Children's home run by Witherslack Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2533483 1 Registered provider: Witherslack Group Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to five children with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for children who are at risk of, or vulnerable to, child sexual exploitation. There are currently five children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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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: 12 February 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2533483 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2533483 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are responding well to the high levels of nurture and warmth provided by the staff. This was evident during the inspection, when the children were observed to have a positive interaction with each other and the staff. There was evidence of physical warmth between children and staff, and the atmosphere was relaxed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy good routines and work with the staff to create their own weekly planners. This provides structure for the children and reflects their own wishes and feelings. For example, the children enjoy their preferred activities, such as going horse riding, trampolining and ice skating.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise the children’s education. Consequently, all children make good educational progress from their starting points. One child who has previously had a poor education experience is now enjoying school and is working towards her GCSEs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to attend their health appointments. Healthy eating is actively promoted in the home. Staff support the children to be creative in healthy food swaps. As a result, the children enjoy a balanced diet.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported well to maintain positive relationships with their families. The manager advocates well for the children to ensure that the children’s family time takes place on a regular basis. This gives the children a sense of stability, maintains their identity and lessens their anxiety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The physical environment is well maintained and safe for children. The home is warm and welcoming and has a family atmosphere. The children have their own personalised bedrooms. This helps the children to feel comfortable and have a sense of belonging in their home.

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

Children have thorough, individual risk assessments. These are regularly reviewed and updated. They provide the staff with clear information about the risks to children and how they should manage the risks. As a result, children are better protected.

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

The children’s plans include therapeutic input, providing guidance and support for staff, and detailing how to manage behaviours. This ensures that the staff have a better understanding of trauma and how they can support the children to overcome some of their emotional difficulties. Staff promote acceptable behaviour based on positive relationships with the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2533483 4 Staff recognise when the children are struggling. Staff are alert to key behaviour indicators, such as changes in presentation, and understand the children’s individual triggers. Staff speak to the children about their behaviour and the impact that this has on the other children in the home. Some of these discussions can be upsetting for the children. However, the staff know the children well and they approach these conversations with sensitivity. This prevents the children from becoming angry and

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

enables the child to listen, reflect and adapt their behaviour.

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

Children know how to make a complaint. When children do raise a complaint, the complaints are investigated thoroughly and identified actions are addressed in a timely manner. The manager helps the children to understand the outcome of the investigation.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. Staff are familiar with the procedures that are in place to protect the children. Safeguarding concerns are responded to quickly, and subsequent investigations are thorough and involve all the relevant safeguarding agencies. However, the manager has not notified Ofsted of three significant incidents. This oversight has prevented Ofsted from scrutinising how significant incidents and potential safeguarding matters are investigated. This also prevents Ofsted from being assured that the manager and staff remain fit to perform their roles, and have taken effective action to safeguard the children.

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

New staff are recruited safely. Suitable measures are in place and followed to ensure that only those who are suitable are recruited to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced, qualified and committed to delivering a high standard of care to the children. She is supported by an experienced deputy manager who shares the manager’s aspirations for the children to achieve and do well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works well with partner agencies, including local authorities, health services and police, as well as parents. Partner agencies report that the manager keeps them updated about the children’s progress and their day-to-day care. The good communication and positive working relationships contribute to children receiving coordinated care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses her internal and external monitoring systems well so that she and the staff know what is happening in the home. As a result, the manager and the staff have a clear understanding of the progress that children make.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children receive a high level of care and support from the staff. Although there has been a high number of different staff caring for children, the manager has ensured that children receive a more consistent approach from the staff, as the staffing arrangements have improved since August 2021.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children receive good care from staff who either have the required childcare qualification or are working towards this. The staff receive a number of opportunities Inspection report for children’s home: 2533483 5 to enhance their skills through the provider’s training scheme. However, the provider has missed an opportunity to enhance the staff’s skills further, as the staff do not receive specific training to enable them to support the children’s specific bespoke care needs, as identified in the home’s workforce development plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff complete the provider’s induction and training plan, and they are supervised on a fortnightly basis. New staff have regular probation reviews to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to care for the children. However, the manager has missed an opportunity to demonstrate how she has assessed the new staff as competent and that they have completed the probation satisfactorily, as there is no formal probation review.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The practice of the staff is improved as they receive regular supervision and support. When shortfalls in practice are identified, the management team addresses this quickly. New staff receive more frequent support and guidance to ensure that they are skilled and equipped to meet the needs of the children well. However, the current appraisal process does not make it clear when the staff’s annual performance is fully appraised. In addition, the children and other professionals are not part of the process. Inspection report for children’s home: 2533483 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; and

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e)) 31/03/2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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Recommendations

 The registered provider should ensure that all of the staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. As part of the performance management process, poor performance should be addressed by a timely plan to bring about improvement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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 for children’s home: 2533483 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: Witherslack Group, Lupton Tower, Lupton, Carnforth LA6 2PR

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Inspectors

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Janine Shortman-Thomas, Regional Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home: 2533483 8 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

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