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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC480422 1 SC480422 Registered provider: Witherslack Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for a maximum of eight children who experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 26 January 2022

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC480422 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/01/2022 Full Good 10/02/2020 Full Outstanding 12/12/2018 Full Good 20/11/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC480422 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, eight children were living at the home. The inspectors spoke to all the children, who were happy to talk about what it is like to live at the home. Children are making good progress from their starting points. They are held in high regard and are building positive and trusting relationships with staff. Children thrive from living in a well-maintained, safe and caring home environment.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have developed permanence and belonging and have lived at the home for some time. This provides them with security and stability. Pre-placement planning and assessments are comprehensive and consider known and potential risks. This ensures that transitions into the home are well planned and effective and means that children are suitably placed together.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children go to school and have good attendance. They are making progress in their education and learning. An educational professional said, ‘Communication between the home and school is excellent.’ Morning and afternoon handovers ensure that information is shared to provide continuity of care for the children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides children with in-house therapy to meet their individual needs. This therapy is provided weekly, and the therapists work in partnership with the staff team to provide children with an integrated holistic approach. This helps and supports children’s emotional well-being.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has regular children’s meetings, and attendance at these meetings is high. Children are consulted individually and as a group. Their views are welcomed and considered. Children feel that they are listened to and have been part of the decision-making about improvements to the home, including the games room.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff create memory books for children to keep. These include photos of holidays and life events. This memorabilia provides children with a clear picture of their experiences and achievements while they are living at the home.

p.3

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

Children say they feel safe and protected. They have developed trust in the people who care for them. Children find staff approachable and feel that staff and the managers care for them well. This enables children to share any worries or fears they may have.

p.3

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

Investigations into allegations or suspicion of harm are shared with the appropriate agencies and are handled fairly, quickly and in accordance with statutory guidance. Children are also supported and protected. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480422 4 Restraint is only used as a last resort and to safeguard children, in line with regulation. Records are clear and robust. Children are always spoken to about the hold, and management oversight is strong and reflective. One child said, ‘I don’t need to be held anymore.’ This means that children are receiving consistent help and support to manage and regulate their emotions and feelings.

p.3

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

Leaders and managers ensure that robust checks are carried out when recruiting new staff to the home. This ensures that all staff are suitably vetted. When investigations are required following allegations of abuse or complaints made against staff working in the home, appropriate action is taken immediately to safeguard children. Health and safety procedures in the home are robust, clearly monitored and up to date. This helps children to stay safe.

p.4

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

Risk assessments are individualised to children’s needs. Staff were able to articulate to inspectors how they would respond to risk-taking behaviours. However, some risk assessments do not contain all known risks for children, and one child’s risk assessment has not been updated following a serious incident. This means that staff working with the child are not aware of a known behaviour or how to respond effectively. A requirement has been made to address this shortfall.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager, who is well respected by staff. He is available to the children, which has helped him to build positive relationships with them. Staff say they feel well supported and that the manager is approachable and caring. The manager is supported by two competent deputy managers. Together, they provide a strong management team. They have high aspirations and provide consistency to children and staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are suitably qualified or are working towards their qualifications in residential childcare. There is a training programme in place to ensure that staff have the necessary skills to meet the complex and challenging needs of the children in their care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that debriefs are carried out following any incidents, which provides the opportunity to discuss incidents and responses. As a result, the manager has a good insight into the home’s shortfalls and strengths.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff receive regular and effective supervision that is focused on children’s experiences. Supervision is reflective and allows staff to identify improvements they can make to their own practice. Team meetings include workshops and training on issues which may have arisen from practice. This aids staff’s ongoing development.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have excellent working relationships with partner agencies. Placing authorities are extremely complimentary about the standard of care provided to children and benefit from the good communication systems which are in place and the proactive attitude of the staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480422 5 While records are of a good quality, the manager needs to ensure that all records are signed and dated by the author. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480422 6

p.4

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that risk assessments contain all known risks. 1 March 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

p.6

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(c)) 1 March 2023

p.6

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: SC480422 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Witherslack Group Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspectors

Nicola Clements, Social Care Inspector Jessica Higginson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC480422 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.

p.7

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspectors

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

p.8