Children's Home run by West Cumbria Care and Support in Cumberland

Inspection report for children’s home: 1247670 1 Registered provider: West Cumbria Care and Support

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is managed by a charitable organisation to provide care under short break arrangements for up to 4 children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 4 children were staying over at the home. All 4 children were seen or spoken with.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1247670 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/08/2025 Full Good 03/02/2025 Full Good 20/03/2024 Full Good 25/01/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1247670 3

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Summary of findings

Shortfalls in the leadership and management have adversely affected children’s experiences and safety during their stay. Leaders and managers are aware of some of the shortfalls. However, plans to improve the home environment, the quality of children’s plans and management oversight are not actioned promptly.

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Summary of findings

Some staff do not feel well supported by managers. Staff describe poor communication from the management team about which children stay at the home, and the manager also has limited influence over some of these decisions.

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Summary of findings

Children enjoy spending time with their peers and attending various activities together. Staff respect children’s views and choices, and some family members provide positive feedback about the children’s care.

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improvement to be good

The shortfalls in help and protection and leadership and management mean that children have not been consistently safeguarded. This has had a detrimental effect on children’s experiences, which has resulted in some children no longer accessing the service.

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improvement to be good

The home is not well maintained or clean and does not provide children with a nurturing or welcoming environment. Many areas of the home require paint and repair and are unkempt. Children’s bedrooms are clinical, with bare and dirty walls. The garden is large and spacious and includes specialist equipment for children. However, an old rusty bike and garden debris piled in the corner detract from this being a safe space for children. There is a plan for improvement. However, this is not being actioned quickly enough.

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improvement to be good

Children’s transitions into the home are not always well planned or documented. Children’s records do not include how they were supported during the transition or prepared for overnight stays. Additionally, staff do not always record important information about changes to children’s needs as part of their planned stay. Some staff send text messages to family late in the evening before the child’s stay, leaving little opportunity for good communication and information-sharing. Furthermore, handover documents between staff do not include significant information about the children’s day or guidance on how staff should respond.

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improvement to be good

Children’s views are sought and used to influence and enhance their stay. Informal conversations and the ‘you said, we did’ feedback process give children a voice in decision-making about activities, food choices and bedroom preference where possible. Children are offered a range of opportunities in the local and wider area, such as Inspection report for children’s home: 1247670 4 bowling, swimming, squash, nature walks and museums. These experiences help children to develop confidence, improve social skills and make memories. Some children prefer to relax and spend time at the home, which is respected by staff.

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improvement to be good

Children’s individual achievements and milestones are celebrated. Staff take photos of children accomplishing tasks and learning new skills. The photos are proudly displayed on the ‘magic moment’s board or with parents through a secure mobile application. This helps family and children to see their children’s experiences are important.

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improvement to be good

Some children have accessed the service for several years and are familiar with their surroundings and other children they stay with. Staff interact with children positively, and children are warmly welcomed into the home on the day of their stay. Most family members say they value the service and that they benefit from regular updates about their child’s stay.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not consistently follow children’s plans, which has compromised children’s safety in the home. Some children have been left at risk of harm because they were not supervised in line with their plan. Additionally, checks in the garden were not sufficient to prevent one child from being able to leave through an unsecured gate. These incidents have resulted in family members losing trust that the staff can keep their children safe. As a result, some children no longer attend.

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improvement to be good

The manager has reflected on the safeguarding incidents and worked with the local authority to make changes. The garden has been made safer and a new policy has been implemented regarding children going into each other’s rooms. However, some staff and the manager are not clear about the new policy, and this does support them to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

Some children’s plans are updated following incidents or statutory meetings. However, children’s plans do not contain all known and emerging risks and plans contradict one another. The plans do not guide staff on how they should respond to behaviours that challenge. This has resulted in some incidents being prolonged, staff moving into other rooms for their safety because they do not know how to intervene, and children’s stays being cut short for safety reasons.

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improvement to be good

On occasions, staff restrain children to keep them safe. Staff document that a physical hold takes place but do not always record this in sufficient detail. Children and staff are not given the opportunity to reflect on the incident. Leaders and managers do not have oversight of all physical interventions and therefore cannot be reassured that they are appropriate and proportionate. Additionally, this results in missed opportunities to identify learning for staff or strategies that may help children to prevent incidents from reoccurring. Inspection report for children’s home: 1247670 5 There are appropriate systems in place for medication administration, storage and record-keeping. When children are prescribed new or temporary medication, staff ensure that they have the necessary health protocol to follow before the child stays. However, on two occasions, children were given medication at the incorrect time.

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improvement to be good

Although children were not harmed, leaders and managers do not learn from incidents or reassess staff competency to safely administer medication.

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improvement to be good

There is safe equipment in the home to meet children’s needs. The hoists, bath and lifts to the garden help to ensure that children are cared for safely and with dignity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers do not have effective oversight of children’s care, records and incidents. They have not ensured that the home environment is well maintained. Additionally, there are occasions when the manager lacks autonomy over decisions about the home. The commissioning local authority decides which children can access the service and, at times, prioritises one child’s stay, which means other children’s stays must be cancelled. Although the manager voiced her concerns, her challenge was not effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

An independent person visits the home regularly, and the manager takes any recommendations seriously. However, there has been several months when the independent person did not speak to or observe children. This undermines the independent person’s ability to provide a rigorous assessment of the children’s care and safety. Managers have not identified ways to support the independent person and were unaware of their responsibility to ensure that this happens.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, the home has faced challenges in staff sufficiency and, at times, the managers have regularly covered shifts in the home. This has compromised the manager’s ability to have oversight of all aspects of the home. There has been a high turnover of staff, compromising the continuity of care for children. A recent recruitment drive has been successful, and there is a now full staff team in place. However, the stability of the team is not yet established.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The statement of purpose has not been updated to include details of the experience and qualifications of staff. Additionally, it does not accurately describe the range of needs of the children being cared for. This does not provide accurate information to stakeholders to inform decisions about whether the home is suitable for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The quality of practice-related supervision is mixed. This hinders the manager’s oversight and understanding of staff’s individual development needs and does not help staff to develop in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Some staff say that communication from leaders and managers is poor, particularly in relation to which children will be staying at the home together. Staff do say that they feel they understand the children’s needs and work well as a team. Staff also reported that Inspection report for children’s home: 1247670 6 they frequently provide guidance to new colleagues on shift, though they feel this process would benefit from more structured management oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Team meetings are held regularly and are well attended. The manager uses these as a learning platform for staff. Staff attend training in relation to children’s complex needs. This helps to improve staff knowledge and skills to care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has developed positive relationships with professionals involved in children’s care. Most of these professionals provide positive feedback regarding staff communication and note how much the children enjoy their stay. When professionals have raised concerns about safeguarding incidents, the manager takes this seriously. Inspection report for children’s home: 1247670 7

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(in)(v)(b)) 31 October 2026

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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

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 31 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1247670 8 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)(a)(b) (2)(a)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(I)(ii)) 31 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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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; 31 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1247670 9 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

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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)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 31 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 31 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1247670 10

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure prescribed medicines are only administered to the individual for whom they are prescribed. Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. In particular, staff must administer a child’s medication at the time of days specified. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. In particular, the registered person should support the independent visitor to obtain children’s views. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: 1247670 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: West Cumbria Care and Support

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West Cumbria Care and Support, 26 Stanley Street, Workington CA14 2JD

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Inspectors

Cat Makel, Social Care Inspector (lead) Amy Groom, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1247670 12 regulates and inspects 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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