Children's Home run by Cove Care – Residential Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Good

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

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The home is making a positive difference to young people’s lives and in keeping them safe.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff ensure that young people receive highly personalised care that effectively meets their needs.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people benefit from good routines and consistent boundaries and engage in a wide range of recreational activities.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Social workers and carers report that young people are suitably placed and that they are satisfied with the quality of care provided.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The leaders and managers understand the areas of weakness and the strengths and have a clear plan for the development of the service.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 When there has been an incident in the home that may include missing from care or physical intervention, there is not always evidence to show any learning takes place to help inform future practice.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are not always engaged in further education, training or employment to help maximise their potential.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard with particular reference to, the standard in paragraph (2(H)) which requires the registered person to – (h) use of monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home in relation to missing from care and physical intervention (Regulation 13(2)(H)) 01/08/2015

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the education standard with particular reference to, the standard in paragraph (2(ix)) which requires the registered person to- (ix) help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment (Regulation 8 (2)(ix)) 01/08/2015

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is privately owned and offers placements for two young people who may have a combination of mental health, psychological, emotional or complex care needs that present challenging behaviour. The service is designed to offer medium to long-term care placements.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

11/02/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

21/03/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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people living in the home are

Young people receive a good quality of care. The management and staff remain totally committed to improving the quality of life for the young people in their care. Young people speak highly about their relationships with staff and the care they receive. For example, one young person said, ‘it’s good, it’s like a little family’.’

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people living in the home are

Staff work closely with families and a range of professionals who provide additional support and guidance. As a result, young people continue to thrive and achieve excellent outcomes in all aspects of their lives.

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people living in the home are

Care and placement plans are accurate and clearly identify any risks. Social workers and family members have no concerns about how the service safeguards and protects young people. As a result, young people feel safe and are kept safe.

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people living in the home are

Young people’s health needs are met with a variety of therapeutic models. The home has admitted young people who have been assessed at a high level of self- harm. As a result of the therapeutic input, the risks have reduced greatly and young people have been able to move on successfully into independence.

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people living in the home are

The home effectively supports all family contact. This ensures that young people remain close to individuals who are important to them and benefit from being involved in a wider support network outside of the home.

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people living in the home are

Staff consult with young people through weekly young people’s meetings. This forum gives young people opportunities to have their views heard. Staff demonstrate they respect young people’s requests and respond appropriately. Wherever possible young people have their wishes granted.

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people living in the home are

Young people’s views are sought in all aspects of how the home operates. This includes menu planning and activities. Staff are proactive in encouraging young people to access advocacy services and will also speak to placing authorities about any concerns young people raise. One social worker said ‘communication between us and the home is very good’.

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people living in the home are

Relationships between staff and young people are good. One young person commented the one thing they did not like about the home was ‘that you can’t stay forever’.

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people living in the home are

Despite being offered a range of education and employment opportunities, some young people are reluctant to engage. This hinders them maximising their learning opportunities to fully reach their potential.

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people are helped and protected

The home has safeguarding policies in place, which include procedures to be followed in the event of a child protection concern. Young people say they feel safe and that their concerns are always listened to and responded to by staff.

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people are helped and protected

Young people's unique presenting needs are well understood by staff. A consistent approach and thorough behaviour management plans support young people to make progress. For some young people who have patterns in their behaviour, staff will try to find the triggers so that tailored support helps them self-regulate their emotions more safely.

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people are helped and protected

Young people’s risk assessments are continuously assessed. Information in these documents is highly personalised and is routinely shared during shift handovers, clinical review meetings, supervision and team meetings. This ensures that staff are equipped to meet the presenting and emerging needs of the young people in their care.

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people are helped and protected

Since the home’s last inspection there have been no reports of young people missing from care or physical interventions. This is a consequence of positive interventions at an early stage and recognising and rewarding positive behaviour.

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people are helped and protected

Young people are aware of how to make complaints about their care. They are clear about the complaints procedures and the avenues of support open to them. Young people meet with independent advocates to help them take forward their concerns. They are confident to raise issues with staff informally and through their regular young people's meetings

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people are helped and protected

Medication is stored safely, and records are maintained on the administration of medication. There are clear policies and procedural guidance and these are followed in practice. All staff receives suitable training to support health and well- being and this helps to maintain the quality of care being provided.

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people are helped and protected

Young people live in an environment that is physically safe. Regular safety checks are undertaken on equipment in the home. A range of environmental risk assessments are also in place. Fire drills take place regularly, which ensures that all those in the home are familiar with the actions to take in the event of an emergency.

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leaders and managers

There is an appropriately experienced Registered Manager who has oversight of the home. He has had management responsibility for this home since March 2014. The responsible individual for the organisation is also the Registered Manager. A deputy manager is in place to support him.

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leaders and managers

Staff receive monthly supervision and annual appraisals. Staff from the home state that, ‘the management here are good, supportive and approachable’

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leaders and managers

The home’s procedures for recruiting staff are robust. Relevant checks are undertaken prior to staff starting work to ensure they are suitable to work with vulnerable young people.

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leaders and managers

The home has two new members of staff that are due to begin their induction. The home is then fully staffed and will not have to utilise staff from a nearby home to support them. A range of training opportunities are available to staff. The Registered Manager uses an electronic training matrix to assist in the monitoring of staff skills and qualifications. In turn, this helps to inform him of the level of expertise within the staff team against the needs of young people.

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leaders and managers

Partnership arrangements work well and communication between staff, young people and their families, social workers and other professionals is good. This results in good coordinated support to meet young people’s needs. Young people receive clear support, instruction and updates to help them manage any anxieties they might have and to support them to make positive choices.

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leaders and managers

The Registered Manager is highly committed to making continued improvements to this service. A thorough annual development plan is in place to make further enhancements to the service provision.

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leaders and managers

The internal and external monitoring of the home takes place regularly and reports are forwarded to Ofsted as required. Records are maintained that help indicate the progress that young people have made since their admission to the home.

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leaders and managers

Records of all incidents are made including when young people go missing from care or if they require physical intervention. Missing from these incident logs is details that show learning is captured from these events. This is a missed opportunity to inform future practice.

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leaders and managers

The home continues to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements including the home’s risk assessments and fire procedures. The manager has a location risk assessment that is currently being updated to include views of the local community.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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