Children's Home run by Witherslack Group Limited in Oxfordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2614937 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

The children’s home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to four children aged between 10 and 17. According to the home’s statement of purpose, it offers residential care with therapeutic emphasis and multi-agency involvement, to help children to recover from experiences which have rendered them vulnerable and disrupted their primary relationships.

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Information about this children’s home

There are currently three children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since 30 June 2022 and has submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

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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: 1 December 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: 2614937 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2614937 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with individualised care that reflects their specific needs and abilities. One child said, ‘The staff are always here to help me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to rebuild and maintain positive relationships with their families and other important people in their lives. Staff ensure that family visits are well planned so that the focus remains on meeting children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s education. Children regularly attend school. Staff have helped one child to attend college alongside his school provision to help to broaden his educational opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work coherently with the clinical team to ensure that children receive the emotional and psychological help they need. Staff receive guidance from the clinical team to help them to understand what children are communicating through their behaviour. One social worker said, ‘He [child] is now settled because staff understand his emotional needs.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff acknowledge the importance of capturing the child’s voice. They use a variety of creative approaches to help children to express their views and ideas. As a result, children feel listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children participate in a variety of fun and enriching activities. These varied opportunities help the children to develop their confidence and self-esteem, and to pursue chosen hobbies and interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff successfully support children to develop their independence skills. As a result, children become confident to independently go on camping trips and to use public transport on their own to visit friends and family.

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

Staff ensure every child has a high-quality risk assessment and risk management plan in place. Staff ensure that children understand risks and how to keep themselves safe. Managers hold regular reflective meetings with staff on keeping children safe and promptly address any emerging practice issues.

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

Children do not go missing from the home. When children walk off from the home, staff quickly follow them and encourage them to return home. Staff use their trusting relationships to encourage children to reflect on the reasons why they decided to walk off.

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

Staff maintain clear boundaries and use a therapeutic-informed approach when supporting children to manage their feelings and emotions. Inspection report for children's home: 2614937 4 Children know the home’s rules, routines and expectations. Physical restraint is only used as a last resort, and when used is appropriate and proportionate. After incidents, excellent debriefs are held with the staff and children involved.

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

Leaders and managers adhere to safer recruitment processes. Individuals who work in the home have been suitably checked.

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

Children live in a clean environment. However, the lack of children’s pictures in the communal areas of the home does not give the children a sense of belonging. One child’s bathroom has a broken floor tile that is a health and safety risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior leaders, managers and staff share a clear vision on securing a good standard of care for every child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers use clear monitoring processes to track and review the progress made by children. They use internal data processes to review trends and the progress made by children. The manager and staff use child-focused processes to help children reflect on their progress and to celebrate their achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff receive regular supervision sessions. New processes have been implemented to ensure that staff have a number of protected spaces to reflect on their practice and professional development. Clinical supervisions are conducted to support staff to be able to reflect on their own emotional well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. For example, they became aware of staffing shortages in the organisation and conducted a thorough staff consultation. This has helped them to examine staff needs and retention and to start a recruitment drive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff promote equality, diversity and gender identity effectively. Children are supported to positively explore their gender identity through honest discussions regarding their physical changes, dress styles and presentation. Children who practise their religion are supported to attend church. When children make racist remarks, they are appropriately challenged and helped to understand the impact of these remarks on others. Inspection report for children's home: 2614937 5

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that communal areas of the home help to give the children a sense of belonging. 31 January 2023

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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: 2614937 6

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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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Inspector

Alphie Khumalo, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2614937 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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