Children's home run by Witherslack Group Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people have progressed from their starting point and continue to progress during their time living at the home. Educational outcomes are good and young people are fit and healthy. Trusting relationships with staff are based on mutual respect.  Young people access the services they need to meet their developmental milestones. They take part in a wide range of individual activities and actively contribute to their local community.  Consultation with young people is good. They are listened to and their views are taken into account. They are involved in important decisions in their lives and in the home’s operation. Contact arrangements and support for families, and others significant to the young people, are known and fully supported.  There are improvements in the leadership and management of the home. The registered manager has introduced a number of positive initiatives that have improved outcomes for young people. Inter-agency working is good,

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The children's home provision is good because:

and the registered manager has a good oversight of the home.  Progress has been made in the behaviour management of young people and how the staff work with other statutory agencies to reduce the incidents of young people being criminalised. Additionally, the registered manager works well with local police and local authority safeguarding officers.  There are concerns raised at this inspection about the number of restraints used on young people and a minority of young people sustaining injuries during restraints.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

12. In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to taking measures to protect children from injury during restraints, the registered persons must ensure that staff;

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a) (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. 29/02/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the independent person who visits the children's home produces a report about a visit ("the independent person's report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person's opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being. (Regulation 44 (4) (a) and (b)) 29/02/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

Ensure records are kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home. In particular, the whereabouts of children when they are missing. (The Guide to Quality Standards, page 46 paragraph 9.31)

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home provides care and accommodation for seven children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a private provider. There is an on-site leaning centre where all children attend school. In-house therapeutic services are also available.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

06/08/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

good

Young people have progressed from their starting point and continue to improve their outcomes as a result of living at the children’s home. Young people who have lived at the home for some time are doing extremely well, some beyond expectations. A social worker said, ‘My child has improved and is very settled of late. Staff really push the boat out supporting my young person and his family.’ This progress over a prolonged period demonstrates young people are very well supported to achieve their full potential.

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good

Young people are encouraged to build trusting relationships with staff. For some young people this is difficult so staff endeavour to seek ways to slowly engage them at a pace that is comfortable to each young person. Over time, this approach is proving very successful and there is a clear, mutual respect between the staff and the resident group. A young person said, ‘Everything is really good, I have a lot more confidence now. This is because I trust people here, I used to bottle everything up but now I know people better. Seeing my therapist has really helped, and my keyworker is amazing.’

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good

Consultation with young people is very good. All the young people spoken to at this inspection said they can talk to any member of staff, ‘about anything’. There are regular meetings where young people feel comfortable voicing their opinions about living at the home and any issues they have about peer relationships and group living. Staff are skilled at leading these meetings in a positive way that enables young people learn problem solving skills.

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good

Young people are also involved in important decisions in their lives, such as their plans for living at the home and what will happen to them in the future. The registered manager and staff team have introduced a range of child-friendly documentation to assist this process. As a result, young people are much more engaged and have a better understanding of why they live in a children’s home and what their future goals and targets are. Young people’s aspirations are included in their individual plans, which fully takes on board each young person’s wishes and hopes for the future. This inclusion of young people accelerates their progress and overall development.

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good

Educational outcomes are good. The young people attend an on-site learning centre and most of them have 100% attendance. When young people struggle with school there are bespoke curriculums to meet their individual needs. This individualised approach is highly effective at re-engaging young people. Young people also have vocational educational opportunities that broaden their life experiences. These include working at a forest school, learning about mechanics and having work experience in a range of settings. Staff at the home and learning centre meet regularly to discuss young people’s progress, attainment and whether any additional support is needed. This joint working provides young people with much needed consistency and continuity.

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good

Young people are fit and healthy and access the healthcare services they need. They lead a very active lifestyle that includes lots of outdoor activities and exercise. Meals are healthy and nutritious. Young people have access to on-site therapists who offer additional counselling and support and a consultant psychiatrist whose role is to advise and provide specialist support. These services enhance young people’s emotional and psychological health and development. A young person said, ‘Talking to my therapist has really helped me.’ and a social worker said, ‘I attended an educational review recently and the clinical psychologist was really helpful. I better understand what therapy my young person receives and it’s clear this is having a positive impact.’

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good

There are firm but fair boundaries and expectations for young people that provide a framework in which young people feel emotionally secure. They learn about respecting others and how their behaviours can sometimes have a negative impact. This teaches them how to take responsibility for their actions and how to understand both positive and negative consequences. In addition, they learn good social skills which prepares them for later life.

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good

Young people know their contact arrangements and understand the reasons why, in some circumstances, they cannot always see their family. They undertake life story work supported by staff, and the therapy team, to help them understand their past lives. This important work with young people helps to shift the shame and blame young people often feel when they live in care.

