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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2872279 1 Registered provider: A Wilderness Way Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private organisation and re-registered with Ofsted on 4 November 2025 after being part of a multi-building registration. It offers short-term intensive stays, typically lasting 17 weeks, for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties or have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home, and the inspector met with them.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager is vacant. An interim manager is in post, and they have applied to register with Ofsted.

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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 good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2872279 2

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Summary of findings

Staff care for one child with complex needs who is living some distance from their family and friends. Since the home re-registered, one child has moved out. The manager ensured that staff had the necessary skills to care for the child before the placement was agreed. Staff understand the child’s needs, which enables them to engage the child in activities in the community. However, insufficient planning around the child’s time with family and friends led to uncertainty and frustration for the child. The manager responded appropriately to the child’s complaint and implemented changes to address the concerns. The new manager’s oversight of the home has strengthened, leading to improvements in the quality of care provided to the child and the support available for staff. Overall, the home provides a good standard of care and positive experiences for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child experienced a sensitive introduction to staff before moving into the home. Although the move took place quickly, the manager ensured that it was carefully planned, with staff visiting the child beforehand to share information about the home. This, alongside early communication with family, helped the child to understand from an early stage how child focused the staff are.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager works with placing authorities to ensure that children are supported to move on from the home when it best meets their needs. For 2 children, their stay in the home has been extended to allow the placing authority sufficient time to identify their longer-term homes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a thorough understanding of the child’s needs. They take time to listen to the child, learning how they would like to be cared for and how best to respond to their needs. When a child chooses to spend time in their room, staff continue to monitor their welfare and offer opportunities to participate in activities. When engaging children in their interests and hobbies, staff ensure that plans remain consistent for the child to enjoy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are offered learning opportunities in the home and community. When children experience difficulties with formal education, staff work with education professionals to develop creative approaches that support learning. For example, for one child, staff promote their interest in off-road motorcycle racing and construction to help develop their skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listen to the child to ensure that their health needs are understood. Staff supported a child who was experiencing sleep difficulties to communicate these to health professionals, so medication could be prescribed. When the child’s views about their Inspection report for children’s home: 2872279 3 medication later changed, staff responded proactively by consulting the child’s doctor for advice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager did not ensure that there were plans agreed for the child’s time with their family and friends before they moved into the home. As a result, there were 2 incidents due to the child’s frustrations with the lack of decision-making about their time outside the home. However, when the child complained, the manager responded swiftly, and changes were made to the child’s time with their family and friends. Once resolved, staff worked effectively with the child’s family members to ensure that the child was able to regularly spend time with them and their friends in their local area.

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

Staff understand the plans in place to keep the child safe. These plans clearly identify the child’s known vulnerabilities and provide strategies to help staff better support the child in the home and the community. This ensures that staff adopt a consistent approach when supporting the child.

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

Safe arrangements are in place for the administration of medication in the home. One error in administering a child’s medication was promptly addressed. The manager ensured that learning was taken from this incident, including providing training and practice guidance to staff. This demonstrates that the manager is proactive in ensuring that staff competency is regularly reviewed.

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

There are few consequences used in the home. Staff focus on promoting positive behaviour and are committed to encouraging this through incentives and rewards.

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

There are few allegations raised against staff. When concerns are raised, they are taken seriously. Managers engage with the local authority designated officer and carry out internal investigations to ensure that all allegations are fully understood and appropriately evaluated.

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

Staff follow procedures when a child is missing from their care. They actively search for the child, notify police in a timely manner and keep all relevant parties updated. However, leaders do not consistently ensure that managers work with the child’s placing authority to arrange a return home interview. The home commissions a service to speak with the child after they return; however, on one occasion, these arrangements were not appropriate. As a result, opportunities to learn from the incident were missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has experienced changes in its management arrangements since re- registration. However, since the current manager has been in post, there has been improvements in management presence, oversight of the home and support for staff. Feedback from staff confirms that they feel well supported by the current manager and are confident in the improvements made. Inspection report for children’s home: 2872279 4 The manager has high expectations of how children should be supported by experienced and skilled staff. He is committed to developing staff skills and has introduced development plans to support their professional growth. These plans identify areas for development and outline how improvement will be achieved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective monitoring systems in place, which have strengthened oversight of the home. These systems ensure that he maintains oversight of all aspects of the home, including staff practice and children’s care needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with regular opportunities to undertake training. The manager works with staff to improve their compliance with the provider’s mandatory training programme. In addition, he ensures that staff receive child-specific training so they have the skills and knowledge required to care for children. However, a fire risk assessment identified that staff require additional fire safety training, and there has been a delay in delivering this. The manager immediately made enquiries to address this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Oversight by leaders and managers of an incident involving a physical intervention, where a child was held by staff, was delayed. One incident involving physical intervention was not clearly recorded, and the interim manager’s oversight of this was delayed. Furthermore, the senior manager’s oversight did not take place until 4 months after the incident. This does not provide assurance that leaders and managers have effective systems in place to review incidents in a timely manner. Inspection report for children’s home: 2872279 5

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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)(c)(f)(g)(ii)) 24 July 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or absent without permission, the responsible local authority provides them with the opportunity to have an independent return home interview. The home should consider the information obtained from such interviews when assessing risks and implementing measures to safeguard each child. (‘Guide to the Inspection report for children’s home: 2872279 6 Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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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: 2872279 7

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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: 2872279 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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