Children's Home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report for children’s home: 1241970 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 company. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The previous registered manager left their role in November 2022. A new manager has recently been appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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: 1241970 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2023 Full Good 01/03/2022 Full Good 18/12/2018 Full Outstanding 24/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1241970 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a good knowledge of the children and how to meet their individual needs. Children have positive relationships with the staff who care for them, which are built on trust and affection. These relationships mean that staff provide individualised support to help children make good progress. For one child, this can be seen through developments in their independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff actively promote children’s education and employment. One child does not always fully engage in employment opportunities, which leads to a lack of structure for the child during the day. The manager is persistent in their attempts to secure education for another child who has recently moved into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good health. Staff actively encourage and support children to attend health appointments. There is integrated support from the clinical team which provides staff with advice about the care that the children need. Staff take the time to talk to the children and educate them about risks that are specific to their needs, such as their sexual health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to access a range of activities inside and outside of the home. These include holidays, going to theme parks and shopping for items they want, such as clothes. Children are encouraged to do their own food shopping, cooking and laundry, which supports them to develop their independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is good communication between the staff team and children’s family members. This provides one child with a support network where they feel safe to maintain relationships with the people who matter the most to them.

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

Staff understand the risks to children and their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding practice. Children have detailed risk management plans, which are followed by staff. Staff take the time to talk to the children and educate them around risks.

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

Staff work closely with family members to manage children’s individual risks, such going as missing from home. Staff work closely with family members when children go missing from the home, to share information and support their education around risks. This helps to reduce risks to children.

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

Staff understand and follow missing-from-home procedures. However, missing-from- home plans are unclear and do not include the most up-to-date information. Independent return home interviews are routinely offered to children. This helps staff to understand what led to missing-from-home incidents, any worries or Inspection report for children’s home: 1241970 4 concerns children may have, and the support required to keep children safe. There have been no incidents of restraint since the last inspection.

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

Children know who to talk to if they have any worries or concerns. The manager and staff have created a safe environment where children feel safe and listened to. There have been no allegations or complaints made since the last inspection.

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

There is good multi-agency working. A social worker said, ‘There is great communication. The manager is proactive.’ The manager is working closely with the social worker of a child who has recently moved into the home to source education and therapeutic support for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has high aspirations for the children in his care and the quality of care provided by the staff team. The new manager has identified some areas for improvement, including systems to improve his oversight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and team meetings in line with the statement of purpose. These provide opportunities for the staff to reflect and to develop their practice and effective ways to support the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive mandatory training. The induction for new members of staff is robust and thorough. However, staff have not received training on issues that are relevant to the needs and risks of the children in their care, such as substance misuse and missing from home. This compromises safeguarding practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are risks in the local area that have not been fully considered in the manager’s review of the premises. Furthermore, the manager has not discussed these risks with local stakeholders to help to manage and reduce risks to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has carried out a review of the quality of care. However, the review lacks evaluation and feedback from parents and professionals. This compromises the manager’s understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The manager is keen to understand how he can develop this alongside his oversight of the home and is working well with the independent person to consider areas for improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241970 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, The 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must be suitably trained to meet the needs of the children in their care. For example, staff must receive training on risks such as substance misuse and missing from home. 7 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should consider all known risks in the community as part of the review of premises. This includes the risks presented by the nearby beck and merchant’s yard. 7 February 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1241970 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the review of care carried out every six months includes an evaluation of the care provided in the home, taking into consideration the experiences of children living there along with feedback from parents and professionals. Clear targets should be set for the six months ahead with timescales. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)  The registered person should ensure that children participate in education or training until they turn 18, with children choosing how they participate. The registered person should support children, with the help of other agencies, to look at opportunities to continue their education or training. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.16)  The registered person should ensure that documents relating to the risks of

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Recommendations

children going missing from home are kept up to date. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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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: 1241970 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: The Forge, Church Street West, Woking, Surrey GU21 6HT

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Inspectors

Andrea Foreman, Social Care Inspector Stacey Ilaboya, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1241970 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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