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

Inspection report children’s home: SC475680 1 SC475680 Registered provider: Witherslack Group Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to eight children at any given time who may be experiencing emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 11 to 12 September 2017

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

 Based on their starting point when first entering the home, most young people make good progress in all areas of their lives. Inspection report children’s home: SC475680 2  Young people benefit from living in a structured environment with clearly defined boundaries which helps them to grow in confidence, enjoy improved health, reduce risky or challenging behaviours, and remain safe.  Staff are prepared to work flexibly to ensure that young people can maintain sometimes complex contact arrangements safely and consistently. Distance is not viewed as a barrier, which enables young people to keep in touch with those who are important to them.  Young people develop trusting relationships with staff who act as good role models and genuinely care about their welfare.  The home has a good record of re-engaging disaffected young people back into education. The importance of education is strongly promoted, with most young

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Key findings from this inspection

people achieving good attendance, which reflects their educational progress.  A dedicated, fully committed manager is well supported by a stable and well- motivated staff team that has worked together for some time. Collectively, the manager and staff adopt a team-centred approach which gives young people the consistency of care they need.  Staff work cooperatively with partner agencies and, wherever possible, parents and carers. This reflects the inclusive culture developed in the home which provides a voice for young people, allowing them to influence the day-to-day running of the home, as well as being party to important decisions about their lives.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Constant reflection and evaluation of working practices to ensure that the home continues to move forward and progress should continue. For example, the home should continue to review how evidence that reflects the high standards of care in the home can be retained and presented.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/08/2016 Full Good 01/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC475680 3

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Recommendations

 Continue with the current rolling programme of refurbishment to meet the short and longer-term needs of the home in creating a more welcoming environment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, section 3.7)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home works well with young people who have had a difficult start in life, with many already well experienced with the care system before their admission. Often at first, they are angry, anti-authoritarian and rejecting of adult guidance. Staff are skilled in settling young people and creating meaningful relationships with them, which develops trust. Over a period of time, most young people are prepared to adopt lifestyles that are more socially acceptable to the one they lived previously. As a result, they make good progress in all areas of their lives. For example, when asked what living in the home had done for him, a young person replied, ‘Being here has really helped me. I’m not sure where I would be if I hadn’t come here. The staff are great and are always there for you.’ A social worker who spoke to the inspector said, ‘The home has been exceptional with him. He has made the best progress compared to any placement since I first met him some years ago. Although he

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

still poses problems because he is very troubled, this is the most stable placement he has had. The difference between this placement and others he has had is that staff don’t just work with him, they care about him.’ The progress made can be evidenced when tracking the range of planning documents, assessments of risk and the strategies used to manage behaviour. Regular review and updating keeps them current. Further evidence is found in the monthly review, which evaluates progress. This translates into the reports prepared by the home prior to statutory reviews. Progress is recognised by parents. For example, one parent told the inspector, ‘He is coming on really well and has made lots of progress.’ Educational arrangements are in place for all young people, with the vast majority receiving full-time education at a variety of community-based schools. Overall attendance levels are good, which reflect the educational progress being made. The

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

home’s working practices are geared to promoting education. As a result, considerable success has been achieved with young people who previously were non-conforming and rejecting of their education. Good arrangements are in place which promote young people’s health. Young people all currently enjoy good health, with their everyday health needs being addressed effectively through community-based facilities. In addition to this, the home has its own Inspection report children’s home: SC475680 4 mental health practitioners who work alongside staff in the home. This gives young people access to regular counselling and support. Other specialist services can be accessed and brought in where necessary. The home has the relevant information required, such as health histories, so that any previous shortfall, for example with immunisations, can be rectified. Detailed health plans form an integral part of each

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

young person’s placement plan. The promotion of health is an area in which the home has improved since the previous inspection. In collaboration with others, such as a dietician and the looked after nurse, greater attention and focus is being given to any young person who may have weight issues or eating habits that cause some concern. For example, menus have been revised with a greater emphasis on nutritional value, and activities are planned weekly with young people to include some form of exercise. Overall, young people’s physical, emotional and mental health needs are being well met. Young people have access to and enjoy a wide range of community-based activities. Having good staffing levels and transport allows for both collective and individual needs to be met. For example, a young person has joined a local junior football club. Opportunities are created for young people to try new experiences. Currently popular is

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

camping and going on long cycle rides. Young people have a strong voice in the home, with consultation taking place on a daily basis. This is underpinned with a more formal meeting held weekly. The strength of the relationships between young people and staff enhances the high levels of communication and consultation taking place. Young people also have influence in other areas of the home’s operation and practice. For example, they are consulted when staff recruitment is taking place, and also contribute their views on staff performance during staff appraisals. This inclusivity gives young people some empowerment and the opportunity to take on appropriate responsibilities. Encouraging and developing skills in preparation for greater independence commences when young people are first admitted. For example, there is a clear expectation that young people will keep their own bedroom clean and tidy. Staff work well with young

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

people to develop their skills and give them the experiences that will serve them well in the future, for example handling money, planning contact with family members, and travelling independently. The home blends well into the local community. It is relatively spacious and, overall, has a good standard of repair, fixtures, fittings, décor and equipment. All bedrooms are single occupancy, with their own bathrooms. They are decorated and personalised to reflect the taste of the occupant. However, much of the home looks tired and is in need of modernising. There are plans in place for this and a start has been made, but the programme still has some way to go.

