Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home: 2581296 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 part of a large organisation and provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 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

Date of last inspection: 7 February 2023

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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: 2581296 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/02/2023 Full Good 26/10/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2581296 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is living in the home. Since the last inspection, one child has moved out. Both children have received good-quality care that has enabled them to make progress while living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care planning is personalised and effective in meeting the children’s individual needs. The child currently living in the home said, ‘Staff are really nice, they keep me safe, and I am happy.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have the skills to engage with children and listen to and understand their wishes and feelings. This has supported children to develop positive and trusting relationships with the people who care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a therapist who is an integral part of the team. Effective partnership working between the therapist and staff supports children’s emotional well-being. The therapeutic model used in the home supports staff to understand and respond to trauma-based behaviours. The therapist is creative in how she provides the weekly therapeutic support. For example, she attends a gym class with one child as a way to engage the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who come to the home have often experienced disrupted education. The child living in the home is not in full-time education. However, the manager has been proactive and persistent in advocating for and sourcing an educational provision for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When it is time for children to move out of the home, they are appropriately supported. However, the actions taken by staff to assist children are not always clearly documented.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are supportive of maintaining children’s relationships with those who are most important to them. This includes supporting children to speak with birth family members who do not live in this country.

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

Children feel safe and protected. They have formed trusting and meaningful relationships with staff, which supports them to talk about any worries or fears that they may have. This means that staff have a good understanding of children’s vulnerabilities and how best to meet their needs.

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

Risk assessments clearly identify risks and vulnerabilities and what actions to take to reduce risks. When needed, specialist services are used to keep children safe. The manager and staff understand potential risks and manage these well. Regular multi- agency meetings monitor ongoing risks. Inspection report for children’s home: 2581296 4 Staff receive training to build their skills and knowledge, particularly around safeguarding, so that they can keep children safe. Staff also complete training to respond to children’s specific risks. Staff can de-escalate situations. As a result, no physical interventions have been needed.

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

The home has clear boundaries and routines in place to help children understand acceptable behaviours. This provides children with safe and predictable care. Praise and rewards are used regularly to promote positive behaviour.

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

In line with their safety plans, children are encouraged to engage in hobbies and interests of their choice, such as swimming, boxing and going to the gym. This helps children build confidence, self-worth and self-esteem.

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

The physical environment for children is safe and secure and protects them from harm. However, the manager must ensure that the ground floor fire extinguisher is easily accessible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a dedicated, committed and suitable qualified manager. He is child centred, has a wealth of experience and is well respected by his team. Equally, he values his staff team, and he leads by example. All staff said that morale is good and that he is a very supportive manager. Children benefit from this environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is fully staffed, and some staff have worked in the home for many years. Staff stability means that children receive reliable, consistent and stable care from a team of staff who know them well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most staff hold the relevant childcare qualification. One staff member is enrolled to attain this qualification. Children benefit from the care being provided by experienced and qualified staff members.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular team meetings and good-quality practice-related supervision ensure that staff understand their roles, the needs of the children and how best to support them. This helps staff to put skills and learning into practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has excellent working relationships with partner agencies. Professionals who are involved with the children currently living in the home, and a birth family member, are complimentary about the standard of care provided to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a positive culture in the home. The manager and staff are child centred, have high aspirations and are committed to providing a high level of care to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2581296 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home complies with relevant health and safety legislation and in doing so, ensure easy access to the fire extinguisher downstairs in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that children are prepared for leaving the home practically and emotionally. Staff should clearly record the work carried out with children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9)

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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: 2581296 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Forge, Church Street West, Woking, Surrey GU21 6HT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Penelope Rafferty

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Inspectors

Nicola Clements, Social Care Inspector Carrie Mayes, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2581296 7 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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