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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2843491 1 Registered provider: A Wilderness Way Ltd

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Inspection under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation and provides care for up to 2 children in 2 houses under a single registration. The home offers short-term intensive stays, typically lasting for 17 weeks, for children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted on 24 November 2025. The registered manager’s post is currently vacant.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the visit, no children were living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Following a full inspection on 7 and 8 April 2026, a compliance notice was issued under regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. A monitoring visit took place on 12 May 2026 to monitor the provider’s response to the compliance notice. Leaders have taken action to address the steps in the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection, one child remained in the home for a short time, before notice was served to the child’s placing authority as the staff were unable to keep the child safe. Staff supported the child with an interim safety plan, with the child living with family while a new home was identified for the child.

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This monitoring visit

Managers increased staffing levels to provide the child with higher levels of supervision. This ensured that staff were able to support the children through difficult and complex situations that could continue throughout the night. Staff worked with partner agencies to try to keep the child safer.

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This monitoring visit

The child’s plans were updated and leaders and managers contributed to the plans to improve the quality. The child’s risks and vulnerabilities were clear in their plans. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2843491 2 Strategies for staff to respond to the child were detailed and provided staff with clearer guidance. This helped staff to respond consistently to support the child.

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This monitoring visit

Training to support staff to understand the child’s specific needs has taken place. Managers have ensured that staff accessed relevant training to the child’s specific needs, but also prepares staff better for children who may come to live in the home. In addition, managers arranged reflective group discussions with staff, which have helped to identify areas for learning and development.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s locality risk assessment has been updated and individualised to the home. This provides a more current summary of the potential risks in the local community and factors that may mitigate against these risks.

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This monitoring visit

Recording of incidents involving the child are recorded late by staff and this affects when managers can have oversight of these. Delays in recording are widespread across the child’s records, including incidents of missing from home, and when physical intervention has been necessary to safeguard the child, or others. Management-recorded oversight of records extended beyond the child’s time in the home. This means that the systems for recording and reviewing children’s information and the accuracy of this information isnot effective. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2843491 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/04/2026 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2843491 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply with 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

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

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; 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)(b) (2)(a)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that incidents of the child being missing from the home are accurately recorded.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that monitoring systems in place are effective in supporting the manager to have oversight of incidents involving a child in their care, and that records are regularly reviewed by a manager. 26 June 2026

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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— 26 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2843491 5 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

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

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Requirement Due date

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 (3)(a)(iii)(iv)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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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: 2843491 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: A Wilderness Way Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Stoneybeck Inn, Bowscar, Penrith CA11 8RP

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Inspector

Joanne Wallis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2843491 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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