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

Inspection report children’s home: SC475697 1 SC475697 Registered provider: Witherslack Group Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to seven young people who display a combination of emotional difficulties, associated challenging behaviours and educational underachievement, and who require intensive support. The home is privately owned and forms part of a large social care organisation which offers an education service and therapeutic support.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager was registered with Ofsted in April 2017 and is appropriately experienced and qualified to manage a children’s home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 16 October 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: SC475697 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/10/2017 Full Outstanding 14/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/12/2016 Full Good 17/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC475697 3

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Recommendations

 Children must feel safe and be safe. Staff should support children to be aware of and manage their own safety both inside and outside the home to the extent that any good parent would. Staff should help children to understand how to protect themselves, feel protected and be protected from significant harm. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9) This is with particular regard to young people gaining suitable employment for their age.

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Recommendations

 In addition to the requirements of this standard, the registered person has specific responsibilities under regulation 34 to prepare and implement policies setting out: arrangements for the safeguarding of children from abuse or neglect; clear procedures for referring child protection concerns to the placing authority or local authority where the home is situated if appropriate; and specific procedures to prevent children going missing and take action if they do. The policy on protection of children from abuse and neglect should include arrangements in relation to dealing with allegations involving staff in the home, e-safety and to counter risks of self-harm and suicide. All policies should be reviewed regularly and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.19) This is with particular regard to the e-safety policy and the use of mobile phones in the home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair, and the above principles as set out in 9.35 are respected. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.9) This is with particular regard to the sanction ‘loss of independence’ and its appropriateness as a consequence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There have been seven children and young people resident in the home since the last inspection. The expertise, cohesion and commitment of the staff team have ensured that this has been a stable and safe place for children and young people to grow up.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Completion of the internal refurbishments has meant that the children and young people spend their time in a safe, comfortable and stimulating environment where they can have fun. The outside space provides the children and young people with the room to run and play, giving them a sense of freedom. They develop new skills as they learn to Inspection report children’s home: SC475697 4 play ‘man of the woods’, a popular bushcraft experience enjoyed by the younger children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

An outstanding recording system for the children and young people’s personal information provides a comprehensive picture of the individual, their time in the home and their progress and achievements. The excellent day-to-day care plans detail how the children and young people’s holistic needs are to be met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children and young people make significant progress in developing social and life skills. They grow in confidence by trying new foods and eating with their peers. Clear activity planning significantly reduces anxiety. The children and young people trust the staff team members and enjoy being together in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Effective partnership working between the staff team members and other professionals ensures that children and young people receive all of the services that they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All of the children and young people are engaged in full-time education. Outstanding partnership working between the home and schools ensures that the same communication methods are used, empowering the children and young people to express themselves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children and young people are encouraged and enabled to engage in inclusive activities in the local community that expand their horizons. One young person was successful in gaining employment, and this boosted his self-esteem as he enjoyed the financial rewards that the job brought. However, the hours he worked were more than are legally allowed of a minor. The registered manager had failed to act responsibly in ensuring that he understood the law around employment and children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The dedicated staff team works hard with the young people to empower them to learn self-care and life skills in preparation for their transition to adult provisions.

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

Good individual and generic risk assessments identify each child or young person’s vulnerabilities and how they are to be addressed. Children and young people evidently feel safe, and parents and professionals report that they are safe.

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

The staff team consistently implements excellent behaviour management and safeguarding plans. Clear safeguarding arrangements protect the children and young people and promote their welfare.

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

Children and young people become increasingly aware of how to keep themselves safe as a result of key-work sessions and their engagement with therapy. Structured and personalised responses from staff mean that challenging behaviours reduce significantly. Young people learn from their experiences as they receive compassionate, proportionate and warm responses from staff. Inspection report children’s home: SC475697 5 Consequences for inappropriate behaviour are applied. However, the consequence of ‘loss of independence’ is not recorded in the company’s handbook as an approved sanction. The use of this sanction has sometimes been excessive. For example, one young person was issued with a 72-hour loss of independence after he attended the gym but did not inform the staff of his whereabouts. A recommendation has been made to address this.

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

All of the staff are trained appropriately in physical intervention, but such methods are only used on rare occasions. This is as a direct result of consistent early intervention to defuse challenging situations, and the use of distraction and deflection techniques empower children and young people to learn appropriate ways of behaving. A social worker said, ‘The transformation in [Name] has been spectacular.’

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

A company e-safety policy is used as a guide for the registered manager and staff to follow. However, the policy is particularly education/school-focused and does not reflect the use of mobile phones in the children’s homes and in particular it does not address young people using their phones in their bedrooms. As a result, there is insufficient guidance for staff to follow about how they can keep children and young people safe online. A recommendation has been made to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is aspirational for the children and young people in his care to achieve to the best of their potential. Together with his skilled and enthusiastic senior management team, he inspires the staff team members to build on their knowledge and constantly improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No breaches of regulation were identified at this inspection, or at the last inspection. It is evident that the manager and senior team have worked hard to maintain their ‘outstanding’ judgement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Young people appreciate the way in which the registered manager and staff treat them as individuals, and young people are assured and confident in their relationships with staff. They enjoy full participation in the running of the home and are confident that the registered manager and staff will listen to and resolve any concerns that they may have.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A loyal and committed staff team receives regular, high-quality supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staffing arrangements meet the needs of the young people. Although there have been some recent changes to the staff team, children and young people continue to experience a firm sense of stability. The core members of the staff team, who are experienced, suitably qualified and well trained, work additional shifts to ensure that young people receive consistent care. On the rare occasions when relief staff are used, the children and young people welcome these individuals as they know them well and like to catch up.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has a clear understanding of his monitoring responsibilities. His Inspection report children’s home: SC475697 6 monthly audits show good compliance with regulations and demonstrate that he monitors whether young people are achieving positive outcomes. Independent monitoring reports are comprehensive and positive, and any recommendations are quickly addressed by the registered 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 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: SC475697 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:

Elaine Clare, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC475697 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 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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