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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2778925 1 Registered provider: A Wilderness Way Limited

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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 four separate buildings. This is a multi-building children’s home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered as a multi-building children’s home in January 2024. This is the home’s first inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living in the home at the time of this monitoring visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is registered with Ofsted. She is suitably qualified.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 16 and 17 April 2024. Due to the concerns identified during this inspection, Ofsted issued two compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to monitor the provider’s compliance with these notices.

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This monitoring visit

During this visit, inspectors identified further serious shortfalls in the leadership and management arrangements at the setting and poor practice relating to safeguarding and risk management.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous inspection, children have made allegations against staff. These allegations were not appropriately responded to. The registered manager was aware of further safeguarding information regarding one allegation. She did not share this information with senior leaders to enable appropriate actions to be taken. This does not demonstrate that the registered manager has a good understanding of safeguarding practice and processes. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2778925 2 Staff have completed training to enhance their knowledge and skills. However, staff who were spoken to do not understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding and protecting children. This does not demonstrate that leaders and managers have evaluated the impact of this training on staff practice effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Records do not demonstrate that safeguarding incidents are well managed, and there is limited information about the actions staff need to take to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

Team meetings are not well attended and do not provide staff with an opportunity to reflect on care practices. This does not help staff to improve their practice and continually improve the quality of care provided for children.

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This monitoring visit

The leadership and management arrangements are not sufficient. Leaders and managers do not ensure that there are robust systems in place to review and evaluate the quality of care provided for children effectively.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager does not demonstrate that she has sufficient oversight of the setting. She could not provide relevant information in relation to the actions she has taken to ensure that children’s care is safe and supports them to make progress.

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This monitoring visit

Internal and external monitoring of the home are ineffective as weaknesses in staff practice have not been addressed and managed. In addition, quality assurance processes, including audits, have not identified shortfalls in staff practice and the management arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

It is Ofsted’s view that the provider has not taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

Requirements from the last full inspection were not looked at as part of this visit and will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2778925 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/04/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2778925 4

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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, 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e)) 3 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2778925 5 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) 3 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. 3 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2778925 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that education is promoted within the home. Children must be encouraged to access meaningful education, including informal learning opportunities.

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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 are helped to live healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 3 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2778925 7 that staff help each child to—

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that children are supported to understand the impact of smoking and vaping. Children should be helped to access appropriate services to help improve health and well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; 3 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2778925 8 encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that consequences and rewards are appropriate and evaluated as to their effectiveness. Leaders and managers must support children to understand acceptable and appropriate behaviour.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and 3 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2778925 9 has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) (b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that accurate records are made of all restraints deployed in the home. Furthermore, records must be evaluated and demonstrate that all those involved have been spoken to about the measure used and are appropriately trained.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 3 June 2024

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2778925 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: A Wilderness Way Limited

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Katherine Hughes

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Inspectors

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Nichola Croft, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2778925 11 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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