Children's home run by Witherslack Group Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1244527 1 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 owned home that caters for children and young people who have complex needs and may be experiencing a range of difficulties, including attachment and trauma. The home can accommodate up to seven children and young people between the ages of seven and 17.

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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: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1244527 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 31/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 1244527 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should oversee the welfare of the children in their care through observation and engagement with: each child; the home’s staff; each child’s family/carers where appropriate; and professionals involved in the care or protection of each child including their social worker, Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO), teachers, clinicians and other health professionals etc. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.23)  Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)  Staff supervision must enable staff to reflect and act upon how their own feelings and behaviour may be affected by the behaviour of the children they care for.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.15)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most young people make good progress in all areas of their lives. They attend school more frequently than they did prior to moving to this home. High-risk behaviours reduce over time. Most young people are starting to learn how to manage their own behaviour. A social worker said: ‘He is much less angry, has better coping mechanisms, and has had such a stable period of time, which he really needed as his home life was previously very chaotic.’ The young person has made such good progress that the plan is for him to return home in the near future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a positive view of young people, despite the recent challenges they have presented. Staff have a good understanding of the young people and why they behave in the way that they do.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care plans currently lack detail and young people do not have any input into the written plans. This makes the plans quite clinical and does not reflect the young people’s views.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work therapeutically with young people under the guidance of a qualified therapist. The therapist also spends time with the young people on a regular basis. This enables her to build strong relationships with the young people and helps them to build up their emotional resilience. An independent reviewing officer said: ‘They have given him many opportunities to engage with therapy support and to reflect on possible reasons for the Inspection report children’s home: 1244527 4 aggression.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff value the wishes, views and opinions of young people. Young people have lots of opportunities to express their views and make decisions about their home and care. For example, menus were removed from the wall as young people felt that this made the home look institutionalised. Young people have also opted to go on a trip to London and to various theme parks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The diverse needs of young people are respected. For example, one young person changes her mind about her diet: whether to only eat Halal food, to eat a vegetarian diet or to eat meat. Consequently, staff have made all options available to her so that she can decide each day what she would like.

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

On the whole, positive behaviour is successfully promoted. Staff form warm and nurturing relationships with young people. They believe that this is important in supporting young people to manage their own behaviour effectively. They also use incentives well. Incidents have reduced for some young people. However, some incidents continue and result in staff injuries and property being damaged. Despite this, staff continue to implement consistent rules and boundaries. Young people know that staff genuinely care about them. Damaged property is quickly repaired or replaced to prevent young people experiencing further emotional trauma. A social worker said: ‘Because he has received consistency in terms of boundaries, routines and having someone to listen to him and stick with him through difficulties, I think that he feels very safe and secure.’

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

Staff are trained well in physical intervention. They have access to excellent resources in terms of expert advice and guidance. De-escalation techniques are effective, and most young people have not been held. Staff know what triggers young people to go into crisis and what helps to calm them down again. For example, some young people like to go for a walk or a drive with staff. Staff use humour effectively as this can help some young people.

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

Staff give young people appropriate consequences, but focus on using restorative approaches with an emphasis on responding to their emotional needs. For example, a young person damaged property while in crisis. Staff responded immediately and found her crying. Staff gave her a hug and reassured her. Later she cleaned up the mess and apologised for the damage.

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

High-risk behaviours such as going missing from the home, taking illegal substances and self-harm are reducing over time. One young person who regularly went missing prior to moving to this home has not gone missing at all. This is because young people know that staff care about them. This helps them to feel safe and secure. Inspection report children’s home: 1244527 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and appropriately qualified. She has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. She has good plans to address any shortfalls and develop the service to improve outcomes for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work closely with external professionals to provide young people with a holistic approach to their health and well-being. An independent reviewing officer said: ‘They have responded to any requests made by the social worker or myself with regards to changes needed or care plan requests.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has worked hard to gain better relationships with neighbours. Neighbours are more accepting of the young people and most are welcoming them into the community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to a good training programme. In addition, staff have access to a therapist who visits regularly. She provides help and guidance, in addition to training, for staff. This means that staff have the skills and knowledge to meet young people’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have mixed views about the quality of support they receive. All staff agree that they are very well supported within their own teams. Some staff feel unsupported by managers, and others feel well supported by them. Staff receive regular formal supervision. However, supervision practice is not reflective and therefore may not help staff to develop their practice. Furthermore, issues brought up within supervision are not always followed up, and staff continue to have the concerns discussed within supervision meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight of some records is not always good. For example, the recorded management oversight of a serious incident did not identify poor practice or initiate an investigation. However, the action taken following the incident, through effective implementation of a risk assessment, has helped to reduce the likelihood of it reoccurring. Other records, such as risk assessments, do not always reflect the appropriate action that should be taken to keep the young people safe. However, practice is safe and appropriate. Other records are unclear, and this has not been identified by the manager.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1244527 6 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: 1244527 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Witherslack Group Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector(s)

Joanne Vyas, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1244527 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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