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

There are good systems in place to keep everyone safe. For example, detailed risk assessments that are updated regularly identify risks around the home and the local community. Appropriate service contracts are in place to ensure that safety equipment is Inspection report children’s home: SC475680 5 well maintained, which adds to the levels of safety in the home. The home has developed strong, professional relationships with those external agencies charged with keeping young people safe. The safeguarding procedures adopted continue to keep young people safe, helped by a multi-agency response should a safeguarding issues arise. Staff are familiar with and understand the safeguarding procedures in place, recognising their own role and responsibilities in keeping young people safe. All staff have received training in this field which is refreshed regularly. The home has had to deal with a series of challenges during the summer school holiday

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

that has tested the skills and resources of staff. It is to their credit and a reflection of the professionalism and team-centred approach taken by them that this difficult period has been successfully negotiated. An experienced and skilled staff team has the skills and confidence to manage the challenges posed by some young people in a caring and supportive way, without resorting to or embarking on a punitive regime. Behavioural incidents, including those requiring physical intervention, are managed effectively. Incidents are monitored and evaluated by senior staff, allowing them to review incidents in order to look for indictors, trends or patterns. This helps to improve practice and aid consistency. For example, for any increase in the frequency of incidents, the reasons why are identified and immediate steps are taken to address those reasons. This practice has resulted in a downward trend of serious management behavioural

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

incidents that have occurred over the last year. When reflecting on the placement, a social worker told the inspector, ‘They are brilliant with him. He is complex and can be difficult to manage, but they are doing that extremely well.’ The home works cooperatively with the police and placing authorities should young people go missing. Local protocols, along with the home’s own procedures, are followed. Staff will go out of their way and put in a lot of effort to retrieve young people to ensure that they are kept safe. These efforts are appreciated by others. For example, a social worker told the inspector, ‘I am happy that she is safe. Her placement and its success have dramatically reduced the risk factor she posed.’ Another professional who deals exclusively with missing young people stated, ‘This is one of the better homes we deal with.’ Bullying is not an area of concern to young people, although it is taken seriously by staff,

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

who act proactively to stop and address issues of bullying. Good staffing levels reduce opportunities for bullying to occur, adding to young people’s sense of security. The retention level of staff is high, which means that young people are being looked after by staff who they know and trust. The recruitment and clearance procedures for new staff are thorough and meet with regulatory requirement and current guidance. Longer-serving staff are being re-checked regularly, which is deemed to be good practice. This ensures that young people are only being looked after by staff who have been suitably cleared and recruited.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The whole organisation and management of the home is totally child focused. The home is very well organised and managed by an experienced and fully committed manager Inspection report children’s home: SC475680 6 who leads by example. She has high aspirations for young people in her care and has the ability and confidence to advocate strongly on their behalf. Expectations for staff are similar, with high standards demanded. This has earned the full respect of the staff team and goes some way to explaining the home’s high staff retention rate. Staff are supportive of the ethos, culture and working practices they have helped to create in the home over the years. This is reflected in their willingness to work flexibly to meet the needs of young people, which has generated a supportive and team-centred approach. For example, staff recently worked very flexibly so that a young person could be transported a considerable distance each day to visit a seriously ill relative.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Formal supervision takes place consistently every calendar month, a frequency that has improved since the previous inspection. Young people are consulted to gain their views about staff, which makes a significant contribution towards the staff annual appraisals. This is viewed as excellent practice. Communication levels between staff are high, which aids the general organisation of the home. Staff morale is good and, as a visitor, you experience the warmth and laughter that abounds throughout the home, which creates a happy and positive environment for young people. Staff are encouraged and supported with their training needs. There are clear expectations placed on them to complete the core staff training programme. The programme develops and refreshes the skills required. More specialist training can be accessed when necessary. For example, recent training included harmful sexual behaviour, and plans are in place for a staff member to undertake a specialist course on

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

radicalisation, which can then be shared with colleagues. The monitoring of the home internally is good. The manager and her senior team use a variety of systems to evaluate and monitor practice and performance. They have the ability to critically analyse data which identifies areas of strength and weakness. This transfers into the home’s own development and workforce plan, which provides for future development. External senior managers are active and monitor the home regularly. The monthly external monitoring of the home is an area that has been reviewed recently, resulting in some improvement regarding the quality of visits and the report produced. The home has a good record of compliance. Following the requirements and recommendations made at the previous inspection, all areas noted then have been addressed. This has resulted in improvements to: promoting healthy lifestyles for young people, an improvement to the quality of the monthly external monitoring programme,

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

more in-depth evaluation behavioural incidents leading to the introduction of risk management plans, the introduction of records detailing positive consequences, and menus being drawn up for each young person that identify negative consequences that may be implemented. The solidarity and supportive nature of staff has seen the home successfully negotiate a difficult period well and young people continue to make good progress in all areas of their lives. For some, that can mean significant change is achieved, which is recognised by external professionals. For example, the social worker of a young person told the home, ‘I’ve no doubt the transformation he has made over the past year is mostly down to you guys at [name of home].’ The young person’s independent reviewing officer Inspection report children’s home: SC475680 7 backed this up by stating, ‘I was taken aback to see how his maturity has developed

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

since the last review meeting. He is learning to negotiate and regulate his feelings and developing coping strategies to minimise his outbursts.’

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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 children’s home: SC475680 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Witherslack Group Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Witherslack Group, Lupton Tower, Lupton, Carnforth LA6 2PR

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Inspector

Graham Robinson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC475680 9 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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