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good

Staff at the home go over and above to support and facilitate young people maintaining contact with important people in their lives. They have been instrumental in enabling one young person to re-establish contact with extended family who have not been in touch for a number of years. The impact on the young person has been extremely positive. All young people, parents and social workers consulted during this inspection said how the staff promote contact is very good. A parent said, ‘I think the home is brilliant. The communication is good and I am made to feel very welcome when I am there.’

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requires improvement

There are strengths and weaknesses in this area that have impacted on the judgement regarding young people’s safety and welfare. Overall, young people are and feel safe, however, there are some areas of practice identified at this inspection that have impacted on weak outcomes for a small minority of young people.

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requires improvement

The registered manager and staff team have a good knowledge about keeping young people safe. There have been some concerning notifiable events since the last full inspection but, in the main, these have been addressed swiftly and effectively. The local authority designated officer who was consulted as part of this inspection said, ‘I am kept aware of any concerns at the home and regularly speak with the manager. In my experience, the registered manager is very good and knows how to keep young people safe. Overall, I think this is a good home.’

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requires improvement

All staff receive regular child protection training and know how to respond to concerns about young people’s welfare. There are on-call arrangements to support staff that includes a designated safeguarding senior manager, employed by the provider, who can advise and guide staff with any safeguarding concerns. The young people and social workers spoken to during the inspection all said they think the home is a safe place to live and that staff are caring. A young person said, ‘Yes, I think it’s safe.’ A social worker said, ‘There are no issues about safety. The staff respond very quickly and the placement is going really well.’

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requires improvement

The registered manager has introduced a number of creative measures to promote children’s safety and welfare that includes a project he has set up to support young people who go missing and those at risk of becoming criminalised. The registered manager has identified designated staff who work directly with the local authority multi-disciplinary team, which oversees the care of vulnerable children, and members of the youth justice team.

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requires improvement

This joint working is proving effective and is improving outcomes for young people. If an offence has been committed, the police, a youth justice officer and staff meet to agree the most appropriate way forward. The focus is working with young people using a restorative approach as oppose to them entering the criminal justice system. There are examples when this has worked well with young people and has prevented them from having a criminal record. The police officer working with the home said, ‘This project is so far effective and the staff are committed to support the young people, it’s a credit to them’.

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requires improvement

There have been instances when young people have gone missing or not been where they should be. In all events, staff at the home have responded swiftly and robustly. In some instances when young people have not had a missing from home interview the registered manager has contacted local authorities to pursue the safeguarding arrangements all young people are entitled to. This shows they take children going missing seriously. There are effective, agreed protocols in place with both the local police and county police force to protect vulnerable, missing young people. Staff know which young people are at particular risk of going missing and they are supported to explore any reasons or triggers that lead to their risk taking behaviours. A police officer said, ‘The home are good in responding to young people going missing. They have good systems in place and keep us involved and up to date with any changes to

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requires improvement

young people’s risks and vulnerabilities.’

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requires improvement

Records of all missing young people are kept, but they are limited in detail and do not include the whereabouts of young people when they have been missing. This hinders the oversight of missing incidents where trends or patterns of behaviour may not recognised.

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requires improvement

Improvements have been made in how staff manage behaviour. There is a new incentive scheme for young people to earn a range of rewards that is proving very successful. Young people have individual targets that are reasonable and achievable so all young people have the capacity to ‘win’ rewards and extra privileges. This has significantly reduced the number of sanctions used and has motivated the young people to want to behave more positively. A young person said, ‘It’s great. You get to have extras and its good fun.’

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requires improvement

The home accommodates up to seven young people who have complex needs and who have experienced past trauma. This sometimes manifests in negative behaviours, especially when young people are in crisis. As a result, there has been an increase in the use of restraints and more worryingly an increase in the use of ground floor and front ground recovery restraints; where young people are held in a prone position face down. This increase involves mainly one young person but other young people have sporadically been held using a front ground recovery hold.

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requires improvement

All staff are trained in safe handling and receive restraint training to level three. This includes training in how to carry out ground floor holds. A member of staff, who is a qualified restraints trainer, is based on-site and his role includes supporting staff and monitoring restraints to ensure physical interventions are carried out in line with the home’s behaviour management policy and safe practice guidance.

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requires improvement

Good records are kept of all restraints and they are shared with each young person’s social worker. The records include an individual de-brief with staff and young people following every incident and the provider regularly monitors all restraints carried out. In addition, a director of the company meets with all registered managers on a monthly basis to look at patterns of restraints and how these can be reduced.

