Children's Home run by Witherslack Group Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: 1247559 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

The home provides assessment and short-term care to meet the nurturing, management, social, emotional and moral needs of up to five young people, aged eight to 17, who are unable to live in a family context.

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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 outstanding

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Inspection report children’s home: 1247559 2 30/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 1247559 3

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Recommendations

 The home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Ensure that staff keep, and encourage children to keep, appropriate memorabilia of the time spent living at the home and help them record significant life events. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make outstanding progress living here. Staff have the skills required to engage children quickly. This ensures that the assessment process can start as soon as a child arrives at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The multi-disciplinary assessments are thorough. They provide the reader with a clear understanding of the child’s needs and how to meet these needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children develop excellent relationships with the staff. Children receive care and support that is consistent and child centred. Children respond well to this. They trust staff and quickly learn that the home is a safe and supportive environment. One young person said, ‘In all the homes I have been in I’ve never trusted someone straight away… you believed in me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have the skills to explore different ways of engaging children. They ensure that children enjoy their time here and achieve good outcomes. Children have the opportunity to access a range of activities, which builds their self-esteem and confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Professionals speak highly of the home and of the progress that children make.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The quality of care practice is excellent. Practice is informed by good assessments, clear planning and continuous monitoring and review.

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

The manager gathers a wealth of information about the child before their admission. The manager then analyses the information to an excellent standard.

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

Risk assessments and plans are excellent. They reflect the child’s needs and risks, and enable staff to keep children safe. Inspection report children’s home: 1247559 4 Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Staff manage safeguarding concerns in a timely and effective way. They work within policies and procedures to keep children safe and records are clear.

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

Staffing levels are good. Children have access to good levels of support. Staff are sensitive and insightful regarding the needs of the children.

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

Staff have the skills to help children feel safe. They offer a warm, nurturing and trusting environment, where children can grow and develop. Consequently, children feel safe and risk-taking and challenging behaviours reduce. Children invest in the home and enjoy living here.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The current manager was registered with Ofsted on 19 September 2017.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and responsible individual are passionate about the home. They ensure that each child has a positive experience of living here. The management team is strong and together they provide excellent leadership and management in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers support and empower staff to develop their knowledge and skills. As a result, staff grow in confidence and competence, and have high expectations of themselves and each other. Consequently, the standard of practice is consistently high.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff recognise that each child is different and empower them to thrive. Staff help children to understand their current situations and explore future outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have regular supervision and day-to-day communication and support is excellent. Staff receive effective training that enhances their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff recognise the value of working in a multi-agency way. They seek out support and guidance from others to ensure that children achieve the best possible outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals and family members are very complimentary about the home. One parent said, ‘The whole team at [name of the home] are so dedicated and committed to what they do. We’ve seldom come across a team of people who are so open, genuinely concerned, completely non-judgemental and willing to listen to us as [name of child] parents and our experience of what does and doesn’t work.’ They went on to say that they were ‘extremely thankful to the whole team for turning a difficult situation into a positive experience for [name of the child] and the whole family’. Inspection report children’s home: 1247559 5

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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: 1247559 6

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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

Lisa Gregoire-Parker: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1247559 7 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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