2615342.

Inspection report children’s home: 2615342 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

A large private provider operates this home. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 7 children with adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection 7 children were living in the home. Six of the children were spoken to and/or observed during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2026 and is suitably qualified.

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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

Date of last inspection: 9 September 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2615342 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/09/2025 Full Good 11/12/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/01/2024 Full Good 16/01/2023 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2615342 3

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Summary of findings

Children are thriving because of the care they receive in this child centred, highly supportive environment. Children’s experiences and progress are at the heart of everything and they make significant, sustained progress from their starting points. Children say that they are happy, safe and are proud to call this their home. They have developed strong and connected relationships with staff.

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Summary of findings

Managers and staff prioritise children’s safety. Safeguarding processes are robust and consistently followed. Children are safer living in this home.

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Summary of findings

Management oversight is exceptional. T he registered manager regularly uses research to inform and develop staff practice, ensuring that it consistently exceeds the standard of good.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Since the last inspection, no children have left the home, and 2 children have moved into the home. Staff work tirelessly to provide children with a stable, loving home, where children feel happy, safe and valued. One child has lived in the home for 6 years and another child for over 3 years. This stability has meant that children flourish and make exceptional progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive exceptional, individualised care from a nurturing and dedicated staff team. Staff are knowledgeable and attuned to each child’s needs. They speak about the children with genuine warmth and affection and demonstrate unwavering commitment to them. Children feel and are loved. All children said that they are happy living in the home and feel safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Care planning is highly effective. Before children move into the home, the registered manager carefully considers their wishes and feelings, as well as their risks and vulnerabilities. They encourage children to visit the home and meet the staff and children prior to moving in. These approaches help children to settle more quickly and feel valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s educational outcomes and progress is excellent. All children attend education that meets their individual needs. Staff have high expectations and this support has meant that children’s attendance and attainment have improved from their starting points. This enhances children's future life chances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children flourish socially because of the range of opportunities and experiences they have. Staff promote children’s individual interests. Children are members of local clubs and are encouraged to pursue their interests such as army cadets, football, swimming and trampolining. This supports children to learn new skills and build their confidence. Inspection report children’s home: 2615342 4 Children’s health needs are well managed. Staff support children to maintain their physical and emotional health needs exceptionally well. Staff receive regular research- based guidance from the clinical team, which supports their trauma-based approach with children. This allows staff to be more responsive to children’s changing needs and vulnerabilities.

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

Managers and staff pay high regard to their safeguarding responsibilities and keep children safe. They assess and manage children’s risks and vulnerabilities very effectively. This has led to a significant reduction in the number of serious incidents for children. Children are safer living in this home.

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

Children’s risks have significantly reduced since they moved into this home. Staff are highly successful in working with children to help reduce their risks. Also, the registered manager skilfully balances the risks with opportunities for children to improve their skills. Children have gained a good understanding of risk, which has helped them to mature, build emotional resilience and keep themselves safer.

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

Managers and staff respond promptly and effectively when children raise concerns. They ensure that safeguarding procedures are robustly followed, and information is quickly shared with the appropriate professionals. Comprehensive investigations are completed with clear outcomes, which provide opportunities for staff to learn and strengthen their practice. Managers ensure that, when needed, restorative discussions occur to strengthen relationships.

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

When children are unkind to each other, staff talk to children sensitively and educate them about healthy relationships. They promote the importance of being kind to each other. Research and a clear understanding of trauma-based practice underpin staff practice. This restorative, nurturing approach helps children to build and sustain trusting relationships. This helps children to live harmoniously together.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. There has been one incident since the last inspection. Staff responses are efficient and effective to ensure that children are quickly located and returned to their home.

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

Physical intervention is always used as a last resort. Over time, the number of incidents significantly reduces for children. Incident records are detailed and the registered manager has effective oversight. Children and staff are supported to reflect and learn in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by an experienced, suitably qualified and inspirational registered manager. She leads by example and provides strong, visionary leadership. She has created an open and inclusive culture where everyone is supported to succeed. She has Inspection report children’s home: 2615342 5 high aspirations for children and staff alike. This leadership inspires staff to provide exceptional care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are highly effective monitoring systems in place. The registered manager completes regular audits to scrutinise staff performance and monitor children’s outcomes. The implementation of an online recording system has strengthened her oversight. She also uses comprehensive analysis of incidents, external audits, research in practice and development plans to continuously develop the service and ensure that staff’s practice consistently exceeds the standard of good.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager takes responsibility for her own learning and development of staff practice. She regularly uses research to inform and improve staff practice. For example, she has implemented a research-based model, which has supported staff to work therapeutically with children. This strength based, child centred approach has led to improved relationships where children feel loved, cared for and less marginalised. As a result, children have more connected relationships with staff, each other and their families. This approach has also led to a significant reduction in incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff morale is very high. Staff say that they enjoy working in the home and feel very well supported by the manager. They say that the registered manager is always available and supports them to develop in their roles. She is creative, flexible, and regularly adapts team meetings, supervision sessions and training styles to ensure that staff learning styles are met. As a result, highly skilled and effective staff meet the children’s needs exceptionally well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Working in partnership is a strength of the home. The manager has developed highly successful communication systems to keep professionals and families informed. Feedback from professionals was overwhelmingly positive. One professional said that the registered manager has ‘created a culture that does not give up on children.’ They rated the home ‘10 out of 10’ and that staff were ‘fantastic.’ The care provided to their child was everything they had ‘hoped for’ and had given the child ‘stability which is so precious.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were raised at this inspection. Inspection report children’s home: 2615342 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 children’s home: 2615342 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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Inspector

Sonia Sullivan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2615342 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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