Children's Home run by Witherslack Group Limited in Wakefield

Inspection report children’s home: 2494551 1 Registered provider: Witherslack Group Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to seven children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural problems.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post who was registered with Ofsted in November 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children and young people have experienced a significant period of change since the last inspection, with several children and young people moving into the home within the last six months. The transitions have been planned and managed well. The registered manager carefully considers the needs and risks of the children and young people placed with the existing group, to ensure placement stability.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people placed in recent months are either settled or they are adapting to the consistent routines and boundaries that offer them clarity about expectations and reinforce that staff care about them. Inspection report children’s home: 2494551 2 Overall, the children and young people are happy and relaxed at the home. They are well cared for by the staff and benefit hugely from the positive and nurturing relationships with the registered manager and the staff. This promotes a homely, family environment. Children and young people’s contact with their families and significant others is encouraged and facilitated to maintain these important relationships.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

All of the children and young people attend school regularly. Their engagement in lessons varies. Additional safety planning in school safeguards those children and young people who need a higher level of support.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people’s health needs are understood by the members of the staff team, who help them to access primary and specialist health appointments. The children and young people’s positive engagement with the visiting mental health practitioners is good progress, particularly for those who have refused to engage with external mental health services.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some children and young people who present with self-harming and unpredictable risk- taking behaviours are protected by safeguarding strategies that are helping to reduce the risks. Individual sessions with children and young people are helping them to reflect on their behaviours. These discussions provide them with emotional support and is helping them to make safer choices. Staff remain vigilant and ensure that those children and young people who are vulnerable to self-harm are carefully monitored. The staff align their responses to those identified in the risk management plans. This ensures that all staff have a shared understanding of the risks and the action they must take to safeguard children and young people, particularly when they are in crisis.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Most of the children and young people are embracing the incentive scheme, which is promoting rewards for positive behaviours. They are also offered opportunities to work restoratively when addressing poor behaviour, thus helping them to understand how their behaviour can affect other people’s feelings. Missing-from home incidents are managed effectively. The staff work with other agencies to ensure children and young people’s safe and well return. There are no current concerns about child exploitation and radicalisation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall, the home presents a pleasant environment for children and young people to live in. However, some of the children and young people’s rooms are below the expected standard. This includes damaged furniture and unkept rooms that would benefit from structured work to help the children and young people look after their private space.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children and young people benefit from living in a home that, otherwise is well- managed. The staff feel well supported and receive bespoke training, which helps them to provide consistent care to the children and young people. The staff team’s work with the clinical team gives them greater insight about the children and young people’s emotional progress. Debriefs with staff following incidents ensure that any lessons learned are taken forward, so they are not repeated.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One requirement and one recommendation raised at the previous inspection have been Inspection report children’s home: 2494551 3 met. The registered manager is working towards fully embedding the views of children and young people, parents and staff in his monitoring reports. All staff are now signing the team meeting minutes to confirm that they have read and understood the information and action points, to support their practice.

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’.

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Marcella Bird Inspection report children’s home: 2494551 4 Registered manager: David Fairclough

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Inspector

Jacqueline Malcolm, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2494551 5 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

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