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requires improvement

A key line of enquiry for this inspection was generated from the independent visitor’s report that recorded a young person had received facial injuries and carpet burns as a result in being held in a ground floor recovery restraint. An inspection of the home’s records revealed there have been four instances when one young person sustained facial injuries and carpet burns, and two instances when another young person received carpet burns and facial bruising. Records for the six incidents show that the restraints were warranted and both young people’s social workers were informed about the injuries. Behaviour management plans include preferred restraints, including the use of front ground recovery as a last resort.

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requires improvement

It is apparent that in all but one of the restraints the young people were not adequately protected from injury caused by them rubbing their faces on the carpet and on one occasion banging their head on the floor. The home employs an individual who is a qualified trainer for restraints. He informed the inspector that staff use a special mat, or other form of protection such as a cushion, to protect young people who attempt to bang their head or cause other injuries. This advice has not been consistently followed and, as a result, has compromised young people’s safety and welfare.

p.10

good

This is the first full inspection since the registered manager took up his post in March 2015. He was previously the deputy manager so he has a good knowledge of the home’s operation and the young people. He has the rights skills, experience and qualifications to undertake his role and has made some very good improvements that have impacted positively on young people. The registered manager’s previous experience working in youth justice has also contributed to improving outcomes and young people’s progress.

p.10

good

Staff at the home have progressed by meeting a recommendation from the last inspection. The registered manager has a clear understanding of the home’s admission criteria and children are placed in line with their conditions of registration.

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good

The registered manager is supported by an experienced deputy and a motivated staff team. There have been recent staff changes that have impacted particularly on two young people who talked to me about ‘all the best staff leaving’ to work at a newly registered home operated by the same provider. Both young people went on to say that the new staff ‘are okay’ and some were ‘amazing’ and ‘living at the home is great’. However, as young people raised the issue staffing was reviewed during the inspection. Staff who left the home did so of their own choice in seeking promotion and career development. The moves were planned to help young people adapt to the changes and they were kept fully informed of which staff were leaving and why. New staff members were introduced slowly to help young people acclimatise and to help them form bonds and trusting relationships.

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good

Staffing rosters ensured regular staff were on duty at all times and young people were offered additional one to one time to talk about their feelings and strategies to manage change. These measures demonstrated that the registered manager and staff were attuned to the young people’s feelings and supported them through this time of change; therefore minimising any disruption to young people’s lives.

p.11

good

Staff feel valued and are very well supported both informally and with formal supervision. New staff said they had a thorough induction and were welcomed into the team. All staff spoken to were highly complementary about the young people, how the home operates, and the registered manager. A new member of staff said, ‘This is the best place I have ever worked and the best job I have ever had.’ Another said, ‘The team were very welcoming and very supportive. It’s great here, the young people come first and that’s something I noticed from day one.’

p.11

good

Inter-agency working is very good and feedback from social workers and independent reviewing officers at this inspection is very positive. Comments from professionals include, ‘The staff have been fantastic.’ and, ‘My experience of the home is very good. They openly communicate and they work very well with me and other professional agencies.’ Comments from parents spoken to also rated the registered manager and staff team highly.

p.11

good

Staff actively support and encourage young people to be part of their local community. This includes young people and gives them a sense of belonging. They take part in local events; many have joined local activity and sports groups. Young people are also involved in fund raising for local charities. These measures contribute to young people’s increased socialisation and their emotional and psychological development.

p.11

good

Leaders and managers have a good oversight of young people’s care plans and advocate on their behalf. Young people are included in their statutory reviews, with some taking a lead role in deciding what is discussed in the meetings and who they would like to attend. Reports supplied by the home for reviews, and planning meetings, are detailed and set out how it is for each young person living at the home. This thorough work and preparation for young people’s meetings ensures young people’s rights are protected and that they are included in the future plans.

p.11

good

There are strengths and weaknesses in the homes monitoring. The home is visited regularly by an independent visitor who reports on the home’s performance. The visitor and registered manager ensure any actions are addressed promptly to improve the home’s performance. The independent visitor reports include factual data that provides good information in order for Ofsted to monitor the home, in particular, behaviour management and children’s views about their care. However, the reports do not fully express the visitor’s opinion as per regulation. Specifically, that the visitor is satisfied young people are effectively safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes young people’s wellbeing.

p.11

good

The registered manager’s monitoring is very good. His latest six monthly report, supplied to Ofsted, is very well written, evaluative and clearly demonstrates outcomes for young people. Consultation is very good, which shows young people, parents and social worker’s opinions are listened to and taken into account.

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good

The registered manager is also good at informing Ofsted and other professional agencies of significant events that occur in the home. This provides young people with a range of independent safeguards and promotes their wellbeing. He has developed a very good working relationship with local safeguarding officers, from whom he seeks advice and support when young people engage in risk taking behaviours. This openness in sharing concerns shows good leadership and is very good practice.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection. An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements

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What the inspection judgements mean

are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards.

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Information about this inspection

the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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