Children's home run by Witherslack Group Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2608666 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 privately owned home provides care for up to four children with emotional and social needs. There is a school on the same site. The inspector only inspected the social care provision on this site. At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2608666 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/03/2023 Full Outstanding 09/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2608666 3

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outstanding

The children are provided with an exceptional quality of care and support which is individual to their needs. This enables them to build strong and trusting relationships with staff. These relationships help children to make positive and tangible progress. One child’s parent said, ‘I’m so glad they are there for my son and I don’t know what I would do without them.’

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outstanding

The home environment is warm and welcoming and gives each child adequate space. There are a number of communal areas, including a cinema room which the children enjoy spending time in. In the summer, the children have a large swimming pool and trampoline put up in the grounds, which is something they requested. The games room is also a great resource for the children to spend time in away from the house, should they choose to. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, and they have been encouraged to decorate them how they wish. Staff talk proudly about making the home as welcoming as possible. Any necessary repairs are completed swiftly.

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outstanding

Children’s memories are beautifully captured in photos displayed in frames around the home and in photo books. This helps them to feel positive about themselves and enhances their self-esteem.

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outstanding

Children are offered a wide range of activities that support their talents and interests. These include horse-riding, playing sports and having animals brought into the home. Children are generally encouraged to do as much as they can for themselves. Staff think of creative ways to help motivate the children to explore their surroundings in a structured way. Children are supported to develop important life skills that will help them to learn how to live as independently as possible.

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outstanding

Staff promote children’s well-being and proactively ensure that all the children’s health needs are met. All children benefit from attending education. Organised and dedicated staff promote school attendance. As a result, children have made exceptional progress, made new friends and grown in confidence.

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outstanding

Staff prioritise helping children to spend time with their families. Regular communication between children and their parents has had a positive impact on their relationships. The staff’s approach also provides a feeling of togetherness and inclusivity in the home.

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outstanding

Staff work closely with other professionals and ensure that children’s best interests are at the forefront of all decision-making. One professional said, ‘I sleep well every night knowing that my young person is in good, capable hands. It is a great team to work with.’ Inspection report for children's home: 2608666 4

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outstanding

The registered manager and staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities and ensure that they work together with other professionals. Incidents are managed extremely well, and necessary actions are taken to ensure that children are safeguarded effectively.

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outstanding

Safer recruitment processes for new staff are robust and ensure that children are safeguarded. New staff are closely monitored and supervised by managers. This ensures that staff are well supported and feel valued. It also ensures that children and staff are never put at unnecessary risk. Staff induction training is thorough and regularly monitored by managers, ensuring that new staff are being provided with the right guidance.

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outstanding

Children are able to identify a trusted adult that they can talk to about any concerns. They say they are happy in the home and have no worries about living here.

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outstanding

Children receive strong support to manage their behaviour and feelings safely. Staff understand children’s past experiences and respond in a child-friendly way. This ensures that the children are given the opportunity to learn about what is safe and acceptable and seek to understand the triggers for their behaviours.

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outstanding

Any safeguarding concerns are approached very sensitively with the children, in a transparent way. The staff team always ensures that information is shared effectively and that other professionals are included in decision-making appropriately. This approach keeps children safe.

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outstanding

Whenever conflict arises, it is managed effectively. Staff use restorative practices that improve relationships between children, and between children and staff when this is required. These approaches increase children’s sense of personal responsibility and enable them to understand the impact of their behaviour and the behaviour of others.

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outstanding

Staff support children extremely well and encourage them to learn from any incidents. Debriefs are child-focused and enable a positive conversation with the child after any incidents. This helps children to reflect and identify improvements that they can make in the future. Consequently, the frequency of incidents and use of physical intervention have significantly reduced.

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outstanding

Children are also encouraged to take risks appropriate to their age and level of understanding.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is managed by a registered manager who is well respected by all who work with him. The registered manager promotes and models an open, transparent and learning culture. Consequently, staff feel able to challenge each other and Inspection report for children's home: 2608666 5 report any practice concerns openly and professionally. This helps the staff to keep children safe. Any actions or learning identified are acted on in a timely fashion. Staff are proud of their contribution to helping children succeed. Children are provided with excellent care from staff, who have a genuine commitment to achieving the best outcomes for them and who want children to flourish.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children are cared for consistently, in line with the home’s ethos and statement of purpose. Care planning is secure and includes good multi-agency decision-making and clinical oversight. This ensures that children’s needs are well met. The registered manager and staff have highly valued relationships with other professionals, who consistently praise them for their sophisticated communication skills and their commitment and aspirational approach to caring for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from regular supervision which provides opportunities for managers to ensure that staff know how to care for children in line with their plans. The supervision sessions also provide an opportunity for staff to reflect on their practice and discuss their own development. A recent review has resulted in supervision processes being simplified. As a result, the frequency of supervision has increased and the quality of supervision records has improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager proactively researches subjects relevant to looked after children and uses this research to inform staff practice. This ensures that children receive trauma-informed care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are inspirational, confident and ambitious for children and influential in changing the lives of those in their care. They have high expectations of their staff to change and improve the lives of children and talk proudly of the achievements made by each child. Leaders care very much about children.

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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: 2608666 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Witherslack Group Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Emma Haskell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2608666 7 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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