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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2605512 1 Registered provider: Sandcastle Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates the home. It provides care for two children who may experience emotional or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in January 2021. A new manager has been appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home and were spoken to by the inspector.

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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

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: 2605512 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/02/2024 Full Good 06/03/2023 Full Good 27/10/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2605512 3

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improvement to be good

The children have lived at the home for over two years. This means that they have a secure base where they feel settled. One child says that they would like to continue living in the home once they have reached 16 years old. There are clear signs that the children have good relationships with staff and feel comfortable asking for help and support.

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improvement to be good

The children are in good health. Their oral, physical and mental health needs are being addressed. When needed, the children have access to specialist health services such as dieticians.

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improvement to be good

The children are not engaged in formal education. One child receives one-to-one tutoring for three hours a day. One child is not in education, employment or training. Neither child has formal plans for their education or training, and lack structure and routine to their day. This means that there are missed opportunities for staff to further support the children’s educational needs.

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improvement to be good

The staff are committed to providing stability for the children who, as a result, are able to develop an appropriate sense of permanence and belonging. Staff know the children well, listen to them, invest time in them, protect them and promote their welfare. The children have trusted and secure relationships with the adults who are looking after them. For example, staff spoke warmly and positively about the children and the children said they feel safe.

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improvement to be good

The manager understands the care and transition plans for the children, and works closely with placing local authorities and other agencies to achieve the children’s objectives. However, the children receive limited support to develop their independence skills. There is no formal process in place to further support the children to develop the skills they require as they progress into adulthood.

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improvement to be good

The company therapist works with the staff to help them understand the children’s behaviours. For example, the company therapist, manager, responsible individual and key worker have worked together to develop a plan for one child to address their emotional and developmental needs.

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improvement to be good

The staff support the children to spend time with their family and the people who are important to them. The staff maintain regular communication with family members and keep them updated about their child. One child has been able to re-connect with their birth family and this is supported by staff, despite the family living a distance away. This helps the children to maintain their identity and continue to see the people who are important to them. Inspection report for children’s home: 2605512 4

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improvement to be good

The staff are provided with regular training. Training includes, first aid, fire safety, internet safety, missing from home, and safeguarding. However, not all staff have completed specific training to support the children’s individual needs. The manager has identified the training and is awaiting dates for completion.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the children’s risks and vulnerabilities. The children’s individual risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated. For example, risk assessments have been re-written in light of latest information about one child to support identifying strengths and progress.

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improvement to be good

Both the children receive help and support to manage their behaviour and feelings safely. The staff understand the children’s experiences, respond with appropriate boundaries about what is safe and acceptable for each child and seek to understand the triggers for behaviour. Positive behaviours are promoted and, as a result, consequences are rarely used in the home. There have been no missing-from-home incidents or physical interventions in the home.

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improvement to be good

The home is warm and feels like a family home. As a result of the children’s request, the home has new couches in the living room, which has resulted in the children spending more time in there with staff.

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

The new manager has applied to register with Ofsted. The leadership team is aware of the strengths and areas for development of the home. Staff have developed an action plan to address the shortfalls identified in the home. However, they have not yet had the opportunity to implement the development plan thoroughly.

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

The manager and staff do not always record discussions with the children, such as feedback following direct work sessions and information from the children’s meetings. This is a missed opportunity to evidence the voice of the children.

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

The staff receive supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose. The staff attend team meetings, which provide good opportunities for them to share information and come together as a team. However, the staff do not have regular opportunities to reflect on their practice during staff meetings and supervisions.

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

The manager has a day-to-day presence at the home and is accessible to staff. Staff say that they feel supported by the manager and that the staff team works well together. One member of staff said, ‘I feel supported by [the manager] and I can ask them anything.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2605512 5 The manager and staff team have good working relationships with professionals and share significant events with relevant authorities appropriately. Appropriate challenge is used when needed to achieve better outcomes for the children.

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

The home has experienced staff changes that have resulted in some instability among the staff team. The current staff team works hard to ensure that staffing issues do not impact on the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2605512 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, 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; 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 31 August 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 17, paragraph 3.27) Inspection report for children’s home: 2605512 7  The registered person should ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted on. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including

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Recommendations

the quality standards,’ page 22, paragraph 4.11)  The registered person should ensure that all childrenfrom summer 2015 continue in education or training until their 18th birthday. Young people can choose how to participate. This can be through full-time education, an apprenticeship or traineeship, or by combining full-time employment with part-time education or training. While the duty is on the young person themselves, it is important that children’s homes’ staff encourage the young person to continue their education or training and support them to develop the skills necessary to succeed in the option they choose. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 28, paragraph 5.16)

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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: 2605512 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: 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: 2605512 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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