Children's Home run by A Wilderness Way Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report for children’s home: 2688299 1 Registered provider: A Wilderness Way Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care for up to six children in up to four buildings under one single registration. This a ‘multi-building children’s home’.

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Information about this children’s home

A multi-building children’s home allows the provider, in agreement with the placing authority, to make child-centred decisions about where each child lives and to ensure that their individual needs are met under this one registration.

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Information about this children’s home

These homes offer short-term, intensive stays, lasting typically 17 weeks. One child lives in each home and is supported by two carers.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2688299 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2688299 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The homes are part of a cluster of four. There is one child living in each of the homes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are welcomed positively into the home and staff make sure that children are helped with any anxieties they may have. Staff talk to children about their likes and dislikes and help them settle into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have created a warm family environment. Children’s photos are displayed throughout the home and their bedrooms are personalised. The inspectors observed positive and caring relationships between staff and children. Children benefit from living in a happy and relaxed home and staff treat them with dignity and respect.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is effective collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team that provides clinical advice and support to children. This ensures there is a joined-up approach across the service. Feedback from a wide range of professionals is complimentary. They consistently state that the staff go above and beyond to meet the children’s needs. One child’s social worker said, ‘the staff are so welcoming’. Another child’s social worker said the staff ‘are professional and child focused.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have taken part in a wide range of experiences. They are encouraged to engage in many outdoor activities with specialist instructors. One child told the inspectors how much he was looking forward to completing a 10-peak challenge the following week. Additionally, children are learning the importance of keeping active.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time is well promoted. For example, one professional said, ‘Staff have risen to the challenge regarding complicated arrangements, and they have gone the extra mile.’ Consequently, children can spend quality time with people who are important in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress with their education and health. They are engaging well. They have significantly increased their educational attendance from their starting points and are attending all medical appointments.

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

There is a strong and robust response from staff to protect children from harm.

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

Safeguarding practices in the home are good. Risk management plans are up to date and include strategies that staff follow. Staff know and understand all children’s risks and are knowledgeable about what actions to take should a child go missing. As a result, children say they feel safe and well cared for. Inspection report for children’s home: 2688299 4 Children receive appropriate help and support from a nurturing and caring staff team. Staff are guided by well-written behaviour support plans that help them understand children’s triggers. They use good de-escalation techniques. As a result, there are few incidents, and no restraints have been used in the home.

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

Medication systems are effective and when there have been issues, managers have worked alongside the children’s nurse. Recently, an audit took place to ensure medication practices are safe and new and more robust procedures were introduced.

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

Recruitment procedures and practices are safe and effective. Rigorous checks are in place for all staff prior to starting work. These checks ensure that only suitable adults are employed to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has recently left the company and the provider is recruiting for this position. The home currently has two assistant managers, who supported the inspection. They are passionate and child centred. Staff said the managers are supportive and approachable. However, there have been occasions since the manager left when assistant managers have not been across the service to provide day-to day oversight. A recommendation has been made to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are gaps in training for some staff. For example, not all staff have received training in relation to substance misuse and county lines, despite these being known risks. A requirement has been made to address this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable and committed staff team. There is a strong ethos of teamwork and staff provide good-quality care and continuity of care for children. Staff are ambitious for the children and want them to achieve good outcomes. Staff said there is good communication and there is a sense of shared ownership in their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from daily handovers, regular team meetings and appraisals. There are robust induction procedures in place that provide new staff with a detailed programme of training and orientation in their new role. However, when supervision takes place, leaders and managers should ensure that records demonstrate when practice is discussed and reflected on. This includes identifying any training needs and any learning that staff may require and that this is detailed in their record. A recommendation has been made to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have made good use of their external and internal monitoring. They have made improvements to recording on the electronic systems and ensured they have a robust audit system, where weekly checks are completed on all aspects of health and safety. Inspection report for children’s home: 2688299 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 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all staff have received training in county lines and substance misuse 17 March 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that those with a leadership and/or management role should be visible and accessible to staff, to fulfil their leadership and/or management responsibilities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.7)  The registered person should ensure that systems are in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision which allows them to reflect on their practice, the needs of the children assigned to their care and have opportunities to discuss professional development. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children’s home: 2688299 6

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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: 2688299 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: A Wilderness Way Limited

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Inspectors

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Nichola Croft, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2688299 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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