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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC475680 1 SC475680 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 home is run by a private provider. It provides care for up to eight children who experience social and emotional difficulties and learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in July 2016, and the manager registered in September 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

Seven children were living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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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: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC475680 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2023 Full Good 18/10/2022 Full Good 26/10/2021 Full Good 17/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC475680 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff work hard to build excellent relationships with children. These relationships provide the foundation for children to flourish. Children say that they feel that the manager and staff care about them. Staff provide children with emotional warmth and physical affection. Children identify the manager and staff team as their family. As a result of these extremely positive relationships, children feel safe and secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff show a commitment to the children they care for. This continues when children move out of the home, as children choose to maintain relationships with staff during their period of transition. For example, staff have supported one child who no longer lives at the home to apply for jobs. Children who move out of the home experience carefully planned transitions. Staff celebrate children’s time living in the home, which helps children to experience positive endings and to settle into their new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s views are routinely sought about the care that they receive. Children understand how their views have been considered and responded to. Staff support children to contribute to care planning meetings. This ensures that children’s views inform the decisions that are made about their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children attend education and make good academic progress. Staff are ambitious for children and create an environment in which education is valued. As a result, children develop a positive attitude towards learning. Barriers to children achieving their potential are quickly identified and resolved. Staff support children to develop their independence skills in line with their abilities, which gives children life skills for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s health improves because of the care provided by staff. Staff work closely with health professionals to ensure that children’s health needs are met. Staff support children to learn to manage their own health needs. For example, staff have supported one child to understand and manage a chronic health condition. The therapist works closely with the manager to develop and review children’s plans. As a result, staff have clarity on the steps they should take to meet children’s emotional health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make positive memories living at this home. Staff support children to pursue their own interests and provide them with a wide range of experiences. Staff celebrate children’s achievements. This builds children’s confidence and social awareness. Staff enable children to develop links with their local community. For example, one child volunteers as a referee for a local football team and children have taken part in a sponsored bike ride to raise money for charity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff help children to stay connected to and build positive memories with people who are important to them. This enables children to maintain important relationships and build on their support networks for the future. Excellent communication between staff Inspection report for children’s home: SC475680 4 and parents creates continuity between the home and family. Staff support parents to understand the evolving needs of their children. One social worker said that the managers and staff have worked with one parent to teach them how to meet their child’s needs well. This has been effective and, as a result, the child has a plan to return to the care of their parent.

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

Children’s risks have reduced because of the care and effective safeguarding practice they receive from staff. Staff understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. Children’s plans detail their known needs, risks and vulnerabilities and provide staff with clear steps to take to keep children safe. Staff provide children with consistent responses, which helps children to feel safe.

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

Children’s involvement in risk-taking incidents is anticipated and diverted. For example, staff promote children’s involvement in sports and outdoor activities. This enables children to engage in risk-taking activities that are managed well. The manager evaluates all incidents and identifies learning to avoid them in the future. This ensures that children receive care that is responsive to their individual needs.

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

Staff physically hold children rarely, and only as a last resort when it is needed to keep children safe. Children who have been held by staff share their views about being held. This supports safe practice in this area. When children go missing from the home they experience well-coordinated responses from staff. As a result, children are located and returned home safely. When children return home, they are given the opportunity to speak to an independent person, which helps staff to understand the reasons why children go missing.

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

Staff provide children with clear routines, boundaries, and consistent care. This creates stability for children and helps them to learn what is expected of them. Staff use rewards and incentives to encourage children to make positive choices and enable children to take responsibility for their own behaviours.

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

Staff help children to understand risks and to develop strategies to manage difficult feelings safely. This teaches children life skills for their future. One social worker described a child as ‘a totally different child’ because of the success of the work staff have done to help them recognise their own emotions and manage difficult situations.

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

Children benefit from living in a welcoming home environment. The staff maintain the home to a high standard and ensure that it is a safe environment for the children to live in.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A visible and dedicated manager leads this home. A deputy manager supports the manager. The manager has formed relationships with children that are underpinned by Inspection report for children’s home: SC475680 5 trust and respect. One child said, ‘[Name of manager] is like my family.’ The manager leads the staff team by example.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a detailed understanding of the care that children receive and the impact that this has on their outcomes. Monitoring and quality assurance processes are effective. The manager takes decisive action to resolve any shortfalls in staff’s practice. Concerns about staff conduct are taken seriously, shared with relevant professionals, and investigated thoroughly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager leads a culture of learning and development. Staff access a range of training opportunities that ensure that they have the skills to meet the evolving needs of the children. Staff access regular supervision and team meetings, which provides them with opportunities to learn and develop. Research, theory and practice tools are used to inform ongoing practice developments. The manager is committed to developing practice to improve the experiences of children. Staff receive open and honest feedback about their performance. This helps them to understand what is expected of them and gives them the skills to meet the changing needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are united, with a shared purpose and commitment to the children in their care. Staff morale is exceptionally high. Staff enjoy working in this home and feel supported by the manager. The manager recognises the importance of staff needing to feel valued, trusted and listened to. He ensures that their good practice is recognised. One staff member said, ‘[Name of manager] will come and find you in the home and just thank you for your work and looking after the kids, it makes you feel so appreciated.’ The manager has formed positive working relationships with other professionals. Feedback from professionals is overwhelmingly positive. The manager appropriately challenges professionals when they do not meet children’s needs. This ensures that any delays in children’s needs being met are resolved quickly. Inspection report for children’s home: SC475680 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: SC475680 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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Inspectors

Sally Griffiths, Lead Professional Quality Assurance Regulation and Social Care

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Inspectors

Deborah Turner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC475680 8 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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