Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report for children’s home: 2508153 1 Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private organisation. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2019.

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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: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2508153 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/03/2022 Full Outstanding 21/01/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/06/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2508153 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children are currently living in the home. One child has lived at the home for a limited period of time but has already made good progress in terms of their behaviour, participation in education and presentation. Three other children have moved in and out of the home since the last inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by a consistent team of staff who know each other well. They also know the children in their care very well. The relationships between children and staff create a happy, relaxed and enjoyable environment in which children can live, grow and develop.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff team have high aspirations for the children in their care and understand the importance of education, which is demonstrated in their achievements with children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Prior to moving into the home, one child had been out of education for two years. However, since moving to the home, staff have been successful in engaging the child in on-site education every day. They have also arranged for the child to have horse riding lessons and educational trips. The child has only lived at the home for a limited period but the manager is being proactive in his communication with the local authority to secure a permanent education placement for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have also successfully engaged two other children in education prior to them leaving the home. However, despite staff’s best efforts, one child has not had any education since September 2022. Staff have used a variety of incentives and approaches to encourage his involvement in education but have not been successful.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are very aware of the importance of children maintaining contact with the people who they are close to, such as their families and friends. Staff were observed to offer exceptional care and support to a young child who is new to the home during a telephone call home. This support enabled the call to continue in a positive manner. Staff are also proactive in their approach to local authorities about the safety of children in their care during contact and promote what they believe to be the best option to ensure a positive, safe outcome.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The degree of progress made by children while living at the home has been variable. However, all children have been safer during the time they have lived at the home.

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

Children are settled in this home and trust the staff who care for them. They feel safe and secure. Children know how to make a complaint, although none have been made since the last inspection. Children see the registered manager daily and are confident that any concerns that they may have in the future will be addressed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2508153 4 As a result of the good relationships between staff and children, the number of serious incidents, incidents of physically holding children and consequences reduce for children once they come to live at the home.

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

Staff have a good understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities and procedures. When necessary, staff ensure that children have an advocate to support them. Children can discuss any concerns that they may have with staff and have their views listened to during regular direct-work sessions.

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

Although risk assessments outline most risks for children, they are not always updated following serious incidents. This does not ensure that all staff are fully aware of the risks to the children in their care or provided with strategies to manage these risks or behaviours.

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

Similarly, impact risk assessments outline potential risks to children and others living at the home. However, they do not provide clear strategies for staff to follow to protect children.

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

Staff rarely use consequences. When they do use them, they do not always record the duration of the consequence. This means that children are not clear about what is expected of them.

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

Staff have created a warm and welcoming environment for the child to live in. The home is well maintained and staff carry out regular checks to ensure that it is safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is an interim manager in post, who is experienced and working towards an appropriate childcare qualification. He has applied to register with Ofsted. He is well respected by the team of staff, who say that he offers them support and guidance as needed. He has clear values about the high standards of care he expects from the staff team and reinforces these at staff meetings and during individual supervision sessions with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A therapist visits the home regularly and spends time with the children to develop relationships in a relaxed manner. However, records do not always reflect the support and guidance provided by the therapist to children and staff, which makes it difficult to assess the impact of this service on outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home uses an electronic recording system and, on the whole, records are of a good quality and are easily accessible. However, one record has been deleted in error. A requirement has been made to address this shortfall. However, the home does not have the local authority records for one child who is no longer living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager reviews records and there is clear management oversight of records to promote quality and consistency. However, some shortfalls were identified during the inspection. This is an area for further development. Inspection report for children’s home: 2508153 5 Staff receive regular supervision, which they say is beneficial to them when carrying out their role. Staff access the ‘learning lounge’ to complete mandatory training, which is up to date for all staff. Therefore, staff have received appropriate training to meet the needs of the children in their care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2508153 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

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)) 1 July 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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that risk assessments reflect all known risks to children. Risk assessments should include strategies for staff to follow to manage these risks and be kept up to date. 1 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date; and 1 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2508153 7 are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

in cases not falling within sub-paragraph (a), for 75 years from the child’s date of birth;

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Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(b)(c))

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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: 2508153 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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Inspector

Julia Toller, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2508153 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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