Children's Home run by Witherslack Group Limited in Wiltshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594854 1

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Witherslack Group Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home can provide care for up to five children and/or young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider which operates other homes across the country.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since 6 February 2021. The new manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This home was registered with Ofsted on 27 August 2020. This monitoring visit was completed because the home has not been inspected since it was registered and because it does not have a registered manager in post.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was a blend of on-site and remote work. During the on-site visit, the inspector had a tour of the home and spoke with the children and staff. The off-site work consisted of discussions with the manager, responsible individual and staff by telephone and the review of records.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of this monitoring visit, five children were living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Children like living here. They feel safe, well cared for, listened to and respected. Staff are nurturing and show children genuine warmth and affection. This positive approach makes children trust staff and feel valued, and increases their confidence and self-esteem. One child spoke about how they love living here and said that staff ‘helped me to give up smoking and we go out for walks most days in the woods or park’. Another child said that staff are happy and they are fair; the child gave 10 out of 10 for living here. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594854 2 Children benefit from being cared for by positive and enthusiastic staff who have the children’s well-being, safety and development at the centre of their practice. They have a good understanding of children’s individual needs and how these are to be met. Staff are well trained and understand their roles and responsibilities, especially

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This monitoring visit

A good-quality risk assessment is undertaken prior to a new child moving into the home. Leaders and managers consider any risk the new child may present to the children already living at the home and vice versa. They also review the skills of the staff against the needs of the child, to ensure these needs can be met. This risk assessment process does not currently consider the potential risks and impact of the children living in another children’s home that is located on the same site.

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This monitoring visit

Behaviour is well managed. Restraint is rarely used and only to safeguard children. Records of restraint are detailed and subsequent conversations with children are of a good quality. This enables the children to reflect and learn from the event. However, the records of discussions with staff after a restraint vary in quality and lack detail.

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This monitoring visit

Complaints from children are taken seriously and are appropriately addressed. The manager revisits a child’s complaint over time to ensure the child is happy with the outcome. This response empowers children to voice their concerns.

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This monitoring visit

The quality of records maintained is generally good. However, sometimes staff use institutionalised language in the records which would not make the documents easy for children to understand.

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This monitoring visit

The home is well managed. Clear monitoring systems help the manager to review practices and, consequently, support the development of the home.

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594854 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure records of restraint include the discussions held with staff who have been involved in the restraint. These records need to be of a consistently good quality. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should increase the scope of the pre-admission risk assessment to include the children from the other children’s home situated on the same site. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure records are clear and do not contain institutionalised language so the records will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the progress made by the children’s home since it was registered.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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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: Marcia McLoughlin

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Inspectors

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Joy Horwick, HMI Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594854 4 to 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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