Children's Home run by Witherslack Group Limited in Shropshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2709816 1 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

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to five children with complex needs and may experience a range of social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This home has a school on the same site, which children who are living at the home attend. The school was not inspected during this visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2023.

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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: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2709816 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected. Inspection report for children’s home: 2709816 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home was registered in January 2023. This was the home’s first inspection. Since the home opened, three children have moved in to the home and were still living there at the time of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s moves to the home have been well planned. Managers carefully consider the needs of all children. Before agreeing to the children moving in to the home, the registered manager visited all three children and gained information from those who knew the children well. This helped the managers and staff to provide individualised care. Children are settled and there have not been any placement breakdowns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been some changes at the home, with some staff leaving and new staff joining. Despite these changes, staff have maintained consistency of care. This consistency has helped children to form positive, trusting relationships with staff. As a result, children have made significant progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend the on-site school. There is good multi-agency working and sharing of information between staff and education professionals. Staff have supported children’s introduction into school, and education staff have been flexible with timetables. Consequently, children who before moving to the home struggled to attend and participate in education now have excellent attendance records. One child is so enthusiastic about going to school that they arrive early every day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children, before moving to the home, had limited opportunities to socially engage with other children. Staff have helped children to join clubs and participate in activities away from the home. Children attend swimming lessons and gymnastic clubs. Staff take children to the park, theme parks, shopping, pride events and swimming. As a result, children are helped to develop their social skills and confidence as well as having lots of fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to understand their identity. Children can wear clothing that they feel comfortable in, regardless of their birth gender. Staff talk to children so that they understand different cultures and identities. As a result, children feel valued and respected.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have taken the health needs of children seriously. One child has type 2 diabetes. Before moving to the home, their diabetes was not as well managed as it could have been. Staff have been proactive, helping the child to understand healthy eating and exercise. In the short time that they have lived at the home, the child has lost weight and their blood sugar levels are more consistent. Consequently, medical professionals felt that their insulin could be stopped. Inspection report for children’s home: 2709816 4 Staff make sure that children can, where agreed, keep in touch with their families. Staff encourage families to visit the home. One parent told the inspector that they are made to feel welcome. When family are unable to visit the children, staff take the children to visit them, no matter the distance. Staff also help children to write and respond to letters. This helps children to still feel part of their family and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

maintain and develop important relationships.

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

Staff know children well. Staff have developed good routines and structure, which mean there is consistency of approach. This has been instrumental in giving children a sense of security, knowing what is happening, what the expectations are and consequences. As a result, children have become increasingly more settled, and incidents have decreased.

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

Staff’s knowledge of the children means that they can pick up on the subtle cues of their behaviour, defuse incidents and redirect children much sooner, therefore avoiding escalation in children’s behaviours.

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

There are still incidents, but these are decreasing. Staff help children to understand and identify their emotions, and develop strategies for children to manage them. As a result, children are better at managing their own emotions or asking for help.

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

On occasions, staff use physical intervention to keep children safe. Interventions are only used when necessary. Staff fully record each incident, which helps the manager to have an overview of practice at the home. However, one child’s blood sugar levels need checking following any physical intervention. This is not being consistently done promptly. This omission has the potential for the child to become unwell without staff knowing.

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

The registered manager has considered the location of the home and the risks associated with its location before any children move to the home. This was especially important when considering the suitability for one child and meeting their health needs.

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

There is a good safegaurding culture at the home. Staff are prompt at raising concerns about other staff’s practice with managers. Managers are proactive when staff’s behaviour gives cause for concern. Managers report concerns appropriately and investigate them. Where necessary, further action is taken, including ending staff’s employment.

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

Children do not go missing from the home. On occasions, children have tried to leave. However, staff have acted in accordance with the children’s missing protocol and followed the children. This has meant that children have returned quickly and not been out of sight of the staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2709816 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a skilled and knowledgeable practitioner. She is very child focused and sets high standards for herself and the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is aspirational for children and is solution focused. There is good multi-agency working, including the involvement of parents. When staff have struggled with the complex needs of children, the manager has focused on how staff can improve their knowledge and skills. As a result, children have progressed exceptionally well. They are engaging in activities, have joined clubs, want to attend education, and are becoming increasingly settled, with fewer incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has considered the reasons for staff leaving, to see what else could be done to retain staff. The conclusion was that some of the staff who left did not have the same vision or values that the manager expected of them. The remaining staff have stepped up and shown commitment and dedication to the children and the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a critical eye and good oversight of all aspects of the home. Staff receive a variety of training opportunities online and face to face. When shortfalls in staff’s skills and knowledge are identified, she addresses those shortfalls with the staff. The registered manager provides additional guidance through team meetings, supervision, or additional learning from the home’s clinical team and behaviour support team. This has helped staff to develop their skills and knowledge to improve the care given to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is well thought of by others. Staff spoken to by inspectors were complimentary of the support that she offers. Professionals feel that the leadership of the home has been instrumental in the progress that children have made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has used her monitoring systems to identify the home’s strengths and areas for development. She has begun to develop plans to further enhance the staff team’s skills and knowledge. Inspection report for children’s home: 2709816 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff completing blood sugar level checks for a child with diabetes promptly after a physical intervention. 7 September 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: 2709816 7

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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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Inspector

Debbie Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2709816 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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