Children's home run by Sandcastle Care Limited in Wyre

Inspection report for children’s home: SC061803 1 SC061803 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 home registered with Ofsted in September 2004 and is privately owned. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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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: 30 January 2024

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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: SC061803 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/01/2024 Full Good 29/06/2022 Full Good 17/08/2021 Full Good 03/12/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC061803 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children living at the home were seen by the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have positive, caring and trusting relationships with staff. The staff know the children very well, invest time in them and promote their well-being through shared activities and celebrating their achievements. The children have a strong sense of stability and security. One child said, ‘I like living here, and the staff keep me safe.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are in good health. The staff support the children to attend all health appointments. Managers ensure that the right support is in place to meet the children’s individual health needs. This support enables the children to achieve good health outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are helped to develop their independence skills. For example, they are helped to understand how to use the washing machine and how to cook. When the children are ready, they are supported to start to shop and cook. This gives them the necessary skills to meet their goal of living independently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to spend time and remain in contact with their family. This encourages the children to stay connected with people who are important to them and supports their identity and sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s views and opinions are considered by staff when making decisions in the home. Staff use creative ways to communicate with the children to gain their views based on their age and understanding.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has been supported to attend education and is engaged in extra activities. However, one child does not attend a full-time education programme. There is a lack of structure and routine to the child’s day. Consequently, opportunities are missed for staff to further support the child’s educational needs.

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

Staff keep the children safe. Risk management plans are well written and reflect the children’s individual risks and vulnerabilities. Staff support the children to develop these plans. The children respond well to staff’s consistent approach. There have been no incidents of physical intervention since the last inspection.

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

There has been one missing-from-home incident since the last inspection. Staff understand and follow the home’s missing-from-home policy. Staff are proactive in seeking the safe return of the child. When the child returns home, they are welcomed warmly by staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC061803 4 Consistent rules and boundaries are in place, which are tailored to the children’s age and stage of development. Staff work hard to support the children to understand the impact of their behaviours through focused work.

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

The children know how to raise complaints. When one child made a complaint, this was taken seriously. Senior leaders talked to the child to ensure that a satisfactory resolution was reached. The child was provided with a written outcome to their complaint.

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

Staff promote positive behaviours in the home. Positive rewards outweigh the use of consequences. The children have incentives to promote positive behaviours. For example, one child who struggles with their emotions had an incentive to support the management of their emotions positively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager creates an environment that actively promotes and supports staff’s professional development. All staff expressed that they feel professionally supported. For example, one member of staff said, ‘He is a massive support.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The children’s views are regularly sought and captured well in the day-to-day operation of the home. Their views are fully considered in their care planning. Staff advocate well on behalf of the children. For example, the children are consulted before their looked- after children meetings to ensure that their views are included in the meeting.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A therapist visits the home weekly and works closely with staff to understand the children’s needs. The staff apply strategies learned from the therapist to respond to the children in a way that supports them to manage their feelings and behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals provided positive feedback about the quality of communication and updates they receive about the ongoing care of the children. A social worker informed the inspector that communication is excellent and said, ‘I receive weekly update reports, and I am notified immediately if there has been a significant incident.’ Relationships with external agencies and professionals are strong and constructive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safeguarding incidents and allegations are managed well. The manager takes appropriate action and communicates effectively with other professionals to ensure that the children are safe in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive the required training for their role as well as training specific to each child’s needs. This ensures that staff have the skills and knowledge to support the needs of the children in their care. Team meetings and supervision sessions take place regularly. However, there is a lack of reflective practice recorded in the documents. Inspection report for children’s home: SC061803 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child's education and training targets, as recorded in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child's learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child's relevant plans; and 1 April 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC061803 6 Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(x)

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that children are supported to maintain healthy routines

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. Specifically, supervision should allow staff to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children in their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.15)

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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: SC061803 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: 2 Barton Close, Grove Park, Enderby, Leicester LE19 1SJ

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Inspector

Debbie Dawson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC061803 8 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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