Children's home run by Witherslack Group Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report for children's home: SC475680 1 SC475680 Registered provider: Witherslack Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. It provides care for up to eight children who can no longer live at home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2022.

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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: 26 October 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC475680 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/10/2021 Full Good 17/09/2019 Full Good 13/09/2018 Full Good 11/09/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC475680 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Seven children live in this home. Five children talked to the inspectors. They were complimentary about the care that they receive. They described staff as being ‘fantastic’, ‘great’, ‘fun’ and ‘dependable’. The children could identify several members of staff, relatives or outside agencies they could contact if they had a worry or concern.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in all areas of their lives. They receive consistent care from an established staff team. Staff know children well and develop positive and trusting relationships with them. Children say that they feel safe, happy and listened to in the home. Staff act on children’s wishes and views following feedback given in weekly children’s meetings and key-work sessions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise children’s education. Staff are proactive in identifying barriers to learning and support children to overcome these. Staff are ambitious for children to achieve their full potential. As a result, children have excellent attendance at school or college and have ambitions for their future. However, the children’s records do not show how this excellent practice was achieved, because they do not record the child’s starting point. Therefore, it is difficult to see the child’s journey.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good health. Staff liaise with a range of health professionals, such as a dietician and a diabetes nurse. This means that children receive additional support when they need it. In addition to this, staff have received training in these areas to offer daily support to the children. One child has been assessed as requiring further support from children’s adolescent mental health services. However, there is a six-month waiting list. The manager has not chased this up to see if there are any cancellations or to speed up the process, as a good parent would.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children said that they are treated as individuals and that they can influence the care that they receive. One child is of dual heritage and, currently, does not wish to explore their culture. However, there is no recorded information that staff have discussed this with the child. Therefore, it is difficult to know whether staff are encouraging the child to have a positive cultural identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s hobbies and interests, both in the home and in the local community. Children enjoy trampolining, cooking and attending football and rugby matches and funfairs. Children unanimously said that the activities offered were the best thing about this home. One child said, ‘I am never bored. It is great here. I love going to watch my football and rugby teams play.’ Children care for their own pets in the home. This supports them to develop a sense of responsibility.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with their families and people who are important to them. Staff support children’s emotional needs when they are experiencing difficulties with family Inspection report for children's home: SC475680 4 relationships. One parent said, ‘ The way they worked with us was excellent. I really cannot fault them [staff].’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Plans for children who are ready to move on from the home need improving. Records of key-work sessions show the support that children receive before they leave the home, and a meeting is held to confirm arrangements for the move. However, there is little information around what options were explored and what the contingency plan was if arrangements were not successful. However, children who have left the home still visit and keep in touch with the staff.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s risks and they respond effectively when new risks are identified. Children are involved in the development of risk management strategies. Children say that staff carry out key-work sessions and projects with them so that they understand how to keep themselves safe.

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

Staff take appropriate action in the event of children going missing from the home. Debriefs and follow-up work after any incidents of going missing are effective. This improves staff knowledge and understanding of the reasons for children going missing from the home. Similarly, r eturn home interviews are carried out by an independent person. As a result, children have someone independent to talk to and can discuss any concerns they may have. However, the children’s missing-from-home records do not state after what period of time children should be reported missing. This does not ensure that there is a consistent approach.

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

Children say they feel safe in the home. Positive and respectful relationships with staff support children to manage and regulate their emotions. This minimises incidents of challenging behaviour. A social worker said, ‘ The number of incidents he’s had have significantly reduced since moving to this home. The support they [staff] offer is significant, they have really helped him to learn how to regulate his emotions.’

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

Physical intervention is used as a last resort. Staff are trained in physical intervention and the records show that staff consider whether the intervention was successful or not. Therefore, staff can alter their practice when necessary.

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

Positive reinforcement and incentives promote positive behaviour. When incidents of negative behaviour occur, staff are proactive in educating children through focused key-work sessions and restorative practice. When used, consequences are fair and proportionate.

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

Good recruitment and selection processes ensure, where possible, that staff are suitable to work with children. Regular health and safety checks mean that the home environment is physically safe and secure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides good-quality care to children in the home. He knows and Inspection report for children's home: SC475680 5 understands the children well. He is confident in challenging professionals to ensure that children receive the support that they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has maintained a consistent and stable staff team. Most of the staff team are suitably qualified and have been working at the home for a long time. Staff feel valued and supported. Staff benefit from regular supervision and training specific to children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff meetings are held regularly. In staff meetings, staff look at research and development articles. For example, staff use the ‘seven-minute safeguarding briefings’ to stay up to date with any legislative changes and improvements in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s oversight of the children’s records needs to improve. There is some excellent evaluation that has brought about changes in staff practice, such as recognising that some children are too big to be held for their own safety. However, this is not applied to all records, such as those of consequences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External and internal quality of care reports provide a good overview of the care that children receive. They include feedback from children, parents and professionals. Therefore, the manager can quickly address any concerns or suggestions raised and make improvements in the home. Inspection report for children's home: SC475680 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, 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered manager should ensure that the children’s records are evaluated. 30 December

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way a good parent would. Specifically, that children’s outstanding health appointments are chased up regularly. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that children are given the opportunity to explore their cultural heritage. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 16, paragraph 3.14)  The registered person should ensure that children’s missing-from-home protocols include the timescales for reporting children missing from the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 45, paragraph 9.24) Inspection report for children's home: SC475680 7  The registered person should ensure that children have transition plans to support them to move from the home effectively. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 57, paragraph 11.9)  The registered person should ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. This is specifically in relation to ensuring that the steps taken by staff to secure good progress and outcomes are clearly recorded in the children’s records. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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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: SC475680 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Witherslack Group Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Pam Nuckley, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Aislinn Cooper, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC475680 9 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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