Children's home run by Witherslack Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2594902 1 Registered provider: Witherslack Group Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is part of a national organisation. The home provides care for up to five children with emotional and social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, four children were living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since June 2022. A manager is in post and an application to register with Ofsted was received on 10 August 2023.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is on the same site as a school and two other children’s homes which are all part of the same organisation. The inspectors only inspected the social care provisions of this home on this site. The other two children’s homes on the same site were not part of this inspection.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2594902 2 Inspection report for children’s home: 2594902 3

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2594902 4

p.3

improvement to be good

Overall, children make progress and have positive experiences in the home and the community. There are warm and nurturing relationships between the staff and the children. However, weaknesses in the staff’s and managers’ safeguarding practices in relation to one child have the potential to undermine the safety and wellbeing of the children in the home.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff demonstrate care and affection for the children. Children are involved in planning their menus and choosing activities. Mealtimes are social events, and the staff encourage everyone to eat together. Staff sensitivity encourage the children to enjoy and maintain a healthy diet.

p.4

improvement to be good

All children attend the school on site. Staff understand the importance of children doing well in education and support the children to improve their attendance. Staff involve children in educational activities at the home during school hours when children struggle to attend school. One child has just taken their GCSEs, which was celebrated by staff and children.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance that each child places on spending meaningful time with their loved ones. Staff work well with family members and previous carers. This helps to ensure that children enjoy significant, valuable time with people who are important to them. For many of the children, this includes regular, safe overnight stays with their families and carers.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff support children to gain confidence and learn new skills. Children enjoy a varied range of recreational and social activities to help them build their self-esteem and social skills. Activities include attending ice hockey, rugby and boxing clubs.

p.4

improvement to be good

Child protection concerns are not consistently managed well. A repeat allegation protocol in place for one child does not clearly state that all allegations should be reported to appropriate external safeguarding agencies. Consequently, although the child’s social worker has been notified, several child on child abuse concerns have not been reported to the local multi-agency safeguarding hub or to Ofsted in line with statutory guidance.

p.4

improvement to be good

The provider has considered the allegations made and concluded that at this point in time, the child has not suffered significant harm. Several allegations were not considered through a formal child protection strategy discussion. Considering these concerns in isolation, without the benefit provided by the engagement of an Inspection report for children’s home: 2594902 5 appropriate range of statutory agencies, inevitably limits the ability to fully consider risk in an informed way and to formulate safety plans for all of the children involved.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff set clear boundaries and help children to develop strategies to manage their feelings. Since the previous inspection, there has been a notable reduction in the number and intensity of incidents. The use of restraint has also reduced, including the frequency and duration. Additional training from in-house specialists, such as the safeguarding, behaviour and inclusion team and the clinical team, has helped to strengthen the staff skill sets and understanding.

p.5

improvement to be good

Staff take proactive action when children are missing from the home. They search, shadow and follow them, encouraging a quick and safe return.

p.5

good

The home has been without a registered manager since June 2022. This shortfall is reflected in the judgment made from this inspection. A new manager is now in post and has submitted her application to Ofsted.

p.5

good

Weak management monitoring systems have failed to identify shortfalls in safeguarding practice. Child protection record-keeping is disjointed and does not show all the actions taken, referrals and agreed joint strategies with other agencies.

p.5

good

Staff say they feel valued, have grown in confidence and enjoy working in the home. They spoke with genuine pride about how they are making positive changes to the lives of the children they care for.

p.5

good

Sufficient staffing levels are in place, and staff receive training and support to develop their skills and gain confidence in their roles. The manager uses supervision sessions and reflective practice to ensure that staff knowledge is updated, improved and sustained.

p.5

good

Children live in a welcoming and homely environment. There are lovely large photos of the children, printed on canvas and hanging throughout the home. This sends a positive message to the children of their value and belonging in the home. Leaders and managers ensure incidents of damage caused to the home are identified to the maintenance team, who resolve these issues quickly.

p.5

good

Leaders, managers and staff promote a respectful and inclusive ethos at the home. The statement of purpose reflects the care and support that the children receive. The previous requirements and recommendations have been met, other than the leadership and management requirement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594902 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.6

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, inform relevant professionals without delay of an allegation about child on child abuse. 20 November

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4) (e)) 20 November

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

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(h)) 20 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2594902 7 This specifically relates to the registered provider ensuring good, clear child protection record-keeping.

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: 2594902 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Witherslack Group Ltd

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspectors

Anne-Marie Davies, Social Care Inspector Gary Turney, Social Care Inspector Polly Soper, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home: 2594902 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 looked after children, 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