Children's Home run by Westmorland and Furness Council in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report for children’s home: 2731542 1 Registered provider: Westmorland and Furness Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home registered with Ofsted in April 2023. It provides short breaks for children who may have physical disabilities and/or complex learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left the role in April 2026. The new manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 8 children were accessing the home for short breaks.

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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: 10 September 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2731542 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/09/2025 Full Outstanding 15/01/2025 Full Good 05/03/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2731542 3

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Summary of findings

A stable staff team and a number of children who have stayed at the home for a considerable period contribute to a familiar and homely environment, with nurturing relationships between staff and children.

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Summary of findings

Staff’s in-depth knowledge of the children, combined with careful planning tailored to their individual needs, contributes to positive experiences and outcomes. Children and their families benefit from a nurturing environment that promotes stability and supports their progress.

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Summary of findings

The new manager and assistant managers have high aspirations for the children and the home. They encourage the involvement of families, staff and professionals to ensure that care planning and decision-making are inclusive and collaborative.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is thorough planning and preparation before children access the service. Managers consult families, schools and health professionals to ensure that children’s needs are well understood. Children and their families are given opportunities to visit the home and become familiar with the staff, routines and environment. Introductions are carefully planned and progress at the child’s pace, including gradually building up to overnight stays.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Careful consideration is given to the planning and coordination of children’s stays. This involves the dynamic assessment of each child’s individual needs and careful consideration of how these relate to the needs of other children accessing the service. This helps to ensure that children receive the maximum benefit from their stays. Children spoke about being excited about who they would be spending time with, particularly when they have shared interests or existing friendships from school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents and professionals speak positively about the care provided to children and staff’s understanding of the children’s needs. Staff work hard to keep parents and carers involved and host regular events and coffee mornings. The most recent event included input from the special educational needs and/or disabilities engagement officer. These initiatives strengthen partnership working and provide parents and carers with opportunities to access both professional guidance and mutual peer support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with complex health needs. They are well trained and have access to ongoing support from specialist health professionals. There is a dedicated medication room, which helps to ensure that medicines are stored, administered and recorded in a safe and controlled manner. A parent reported that their child has made progress in building their strength due to the support they receive with mobility is supported at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731542 4 Children’s achievements are recognised. A ‘proud cloud wall’ showcases children’s recent successes and milestones, including birthdays. Children benefit from a range of experiences that they may not otherwise have access to. Staff listen to children’s wishes and help them to engage in activities that interest them and support their development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience a warm and homely environment. The dining room is at the heart of the home where children participate in activities, chat and have meals together. The home is adapted to meet children’s individual needs, with personalised bedrooms, high- quality spaces for sensory play and quiet time, along with an outdoor play area. However, some external fencing requires attention to ensure that it is safe and secure.

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

Children’s risk assessments and support plans are regularly reviewed and updated, with input from parents and carers. Staff understand the risks for the children they care for and use the specific strategies outlined in children’s plans to support them.

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

There is minimal use of physical intervention. Where it is used, staff assess the situation for risk and ensure that they use the least restrictive methods possible. After any incidents of physical intervention, staff carry out thorough debriefs to reflect on their practice.

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

Records of incidents provide a clear understanding of staff’s actions and responses. However, there is insufficient detail regarding timings and limited information about the wider context, which would help to support an understanding of potential triggers and antecedents. This detail would enable the manager to carry out a more robust review of the effectiveness of interventions and to identify and consider any themes and trends.

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

Parents and carers often contact the service to share information about their child in advance of a stay. However, there is no formal handover sought from parents or carers about their child’s wellbeing to inform their individualised care. This does not support an understanding of children’s behaviours, particularly when there is a gap between stays.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and assistant managers have detailed knowledge about the children and their needs. This enables them to plan children’s stays, taking relevant factors into consideration to ensure that their needs and wishes are met. The manager advocates well for children, ensuring that their emotional wellbeing is supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is an experienced and stable team of staff who have exceptional knowledge of the children in their care. Staff shared positive feedback about the team spirit, the aspirational care provided, and the passion and support of managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A parent’s complaint was dealt with in a timely way and in line with policy. An action plan was put in place to address areas for development. Leaders and managers engaged with Inspection report for children’s home: 2731542 5 professionals and multidisciplinary meetings to discuss and consider the concerns. However, opportunities were missed in terms of reviewing the child’s time with the service to identify themes and trends to support learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings focus on children and help to ensure that staff are clear about expectations and responsibilities. However, records of these meetings do not demonstrate progress against agreed actions or evidence staff’s input or reflection. Supervision sessions appropriately consider staff wellbeing and progress in relation to training and development needs. However, they do not support staff to reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training is up to date and tailored to meet children’s specific needs. Staff undertake case studies to support discussions about children’s progress and experiences. However, this process would benefit from the inclusion of research to demonstrate how practice is informed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731542 6

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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

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—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

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

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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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 30 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2731542 7 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)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, records of incidents must include consideration of antecedents and potential triggers, as well as details of key timings during incidents, to provide greater context.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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)(a)(b) (2)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must carry out learning reviews following incidents with the input of staff. They must consider ways in which research can inform practice, for example in the production of case studies. 30 September 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a safe and supportive environment that meets children’s needs. An unsafe wire fence should be removed, and wooden fences should be treated to remove splinters. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that effective systems are in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive regular supervision, allowing them to reflect on Inspection report for children’s home: 2731542 8 their practice and the needs of the children in their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should lead and manage the home in a way that provides high- quality care for all children living there. Records of team meetings should demonstrate how staff are supported to reflect as a team on the care they provide to children and

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Recommendations

how actions identified are progressed to completion. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)

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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: 2731542 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Westmorland and Furness Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Duke Street, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria LA14 2LD

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Inspector

Andrea Foreman, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2731542 10 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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