to demonstrate how this had impacted the child’s transition plan.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is decorated to a good standard and is well maintained, which ensures that the child lives in a welcoming and homely environment.

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

Risk management plans are detailed. Any changes to risks are considered and plans are amended accordingly. For example, a child was at risk in the community. The manager regularly attended strategy meetings and used these forums to inform risk assessments and safety plans in agreement with professionals. Inspection report for children’s home: 2529355 4 Support plans have recently been reviewed to ensure that they are detailed and recorded in a child-friendly way that is individual to the child.

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

The number of restrictive physical interventions has been high for one child prior to him leaving the home. Staff are clear that they may only use physical intervention as a last resort. Staff have helped the child to understand why their behaviour resulted in physical intervention and have supported them to reflect on their behaviour and encouraged alternative strategies.

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

There is an effective response to children who go missing from home. Staff persistently search for the child in places they are known to go to and contact their friends and family. There is a child-centred approach in educating the child on their level of risk in the community through direct work. There are also notable examples of support provided to help the child understand the risks of knife crime, criminal exploitation and gangs. However, return home interviews do not always take place following the child being missing from home. This is a missed opportunity for professionals independent of the home gathering further intelligence to safeguard the child.

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

There have been several occasions when the child has made allegations against members of the public and the staff team. There is evidence of allegations being appropriately investigated, resulting in no further action following consultation with the local authority designated officer. However, it was identified during the inspection that staff had delayed the reporting of an allegation on one occasion. This was contradictory to the guidance in the child’s risk management plan and the delay had not been identified by leaders and managers.

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

The manager uses safer recruitment, and complaints are acted on without delay.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2022. The home’s statement of purpose has been updated to include this. However, this has not been shared with Ofsted in the regulatory time frame.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the day-to-day running of the home, and effective monitoring and evaluation systems support the home’s development. This enables the manager to have a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Overall, relationships with professionals are positive. However, this would be strengthened further through regular consultation with a wider variety of stakeholders. This would help to further inform the development of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff in the home say that they feel supported. They receive regular supervision, which enables them to benefit from regular time and space to reflect on their practice. Supervision records are detailed, and the manager has started to carry out staff appraisals. Inspection report for children’s home: 2529355 5 Team meetings are used effectively to reflect on the child’s progress and any concerns. The responsible individual and therapist regularly attend team meetings to support the manager, staff and child. Staff share information with the whole team, discuss issues that are pertinent to the child and identify how practice can be adapted to support with effective behaviour management. Inspection report for children’s home: 2529355 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager seeking regular consultation with stakeholders and ensuring that the requests for return home interviews are escalated. 19 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that arrangements are in place to— 19 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2529355 7 plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the manager must ensure that each child has a comprehensive transition plan for the home which indicates what staff will do to support the transition before, during and after.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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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. (Regulation 16 (1) (3) (a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates directly to the manager’s failure to submit the home’s statement of purpose in line with regulations. 19 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response;

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Requirement Due date

describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (2)(b)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that staff know the appropriate procedures to follow when an allegation is made. 19 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2529355 8

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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: 2529355 9

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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

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2529355 10 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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