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

The home cares for children aged seven to 17. It provides a therapeutic environment primarily based on building positive attachments for children. The newly appointed manager is due to commence the registration process.

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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

Date of last inspection: 18 February 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained 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

18/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/05/2018 Full Good 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

 As set out in regulations 31–33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that these sessions occur at a frequency in line with the home’s policies and procedures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A therapeutic approach underpins this home’s work. This approach, combined with the individualised care and support, is assisting children in achieving their personal goals and targets. Professionals are positive about the difference that living here is making for children. Examples include a child now being able to apologise to staff when he misbehaves and a child being able to stay and eat in the dining room despite the noise and the presence of additional people. These seemingly small steps are significant in these children’s lives. One child speaking about the group of children said, ‘We’re not perfect but nobody is.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are supported and encouraged to attend and engage in school lessons. Close communication between the care and education teams has enabled improvement in this area. Children are enabled to access health services and timely referrals are made to relevant professionals such as child and adolescent mental health services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff obtain the children’s views using a good range of techniques and formats. This creative approach ensures that children feel listened to and that they see their suggestions are incorporated into the running of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children have made complaints, they receive a formal response. The home is reviewing the best way to ascertain and demonstrate whether the child is happy with the outcome.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children speak positively about the range of activities and experiences that they have had while living here. These include various external activities, swimming being a favourite, and home-based ones such as baking. These activities enhance the children’s personal and social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A social worker praised the staff for their child’s pre-placement transition plan. The inclusion of a visit to the child’s new school enabled the child to be excited, during the Inspection report children’s home: 1244527 4 summer, rather than anxious about the pending change of school.

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

Since the last inspection, there have been some safeguarding concerns. These have been managed effectively and led to the dismissal of staff. This prompt and effective response demonstrates that staff are competent in using the whistle-blowing process to raise concerns.

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

The changes in personnel have meant that the children have experienced more staff changes than desired. However, these changes have been managed effectively to ensure that any negative impact is minimised.

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

The children’s plans ensure that they are working towards age-related independence, including gradually increasing amounts of free time. There are individualised protocols to be followed should a child go missing from home. Professionals’ meetings have been held to discuss a child who regularly wanders off unaccompanied. Although the child is usually located quickly, the home is liaising with the police missing person coordinator to review the current processes to ensure that they are still appropriate.

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

Staff use key-work sessions and other discussions with the children to promote their safety and raise awareness of potential risks that children may face in the wider community. This is done in an individualised way that ensures that children are made aware of risks but are not left feeling overwhelmed or scared.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The newly appointed manager has worked here for several years. At a time of many changes, this familiarity has provided the staff and children with some consistency. A staff member said, ‘I was ecstatic when I heard she got the job.’ Other staff describe her as amazing, approachable and supportive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is introducing changes to paperwork and files. These changes are in their infancy and are due to be reviewed for effectiveness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and her team are enthusiastic about the children and their work. They quickly build positive relationships with the children. They use the clinical team to identify therapeutic strategies to use in their work with the children. This openness to alternative approaches means that the children receive consistent yet adaptive care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff now complete a revised induction plan that is more specific to tasks they will complete. This is to ensure that new staff are clearer on what is expected of them. Staff receive regular supervision, although on occasions this has not been in the expected timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and senior managers have an excellent understanding of the home and have clear plans for its development. They use the monthly independent visitor’s reports Inspection report children’s home: 1244527 5 and their internal audits to improve practice. The sole recommendation made at the last inspection related to the decor of the home and this has been addressed.

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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: 1244527 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

Sonia Hay, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1244527 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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