Children's Home run by Witherslack Group Limited in Oxfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1244160 1 Registered provider: Witherslack Group Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is one of several children’s homes operated by a national provider. The staff provide care for up to eight children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, seven children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since 4 May 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 19 December 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1244160 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/12/2023 Full Good 10/01/2023 Full Good 05/01/2022 Full Good 09/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1244160 3

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improvement to be good

Substantial changes to the staff team, as well as to the leadership of the home, have resulted in mixed outcomes for children during this inspection period. Some children have successfully progressed in their education and independence skills, yet some have been unsettled.

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improvement to be good

The home is part of a larger organisation that provides therapeutic services. Some children engage in therapy and develop positive skills to assist them in self-regulating and managing their anxieties and emotions.

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improvement to be good

Children take part in a range of activities. Children also know who to talk to if they have any worries or concerns. Some children have made friendships and time with their families is promoted.

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improvement to be good

Most children engage in education and their attendance is good. Two children were supported to sit their GCSEs in the home and another child has successfully enrolled in a local college. However, there has been a lack of urgency from leaders and managers to seek professional support and explore the reasons why one child has disengaged from education due to poor sleep.

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improvement to be good

Children can make choices, for example, regarding their free-time, meal choices and activities. However, the children are not always listened to, and meaningful ways to gain views have not been implemented. Furthermore, when children made suggestions to improve the home, these were not considered or actioned by staff.

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improvement to be good

One child proudly showed their bedroom and shared how they care for their pets with extreme love. However, some areas of the home require attention in terms of decor and maintenance. Furthermore, not all children are consistently encouraged and supported to keep their bedrooms clean and tidy.

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improvement to be good

One child has recently moved into the home. The move was planned well, and consideration was given to the needs of children already living in the home. The child has been able to settle well and make progress.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand their responsibilities of safeguarding and the process for recording and reporting concerns. The response from leaders and managers regarding an allegation made against a member of staff was thoroughly investigated and involved relevant external agencies. Inspection report for children’s home: 1244160 4 There has been one complaint made since the last inspection. This was investigated robustly, and a detailed learning review was carried out. However, the learning from the shortfalls identified have not been actioned swiftly enough. As a result, there is a potential risk of recurrence, if staff do not fully understand the strategies detailed in children’s behaviour support plans.

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improvement to be good

On occasions, staff have needed to physically restrain children to keep them safe. Detailed records of incidents are kept, and physical intervention is only used as a last resort. However, staff carry out their own debriefs following a physical intervention. This is a missed opportunity for leaders and managers to fully understand what occurred and reduces opportunities for staff to reflect on why a child was held and what could be done to prevent further incidents.

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improvement to be good

Leaders adhere to safer recruitment practice, and newly appointed staff are provided with a thorough induction to the home and its approach.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There continues to be no registered manager in post for a significant period. The manager that had applied to register with Ofsted at the last inspection left the home in January 2024, and subsequently withdrew their application. A new manager was appointed following this. However, they remained in post for a short period and moved on from the home in February 2024. Following this, an interim manager was appointed to help stabilise the home while a permanent manager was identified and appointed. The current manager was appointed in June 2024. They have not submitted an application to register.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Following significant instability and change in the staff team, a period of rebuilding is underway. This is being led by the newly appointed manager. Senior leaders are providing additional support and guidance during this period of rebuilding as the new manager is not yet fully accustomed to all the management tasks and responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has had considerable changes to managers and staff, with ten staff leaving since the home was last inspected. There has been no formal consideration by leaders regarding the impact this has had on children developing strong and trusting relationships with the staff who care for them. Furthermore, it undermines the potential for children to receive consistency of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff feel supported by the current management team and have received training to meet the specific needs of the children in the home. However formal supervision sessions are not regular or reflective. Furthermore, team meetings are not yet consistent to give staff space to reflect on practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff feel positive and motivated to engage in the process of improvement, and the manager is welcoming of the full support from the senior management of the wider organisation. The leadership of the home displays both insight into the extent of the Inspection report for children’s home: 1244160 5 required improvements and have confidence that this will be achieved. Current efforts will, however, need to be sustained for the necessary changes to become fully embedded in the culture and day-to-day running of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1244160 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, 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.

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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—

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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 the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the manager in day-to-day charge of the home registers with Ofsted. 15 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who -

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff— 15 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1244160 7 protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(i))

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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;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(viii)(ix)(x)(b)) 15 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who— 15 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1244160 8 develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

and take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

and 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

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. 15 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1244160 9 And 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 (3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that debriefs for staff are completed and learning from incidents are reflected on.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all staff receive supervision in line with policy and provide time for staff to reflect meaningfully.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 15 November 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff support and enable children to resume full-time education as soon as possible. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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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: 1244160 10

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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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Inspectors

Hannah Cox, Social Care Inspector Shaheda Dhandia, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1244160 11 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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