Children's Home run by Witherslack Group Limited in Oxfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2614937 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

The home is registered to provide care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private organisation that operates several registered children’s homes.

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Information about this children’s home

The provider operates a school on the same site as the children’s home. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision during this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted between the initial inspection visit and the visit to gather additional evidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

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

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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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good

Date of last inspection: 20 November 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2614937 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/11/2023 Full Good 01/11/2022 Full Good 01/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2614937 3

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improvement to be good

The full inspection took place on 5 and 6 November 2024. An inspector returned on 11 December 2024 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. Since the last inspection, four children have moved in. All four children were at the home during the inspection and were spoken to. Four children have moved out of the home. One child moved out in an unplanned way.

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improvement to be good

Most children have positive experiences living at this home and say they feel safe. However, shortfalls in the help and protection afforded to children and the leadership and management of the home have affected the overall quality of the service. Leaders and managers have demonstrated the capability to reflect, providing assurance that they have the capacity and potential to make the necessary improvements.

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improvement to be good

Children do not always have positive experiences when they move on from the home. One child moved out abruptly because the child’s social worker had concerns about the child’s safety. The manager has completed a learning review of this child’s placement. This review identified areas of safeguarding practice and recording to improve. Lessons learned have started to be implemented, but there has not yet been enough time for them to be embedded.

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improvement to be good

The staff promote the children’s time with their family and friends. One family member commented that their child seems much happier and more relaxed than they were before moving into the home. However, poor communication between one child’s social worker and the manager meant that the arrangements for the child to spend time with their family were unclear. This contributed to increased concerns about this child’s welfare and, ultimately, the child leaving the home in an unplanned way.

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improvement to be good

The manager assesses children’s needs before the children move into the home. This includes evaluating whether the staff have the necessary skills to meet the child’s needs and the needs of the other children in the home. Additional training is provided to staff regarding the specific needs of the new child before they move in. This moving-in process is detailed, well planned and completed with careful consideration of the impact on all children.

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improvement to be good

The children appear happy and relaxed in the home and engage well with the staff. Managers and staff speak fondly of the children. They regularly talk with them to gain their views, wishes and feelings. The children have many opportunities to discuss their ideas for the home and activities they want to try. They feel that they can speak to staff about any concerns they have and that they will be listened to. Inspection report for children’s home: 2614937 4 The children have been involved in deciding how their home looks and the development of the games room and garden areas.

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improvement to be good

Staff prioritise the children’s education and have worked hard alongside the school to help all of the children rediscover the joy of learning. Staff are creative and child-led. They are sensitive to each child and work at the child’s pace. A social worker said, ‘[Name of child] missed a lot of education before moving to [name of home] but is making good progress since moving there. There is good communication between the home, school and ourselves.’

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improvement to be good

All of the children attend school on the same site as the home. Staff are alert to how this can reduce children’s opportunities for developing appropriate wider peer relationships. The staff promote and support the children’s interests and hobbies. They encourage them to join in local clubs and activities, such as martial arts and football clubs. This provides wider opportunities for the children to develop friendships outside the home.

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improvement to be good

Children live in a comfortable and homely environment. The house is nicely presented and clearly lived in, and it reflects the children’s and staff’s relationships. Children’s photos are proudly displayed across the walls, and it feels like a family home. The children have their own individual rooms, which are personalised with posters of their choice and family photos.

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improvement to be good

The help and protection provided to children are not consistently good enough. While some strengths are apparent, there are several areas of weakness where improvement is needed.

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improvement to be good

Arrangements for managing allegations are not consistently effective. On some occasions, safeguarding concerns have not been explored with enough curiosity and oversight to sufficiently mitigate risks. This increases the potential for children’s safety to be compromised. Outcomes of investigations are not always clearly documented, nor are all relevant children and external professionals updated. Furthermore, records do not evidence that concerns are always addressed sufficiently with the respective staff.

