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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2710057 1 Registered provider: A Wilderness Way Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care for up to six children in up to four buildings within this single registration. This is a multi-building children’s home.

p.1

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.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022.

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: not previously inspected

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2710057 2

p.1

Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2710057 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress from their starting points. Inspectors observed staff responding to children with warmth, acceptance and high positive regard. This has supported children to build positive and trusting relationships in a short space of time. Children benefit from living in a nurturing, safe and caring home environment.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in this home have complex multi-faceted needs. Care planning is personalised and effective in meeting the children’s highly complex needs. One professional said, ‘Staff understand the child’s risks and needs and manage these well. This has kept the child safe and, as a result, is making good progress.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Effective partnership working with the home’s therapists and staff supports improvements in children’s emotional well-being, through therapy sessions and staff consultations. This helps staff to understand and respond to children’s behaviours using the trauma-informed therapeutic model that is used in the home. This means that children receive consistent therapeutic care.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with a wide range of outdoor activities. These include climbing, fishing, dirt track biking, as well as regular activities such as golfing, basketball and jiu-jitsu. This enables children to develop new skills, confidence and self-worth. One child said that they were ‘making the most of it and enjoying the new adventures’.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are supportive in maintaining children’s relationships with those who are most important to them. Family time is supported and promoted by staff. Staff ensure that children have positive time with their families and include family members in activities when this has been deemed appropriate. This benefits children and supports their identity.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The homes are part of a cluster of four. All of the homes are warm, welcoming and furnished to a high standard, and they include photos of the children and wall art. Children were proud to show inspectors their homes. Chickens roam the grounds of one of the homes, which provides children with the opportunity to be responsible for animals.

p.3

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

Children’s safety is a clear priority in this home. Staff are aware of children’s past experiences and work closely with professionals and therapists to educate children on identified risks and behaviours. This coordinated approach supports children to understand how to keep themselves safe and breaks patterns of behaviours.

p.3

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

Positive behaviour is used in the home, and the manager has assured a strong and proactive response when they become aware of emerging risks. This response Inspection report for children’s home: 2710057 4 protects both children and staff. Staff use their positive relationships with children to de-escalate incidents. This means the use of physical interventions in the home is rare.

p.3

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

While some risk assessments identify and support staff to manage risks, inspectors identified some shortfalls. For example, one child’s risk assessment had not been updated following two serious incidents in relation to substance misuse. Risk assessments for substance misuse did not include an action for staff to complete welfare checks.

p.4

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

Furthermore, agreed risk management plans were not followed by staff on one outing, which resulted in children going missing from home. This impacts on children’s safety. However, inspectors acknowledge that the manager was in the process of investigating this incident.

p.4

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

Practice concerns against staff are dealt with swiftly, appropriately and in line with the company’s policy. The home has clear codes of conduct and expectations in relation to professional boundaries and staff practice.

p.4

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

Staff receive training to build their skills and knowledge, particularly around safeguarding so they can keep children safe. Staff also complete training to respond to children’s specific risks. For example, some staff have completed training that helps them understand and support children who are at risk of gang affiliation and knife crime.

p.4

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

Health and safety procedures in the home are robust, clearly monitored and up to date. This helps children to stay safe.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is passionate and dedicated to providing a good standard of quality care to children. She leads by example and is suitably qualified and experienced. Staff praise her leadership skills. The manager is supported by a committed responsible individual who shares the same child-centred ethos.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been a strong focus on staff development to embed expectations of professional standards, including professional curiosity and critical analysis. There is also a clear progression plan for staff for their career development. This is welcomed by staff, and they feel valued and invested in, which supports the retention of staff. This has a positive impact on the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are benefiting from regular supervision. Records of supervision are comprehensive, and there is evidence of challenge where necessary and reflection. Team meetings are well attended by staff and therapists, and they include workshops for shared learning and resources. This aids staff’s ongoing development.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The internal monitoring of the home can be improved in some areas. For example, some records failed to record when staff had called for medical advice, what advice Inspection report for children’s home: 2710057 5 was provided and how this was followed and managed by staff. The absence of these recordings can impinge on children’s safety. A requirement has been made to address this shortfall.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s concerns and complaints are taken seriously and responded to appropriately. However, the manager needs to ensure that children have the opportunity to respond to the outcome of the complaint and record if they are satisfied with the outcome.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is good multi-agency collaboration, and staff build effective relationships with Professionals external to the home. This means children receive holistic care. One professional said, ‘The manager is excellent and goes above and beyond. She is proactive, communicates well and provides regular updates.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose is kept under regular review and is sent to the regulator. It clearly sets out the ethos and objectives of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2710057 6

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The 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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that any changes in risks are updated and recorded accordingly in risk assessments. Furthermore, ensure that risk assessments contain what actions staff need to complete when children have been drinking alcohol or misusing substances. 24 August 2023

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 24 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2710057 7 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that when staff have called for medical advice for children, this is recorded. They should record what medical advice was provided and how this was followed and managed by staff.

p.7

Recommendation

 The registered person should make best use of information from internal monitoring systems to ensure continuous improvements. Specifically, they should ensure that children have the ability to respond to the outcome of a complaint they have made to determine if they are satisfied with the outcome and that this is recorded. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

p.7

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: 2710057 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: A Wilderness Way Ltd

p.8

Inspectors

Nicola Clements, Social Care Inspector Jessica Higginson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2710057 9 regulates and inspects 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.8

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.9

Inspectors

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

p.9

Inspectors

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

p.9