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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . The home continues to provide a high quality of care to young people, which is making a significant difference to their lives. No requirements or recommendations were made at the last full inspection. Following the last full inspection one young person has come to live in the home. Robust attention is given to the assessment of referrals for admission. This ensures that a new young person’s needs can be met effectively and assures compatibility with the existing group of young people. The staff and current young people welcome and support new young people well, and this helps them settle in quickly. No young people have moved on from the home since the last full inspection. Young people and staff continue to enjoy very good relationships. Young people’s relationships with family members are actively supported by staff. The staff ensure

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

that family members are regularly updated about their young person’s progress. The management team and staff recognise the importance of young people maintaining relationships with family members in a safe and positive manner. The staff are exceptionally nurturing towards the young people. Staff spend time with them and young people trust their staff and collectively said that they can talk about any issue that may be worrying them. Young people have made complaints about the care and support that they receive. This reflects their ability and confidence in discussing any issues that they may have with the management and staff on a daily basis. The management team responds to all complaints promptly and meets with the young people to consider their concerns and resolve them to the young people’s satisfaction. Detailed records are maintained to reflect such actions, with young people reading and signing to state their satisfaction.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support young people to address their physical and emotional health needs. Young people have access to professional services in their home and participate in weekly sessions. The home provides a multidisciplinary approach to care. Young people access the mental health practitioner team and a variety of therapies, which promotes their emotional well-being. Young people are supported to explore their emotions while developing positive strategies to self-regulate and manage their anxieties, feelings and behaviours. The use of physical restraint is decreasing and reflects the ability of staff to successfully use de-escalation techniques to support young people during times of crisis. Following any incident of restraint, young people take part in debrief meetings with staff to consider their concerning behaviours and their views on the use of the restraint and to identify what could have been done differently. Restraint

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

records are detailed and show the staff’s commitment to engaging young people in all aspects of the care and support that they receive. Agreed incentive and reward systems are firmly embedded into practice and are having a positive impact on young people. Sanctions are rarely used and only imposed for damage or monies spent inappropriately. Systems within the home for recording and managing safeguarding concerns are robust. The management team acts on concerns swiftly, with substantial investigation and exploration. Concerns are recorded, reported and referred to the designated officer, when required. The response to allegations is thorough and robust, with records detailing all required actions and outcomes. Notifications to Ofsted are made appropriately. They contain sufficient detail to explain the actions taken to protect young people. The management team updates notifications following conclusions to young people’s incidents. This ensures that

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Ofsted is able to maintain an oversight of the home and the young people living there. There are no concerns about young people going missing. The home’s rural location minimises the likelihood of this. For some young people, this is a significant improvement from their previous placement. There are robust procedures in place should an incident occur. Staff are vigilant pursuing young people should they leave the home, and clear risk assessments have agreed strategies in place that are understood by staff. Young people’s care plans are detailed and regularly updated by key staff. The plans explore all aspects of need and risk. All staff have input into the formulation of care plans, which reinforces the consistent approach taken by the staff team. Staff have time for young people; they support them emotionally, and key-working records show in-depth discussions with young people about what is important to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

young people at that time. Staff are reasonable and provide young people with positive parenting. They challenge young people appropriately and instil firm boundaries that assist young people to achieve. Staff have high expectations of young people; they support young people to engage in education. The on-site school is regularly attended, and the home and school work in partnership to sustain young people’s attendance and attainment. As a result, some young people who have previously refused or been excluded from school now attend regularly and typically 95% to 100% of the time. This benefits young people and maximises their opportunities to learn. All young people, subject to their age and understanding, are working towards independence and are actively engaged in learning and developing new skills daily that will benefit them in the future. Those young people ready to move on are gaining self-confidence and achieving their goals. This is a busy and vibrant home

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

and staff are sufficient in number to allow young people to continue to develop their interests and hobbies. The management team has a good oversight of the quality of care provided to the young people. The management team provides effective support and direction to staff and intervenes promptly to address any concerns. The home is visited monthly by an independent person. The reports by the independent person are of a high quality and the management team makes good use of them to improve the home and the services that it provides to young people. The registered manager left in November 2016. A carefully considered and extremely well-organised succession plan has worked well. A new manager has been appointed and is currently working a three-month notice and is to join the home on 1 March 2017. Ofsted has been kept fully informed of these developments and an acting manager, deputy manager, regional manager and responsible

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

individual are managing the home up until this time. There has been no impact on young people or on how the home is run.

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is privately owned and is registered to care for nine young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

03/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection’.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors 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 that 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 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the

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Information about this inspection

effectiveness of the service 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’. 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 0300 123 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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