Children's Home run by Aspris Care North West Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2550015 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 of the same gender. 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 was registered with Ofsted in November 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2550015 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2550015 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are currently two children living in this home. Since the last inspection, two children have moved on from the home. One child moved into their own accommodation and another child moved on to live with family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by a consistent staff team and, as a result, are able to develop positive and trusting relationships. One child said, ‘The staff are so welcoming. The first day I came, I just knew it would be okay’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This family home is comfortable and well presented. Children are able to personalise their bedrooms to their own individual tastes. Since the last inspection, necessary maintenance work has been completed, and the home has benefitted from redecoration and new flooring. Internal door locks have been removed to reflect the homely environment the registered manager wants for children. However, some missing fence panels require replacement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager works with relevant professionals to support children’s education. Where there are difficulties, the registered manager advocates for children to ensure that their views are heard, and the right support is in place to help them to reach their full potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to participate in physical exercise and eat healthily. However, healthy routines for all children living in this home are not yet established. Despite it being identified that a healthy sleeping pattern is to be promoted, one child stays up throughout the night accessing the internet. As a result, they struggle to get up in the morning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s often complex family dynamics and work flexibly to promote positive relationships with family. They support children to maintain friendships with their peers safely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to take part in hobbies and activities they enjoy. Staff encourage children to develop their life skills. One child has recently got a part-time job at a local café, which has reinforced their aspirations for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have regular opportunities to share their views about the home and the care they receive. Children living in this home know how to make a complaint, although none have been made since the last inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has good working relationships with other professionals involved in children’s care. However, some relevant plans were missing from children’s records. This hinders the registered manager’s ability to demonstrate how staff support children to make progress against the placing authority’s expectations. Inspection report for children’s home: 2550015 4

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

Children’s risk management plans detail the risks posed to children and the strategies staff should follow in order to minimise these risks and keep children safe. Plans are reviewed and updated following any incidents to ensure that they contain the most current information.

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

Staff have a thorough understanding of children’s individual needs and vulnerabilities. When safeguarding incidents have occurred, staff respond quickly. Incidents are well documented, and information is shared with professionals as appropriate, with relevant follow-up work undertaken with children.

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing from this home. For one child, this is significant progress from their individual starting point. There are plans in place that outline the procedure staff are to follow when a child goes missing from the home. These plans would benefit from clarity regarding how often staff should have contact with children when they are in the community and when they should begin this procedure.

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

Behaviour management strategies in place are effective and well understood. Staff have used physical intervention on one occasion when it was necessary to keep everyone safe. Staff understand children and talk to them about issues that are affecting them. This enables children to manage their feelings safely.

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

Individualised incentives and rewards are used to promote positive behaviour. As a result, consequences have not been used in this home since the last full inspection.

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

Safe recruitment procedures are in place for new staff. This means that action is taken to protect children from unsuitable adults being employed to work in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced and suitably qualified registered manager. He has strong relationships with the children living in the home and knows them well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported. They say that they are able to approach the registered manager with any issues or concerns. Staff receive regular supervision and are encouraged to reflect on and develop their practice through annual appraisals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to a wide range of training to support them to undertake their role effectively. The registered manager has requested additional training, which is specific to the individual needs of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager works well with external professionals. External professionals spoke positively about the home and the care children receive and say that there is good communication about children’s progress. Inspection report for children’s home: 2550015 5 Monthly visits from an independent person support the registered manager to tackle shortfalls in the home. The registered manager has submitted a review of the quality of care report within the correct timescale. However, the registered manager should ensure they capture how they have considered the views of key stakeholders as part of this review and that actions to improve the home are clear. Inspection report for children’s home: 2550015 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the routines in the home support children to lead a healthy lifestyle. 3 May 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. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children’s case records are maintained. 3 May 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, in the event of a child going missing from the home, their placement plan should include a strategy to minimise this risk including the frequency with which staff should maintain contact when children are in the community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.24)  The registered person should ensure that their review should include more specific actions in order to drive forward improvement within the home and include the efforts made to gain feedback from stakeholders. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)  The registered person should ensure that missing fence panels are replaced to ensure arrangements do not compromise the safety or security of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’,

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Recommendations

page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 2550015 7

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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: 2550015 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

Genevieve O’Reilly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2550015 9 inspects 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or

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Inspector

medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspector

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Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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