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improvement to be good

Systems for safe staff recruitment processes are in place. However, these systems have not been consistently applied. On one occasion, there was a lack of professional curiosity to follow up on information related to a person’s suitability. Consequently, a member of staff worked in the home without prior concerns having been appropriately explored. This contributed to children experiencing negligent care and a failure of staff to carry out their duties and responsibilities to safeguard the children in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2614937 5 The systems in place for monitoring children’s internet use are not effective. Staff have missed opportunities to engage with children and support their safe and age- appropriate internet use.

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improvement to be good

Bedroom door sensors are used to monitor all children’s movements overnight for the first three months when they arrive. This is then reviewed by the manager, and for most children the monitoring is removed. This blanket approach is disproportionate, children’s privacy is unnecessarily invaded and it has the potential to affect children’s ability to call for staff to help them at night.

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improvement to be good

Staff prioritise children’s well-being. They understand each child’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Behaviour support plans for each child are detailed and most parts are reviewed regularly. This helps staff respond to changing situations effectively. This in turn helps children feel more settled.

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improvement to be good

Staff sensitively and consistently use de-escalation techniques to support children during crises. They physically intervene when needed to ensure the safety of children or others. Managers seek to identify any triggers and make changes to the child’s care as required.

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good

Since the last inspection, the home has faced significant changes in staffing and senior leadership. For some time in early 2024 a manager was not in post to oversee the home. This lack of effective oversight and consistency has unsettled both the children and the staff.

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good

Management oversight of the home has not always been clear or effective. For example, a professionals’ meeting took place to discuss safeguarding concerns about a child in August 2024. The meeting took place without a representative from the home because of the lack of clear management. This contributed to ineffective multi- agency working and one child having a poor experience.

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good

Poor management monitoring and oversight meant the records of three incidents of restraint were not reviewed promptly or effectively. One review of a record of restraint failed to identify a safeguarding concern. This meant the concern was not followed up with the relevant agencies to ensure children’s safety.

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good

The staff and manager do not currently provide sufficient support for children to explore their identities and personal histories. This has the potential to limit the children’s emotional development.

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good

In the last five months, a new management team has been in place. The new manager has been in post since June 2024 and registered with Ofsted between the initial inspection visit and the gathering additional evidence visit. The manager knows both the staff and the children well and has focused on developing the team. Inspection report for children’s home: 2614937 6 The staff say they feel supported by the new manager through regular team meetings, supervision and appraisal. This provides opportunities for the staff to come together and discuss the needs of the children and their own support needs.

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good

Newly recruited staff receive a comprehensive induction, which includes shadowing experienced staff. This ensures that staff have a good understanding of the children and how to support them. One staff member said, ‘The induction and training are the most robust I have received, and it is very helpful how easy and accessible further training is if needed.’

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good

In response to safeguarding incidents, leaders have started to develop a culture of reflection and learning among the managers and staff. They have completed a thorough learning review of safeguarding concerns for one child. Leaders have created an action plan. This provides clear guidance to improve the care provided to children. One staff member said a recent team meeting helped them understand their role in safeguarding. The actions from the learning review provide assurance that the necessary improvements can be made; however, these actions are in the process of being implemented and have yet to be fully embedded. Inspection report for children’s home: 2614937 7

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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 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

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;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that managers and staff identify and respond effectively to allegations of harm, that there are clear records of the outcome of the allegation and actions taken and that children’s internet access is managed in a safe and age- appropriate manner. 20 January

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). 20 January Inspection report for children’s home: 2614937 8 The requirements are that—

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(d)) 20 January

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 20 January Inspection report for children’s home: 2614937 9

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Staff should understand their important role in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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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: 2614937 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

Sharron Dormand, Social Care Inspector, 4 and 5 November 2024 Shaheda Dhandia, Social Care Inspector, 4 and 5 November 2024 Natalie Day, Social Care Inspector, 11 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2614937 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 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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