Children's Home run by Witherslack Group Limited in Bradford

Inspection report children’s home: 1244280 1 Registered provider: Witherslack Group 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 run. It provides therapeutic care to meet the care and accommodation needs for up to seven children who have social and /or emotional problems. There is another children’s home and a school in the same grounds, both of which are registered separately and are owned by the same provider. All the children living at this home attend the on-site school. There is a manager in post who registered with Ofsted in March 2018.

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Inspection date: 29 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 29 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1244280 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children feel safe at the home. The home provides a stimulating environment with plenty of resources to keep children entertained and for them to have fun and pursue their interests. There are framed photos on the walls, together with soft furnishings, which add to the homely feel. The children have personalised bedrooms which reflect their tastes and interests. All these factors combined provide the children with a sense of belonging.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is situated near a school and another children’s home, all of which share the same complex and form part of the same organisation. This has created a sense of community for the children. The grounds enable children to enjoy a safe area to have fun and socialise with their friends.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some children have lived at the home for many years and feel settled. Children receive warm and nurturing care from a stable, caring team of staff who know the children well. Staff have supported children to thrive from establishing a routine and structure to their day. This has enabled children to stamp their identity on the home, which has created an atmospheric family orientated environment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children at the home feel that staff value their wishes and feelings and act upon them. One child commented that staff support them ‘to the max’. Children know how to make a complaint and they have faith in the complaints process. This means that children feel valued and that their opinions matter.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children enjoy a wide range of activities, both at the home and in the local area. They complete a weekly planner consisting of activities such as cooking, guitar lessons, boxing, fishing and swimming. Staff take part in activities alongside the children. This provides natural opportunities for trusting relationships to flourish.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The team has established a family-oriented value base. Communication between the team and children’s families is good. This has enabled staff to build productive working relationships with children’s family members. Children therefore maintain good links with their respective families.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The multi-disciplinary clinical team compiles a comprehensive assessment and overview of each child’s needs. The manager translates the recommendations into the child’s personal behaviour support plan. This provides staff with clear guidance on how to meet the child’s motor skills and their sensory and emotional needs. As a result, the clinical team equips staff to establish a deeper understanding of how to best meet the child’s needs. Inspection report children’s home: 1244280 3 There are regular consultations between the clinical and care teams. The clinicians provide objective and insightful input, which enables staff to establish a deeper understanding of the child’s world. This enables staff to approach incidents with an open mind and look beyond the child’s immediate behaviour. This means that consequences for children are restorative rather than punitive and enable children to reflect and learn.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are very few occasions when staff need to restrain children to keep them and others safe. Staff demonstrate good de-escalation skills which enable children to recover quickly in times of crisis. When staff have deemed it necessary to restrain children, there has been good management oversight. This has ensured that staff and children have opportunities to reflect and learn from the incident, which has contributed to incidents of restraint being rare.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is good oversight of the home in the manager’s absence. In addition, there are robust auditing systems for quality assurance purposes. The structures that management has established minimise the risk of staff overlooking any welfare issues concerning the children in the manager’s absence. This keeps children safer.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager ensures that staff are accountable for the care that they provide to children. There is also appropriate challenge to local authorities as and when required. This ensures that there is a cohesive and collective accountability between agencies towards the children’s care.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff receive regular reflective supervision sessions. A clinician also leads the child- focused and reflective practice meetings which staff attend. Staff are therefore part of a learning organisation, enabling their practice to develop. This increases the team’s capacity to meet the children’s care needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s transitions to and from the home are structured. This includes children who are in crisis and require a move to an alternative home. Matching and planning children’s transitions have decreased the likelihood of children suffering unnecessary disruption to their care. Inspection report children’s home: 1244280 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/01/2020 Full Good 12/03/2019 Full Good 27/11/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: 1244280 5

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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

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 children’s home: 1244280 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lupton Tower, Lupton, Carnforth LA6 2PR

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Inspectors

Steve Guirey, Social Care Inspector Tina Ruffles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1244280 7 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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