Children's Home run by Cove Care – Residential Limited in Worcestershire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home was judged as requires improvement at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness. Since the last inspection, there has been one change to the young people living in the home. One young person has left the home to go to a different residential placement, and one young person has moved into the home. Young people place themselves at risk both inside and outside the home. There are concerns regarding young people smoking cigarettes and cannabis in the home. Some young people are at risk of sexual exploitation, but continue to have periods of unauthorised absence from the home. This means that safeguarding arrangements in this home are ineffective and leave young people at risk of harm. Recording of unauthorised absences and behavioural incidents is not consistent, and young people are still not receiving independent return interviews. This means

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

that patterns of episodes of missing for young people are not correctly identified, and there is no management oversight of physical restraints to monitor and safeguard young people. Poor maintenance of the home is an ongoing issue. Damage to the home highlighted at a previous inspection has not been repaired. This leaves parts of the home in a less than suitable condition and has an undesirable impact on the young people. The manager ensures that young people's attendance and engagement with education continue to be good. Young people make good educational progress, and staff work positively and proactively with education providers to promote their learning and educational achievement The manager continues to ensure that young people are registered with primary healthcare services and are supported to attend any appointments. Specialist support is readily available to meet the emotional needs of young people through

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

individual therapeutic sessions. Appropriate arrangements are in place for the safe management of medicines, to promote the safety and well-being of young people. The manager continues to ensure that young people are supported to maintain contact with their families. Staff support contact effectively by ensuring that transport is available and that any restrictions to contact arrangements are clearly known. 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. The manager ensures that young people continue to be protected by the organisation's robust recruitment practices. Health and safety matters are managed effectively, to promote the safety and well-being of young people. Seven requirements and two recommendations were made at the last inspection. The registered manager has made some progress in addressing these. The home’s

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

children’s guide has been updated, and missing-from-care reporting is in line with police protocols. There are improvements in partnership working with the police and in the independent monitoring of the home. However, requirements made regarding the recording of missing from care, behavioural incidents and damage to the home have not been addressed and have, therefore, been repeated.

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Information about this children's home

The home is one of four in this private organisation that offer placements for up to three young people who may have a combination of mental health, psychological, emotional or complex care needs that present challenging behaviour. The service offers medium- to long-term placements.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

29/03/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

30/03/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that must be taken so that the registered person/s meet/s 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person is required to –

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Requirement Due date

(ii) protect and promote each child’s welfare. 30/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

7: The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, the registered person must ensure that children receive care from staff who –

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Requirement Due date

(i) is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives. This is to include independent return interviews. 30/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure –

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Requirement Due date

(d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. 30/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that 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 – (iii) the date, time and location of the use of the measure; (iv) a description of the measure and its duration; (v) details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; and 30/11/2016 (vii) the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)) The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child that − (a) include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. In particular, they must include the date and circumstances of all incidents when a child goes missing from the home, including any information relating to the child’s whereabouts during the period of absence. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(Schedule 3(14))

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection, we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 that 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 m This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the

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Information about this inspection

effectiveness of the service 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’. 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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