Children's home run by Sandcastle Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2534580 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 children’s home is owned and managed by a large private company. It provides care for up to two children who may experience emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 12 December 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2534580 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/12/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/02/2023 Full Good 02/11/2021 Full Outstanding 25/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2534580 3

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improvement to be good

Shortfalls in the leadership of the home and staff practice mean that some aspects of children’s care have not been understood and prioritised.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager has not ensured that children’s needs identified in their local authority plans are met through their daily care. The child who is living in the home has not had access to prescription glasses since living in the home. There has also been a delay in the child receiving necessary dental care. This does not ensure that children’s health needs are met. Staff have not always sought health advice when needed, including when one child returned home under the influence of alcohol.

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage children to attend school. The registered manager advocates on behalf of children and is currently working with professionals to ensure that barriers to the child living in the home reaching their potential at school are resolved.

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improvement to be good

Children understand how to make a complaint. Children’s views about the care that they receive are understood and acted on. Staff support children to contribute to care planning meetings. This ensures that children’s views inform decisions made about their care. At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home. The child said that they enjoy living in the home and have trusted staff they can talk to.

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improvement to be good

The home is nicely decorated and feels warm and homely. Children can personalise their bedrooms, giving them a sense of belonging. Fire risks have been assessed. However, the registered manager is not assured that the internal doors meet fire regulations. This does not ensure that the children live in a safe home environment.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager assesses children’s needs before they move into the home. This assessment reflects children’s needs as detailed in their referral documents and in consultation with professionals who know them well. This ensures that only children whose needs can be met by the staff team move into the home. One child has moved out of the home since the last inspection. Staff celebrated this child’s time living in the home. This helped the child to experience a positive ending and to settle into their new home.

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improvement to be good

Staff nurture children’s relationships with important people in their lives. Staff recognise the importance of maintaining family relationships to promote the child’s identity. This helps children to build on their support networks for the future.

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improvement to be good

Staff are not always proactive in responding to incidents that occur. This means that, at times, the risk of harm is not always reduced. Some staff do not understand their Inspection report for children’s home: 2534580 4 safeguarding responsibilities. On one occasion, one staff member did not follow safeguarding procedures when they were given information that a child who did not live in this home was in an unsafe situation.

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improvement to be good

Children’s plans do not provide staff with clarity on the actions that they should take to keep children safe. As a result, children receive inconsistent responses from staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always follow children’s missing-from-home plans. There has been delay in staff searching for children when they are missing from home. The registered manager has not identified this, which means that unsafe practice has continued. Children who have been missing from home are offered a return home interview by an independent person. This helps staff to understand the reasons why children go missing from home.

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improvement to be good

Rewards, incentives, and consequences are used to promote positive behaviours. This helps children to understand the reasons why decisions are made in respect of their care. Staff carry out direct work with children, which helps children to learn how to stay safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has recently registered with Ofsted. No children lived in the home between January and April 2024, while the registered manager recruited a staff team and completed maintenance to the home. The registered manager ensures that staff are recruited safely, following safer recruitment processes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Management monitoring and review systems are not effective. As a result, gaps in staff knowledge and skills are not identified. This does not ensure that staff consistently meet children’s needs. The registered manager has oversight of children’s plans and records of incidents. However, she does not always identify shortfalls in staff practice. This does not ensure that staff understand what is expected of them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders investigate complaints and escalate concerns about staff practice to external agencies appropriately. However, leaders and managers do not ensure that actions from investigations are completed or reviewed. As a result, there are missed opportunities to embed learning into practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager has not identified inaccuracies in children’s records. Some children’s records do not distinguish between fact and opinion. This does not ensure that records reflect children’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager has built positive working relationships with external professionals. One professional said that the registered manager contributes to multi- agency meetings that inform decisions made about children’s care plans. However, the registered manager has not consistently delivered appropriate challenge to external professionals when children’s needs have not been met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2534580 5 The registered manager works closely with the home’s therapist. They support staff to develop their knowledge and enhance the care provide to children. The therapist completes a plan with staff to help them understand children’s emotional needs. The registered manager ensures that there are enough staff to meet the needs of the children. Handover arrangements are effective. This ensures that staff have the information they need before they start working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager invests in relationships with children in her care. Staff access regular supervision and team meetings, which help them to learn and develop. A therapist described the staff team as ‘reflective and wanting to learn’. Staff morale is high. Staff enjoy working in this home and feel supported by the registered manager. Inspection report for children’s home: 2534580 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff understand how to keep the child safe.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that children’s plans detail the child’s known needs and provide steps for staff to take to keep the child safe. 26 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2534580 7 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; and

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they have effective monitoring and review systems in place.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that they take action to identify and address inconsistencies in practice. 26 September 2024

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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; and

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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. (Regulation 5 (b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the children’s health needs are understood and met.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must escalate concerns whereby there is delay in services being accessed for the child. 26 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2534580 8 After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1) (a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the actions in the fire risk assessment are taken. 26 September 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children’s records are clear, objective and non-stigmatising. Specifically, ensure that children’s plans are accurate and use language that is child focused. (‘Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2534580 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Ltd

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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

Donna Ryan, Social Care Inspector Sally Griffiths, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2534580 10 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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