Children's home run by Witherslack Group Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report for children’s home: SC475697 1 SC475697 Registered provider: Witherslack Group Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to seven children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 30 October 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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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

Date of last inspection: 30 January 2024

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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: SC475697 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/01/2024 Full Outstanding 22/02/2023 Full Good 22/03/2022 Full Good 16/12/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC475697 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children said that they enjoy living in this warm and inviting home, where they receive nurturing care from staff. Children make significant progress from their starting points. Some of the children have lived at this home for many years and have developed strong and trusting relationships with staff. Children could name several staff that they would talk to if they had any worries. Five children were spoken with, and one child said, ‘All the staff working here are my favourites.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children experience a carefully planned introduction when they move into the home. A multi-agency meeting, which includes the provider’s clinical team, informs the manager whether the staff can meet each child’s overall needs. The manager also meets with each new child to assess whether they will be suitable to live with the existing peer group. This considered approach means that children move in at a pace that is right for them, and as a result they settle quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The success of this early planning means that no child has had an unplanned move from the home. Instead, children want to remain living at the home for as long as possible. Children develop good relationships with each other and live harmoniously together. Children laugh and joke with staff and each other, spend time helping with food preparation and relax in their personalised bedrooms enjoying the hobbies and interests of their choice. One professional said, ‘It is a pleasure to watch [name of child]’s progress. Staff have a lovely, genuinely warm relationship with him. They take opportunities to develop his skills. It is lovely to see the pride he has in his home and how he wants it to be.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Education is promoted by staff. The older children also talk to the younger children about their aspirations. This means that children talk with enthusiasm about going to one of the two schools owned by the provider. School attendance improves, and children engage well with their studies and sit important exams such as GCSEs. Furthermore, staff supported one child to apply for and attend work experience This means that this child’s opportunity to work in their chosen profession has increased significantly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The progress made by children can be seen when looking at the journeys of some of the children who have left the home. They have been able to move to live with family members or foster carers. One child has successfully moved to live in a semi- independent home. Staff continue to support and stay connected with children after they leave, with one staff member asked to be a lifelong link person for one child. The support extends to the children’s family or new carers. When talking about staff, one parent said, ‘They are amazing people and very supportive. They have really helped [name of child] and have also helped me by going out of their way. It feels like being part of a wider family.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC475697 4 A particular strength of the staff is how children are encouraged to express their wishes and feelings. Children talk about changes that they want made to their home. One

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

suggestion was that professionals coming to the home should not wear work lanyards, to stop the home feeling institutional.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager has developed an internal podcast for the home as this is a forum that children are familiar with. Children actively engage with this to express their views in a non-threatening way. One child confidently explained how his condition affects him, but also what staff do well to support him to keep him calm. He has also outlined what is not useful to him. This powerful message by the child helps to educate staff in this home as well as at other homes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

When it is time for a child to move to their next home, staff work with others to ensure that there is sufficient planning, which is individualised to each child. The staff team makes sure that the child’s voice is heard. Sensitive early discussions ensure that children explore the different options available to them, so that when it is time to move, children are as prepared as possible.

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

The children’s plans include very clear individualised steps and strategies for staff to use if children are struggling with their emotions or if their behaviours place them at risk of harm. These plans are updated as the risks increase or decrease. Staff clearly know the children well and could say what their risks and vulnerabilities are and the best way to support them.

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

When children have settled into the home, the clinical team completes an initial assessment to discover the child’s strengths and needs. This detailed analysis gives a psychological formulation of the child’s needs. This means that the right targeted support can be provided. Ongoing meetings review the child’s progress and give staff the opportunity to get advice about the best way to support the child.

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

Staff’s strong relationships with children mean that they know the children’s unique characteristics and mannerisms. Furthermore, staff know at which times of the year some children may struggle, for example around the anniversaries of the deaths of family members. They notice subtle changes in children’s behaviour and early intervention means that staff can keep children calm. If staff need to hold or guide a child when they are distressed, this is kept to a minimum level of intervention and duration.

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

Children said that they enjoy speaking to the in-house therapist. This gives them a safe space where they readily engage with the weekly sessions. This therapeutic support has helped the children to make remarkable progress with their emotional well-being. Children are happier and more confident and have increased self-esteem.

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

There have only been two occasions when children have gone missing from the home, but they remained in the local area. Staff quickly located them and when they returned, Inspection report for children’s home: SC475697 5 staff welcomed them back and made sure that they could talk to someone independent. This helps to identify the reasons for the children going missing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager recently registered with Ofsted. However, he has worked at the home for many years, progressing to the role of manager. This means that he has a good understanding of each of the children. Furthermore, this also meant that the previous manager was able to give a carefully planned handover to the new manager without the children being affected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children clearly have good relationships with the manager and go to see him when they come home from school to tell him about their day. The children also understand the role of the responsible individual, who has good oversight of the home through his regular monitoring visits. They know who to complain to if needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff speak highly of the manager, whose enthusiasm is infectious and shared by the staff team. Staff said they love working at the home and that staff progression and development are promoted by the organisation. As a result, there has only been one staff change this year. The training and induction programme is comprehensive, and the new staff member said that they felt highly supported by the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has an open-door approach and staff also have access to therapeutic support if needed. This helps them to reflect on times when they have had to support children in crisis or gives them the opportunity to speak about their own feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is a strong advocate for children and has been instrumental in making sure the children have positive relationships in the local community. This includes him sitting on a committee of a local social community group. Children fundraise for local and national charities and take part in community events. They have friends in the area who go on activities with the children or on holiday together. This develops their social relationships and links with their community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular reflective supervision and there is good attendance at the team meetings, where children are discussed. Furthermore, the manager disseminates information about relevant topics such as illegal substances, unsafe social media sites and keeping children safe when gaming. The clinical team provides staff with additional training opportunities related to the children’s specific needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were raised at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC475697 6

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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: SC475697 7

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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

Tina Ruffles, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home: SC475697 8 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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