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

Inspection report children‟s home: SC403789 1 SC403789 Registered provider: Cove Care - Residential Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children‟s home offers care for up to four young people who may have a combination of mental health, psychological, emotional or complex care needs. The registered manager started working for the company in May 2016 and is currently absent from the home. During this period, the deputy manager is acting up as the interim manager of the home.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A compliance notice was issued on 5 September 2018 listing steps that the home must take to meet regulations in relation to the use of monitoring and surveillance. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 19 September 2018. The actions from the compliance notice were met.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one young person has had a planned move to independent living. Two young people have moved into the home. Each young person had the opportunity to visit the home and meet staff prior to their move. Well-planned transitions mean that young people are prepared both practically and emotionally for their moves.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers match new young people well and consider their needs and risks alongside Inspection report children‟s home: SC403789 2 those of young people who are already resident. However, managers do not always clearly record this information to create a good audit trail of decision-making.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers and staff have worked hard to improve the home environment. Overall, young people now live in a pleasant and well-maintained environment. A development plan for continued home improvements is in place. Young people also contribute to the ongoing decoration of the home. The appointment of a maintenance worker means that repairs to the property are completed within a timely manner.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff no longer keep the kitchen locked and so young people have access to all areas of the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people form positive relationships with staff and peers and say that they feel safe. They make good progress and enjoy a range of positive experiences. All four young people access education and make progress with their learning. Staff communicate effectively with the young people‟s schools and education provisions. They also celebrate young people‟s educational achievements and this helps to improve young people‟s confidence.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people know how to complain. The organisation has introduced a new procedure for dealing with complaints to ensure that young people are provided with a clear outcome of their complaint and whether young people are satisfied with this.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff provide young people with regular opportunities to share their views, wishes and feelings. For example, young people have regular key-working sessions with staff, house meetings and there are also suggestion boxes around the home, which young people can post comments in for the attention of staff. However, staff do not consistently demonstrate how the young people‟s views are acted on.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Good partnership working between staff and placing authorities means that young people receive coordinated care and support. This supports their progress.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is currently absent from the home. The interim manager is managing the home well overall. Together with staff, she is working hard to improve standards for young people. However, the inspector identified some areas for development. The monitoring and evaluation of the quality of care afforded to young people does not include the views of parents, carers, professionals and stakeholders. As a result, it is unclear how the organisation is learning from practice and improving young people‟s experiences in line with this feedback. In addition, the provider does not always act on recommendations made by the independent visitor in a timely manner. This means that there is a delay in making positive changes to practice.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff say that they feel supported by the covering manager. They receive regular supervision and have had an annual appraisal. As a result, staff have the opportunity to reflect on their practice. Staff have undertaken outstanding training and new monitoring systems ensure that future completion of training is completed in a timely way. Inspection report children‟s home: SC403789 3 Improvements to staff recruitment processes mean that safe adults are appointed to care for young people and that new staff are suitably qualified and experienced to meet the care needs of young people within the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/08/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 08/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/10/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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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, 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

The children‟s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children‟s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to understand how the child‟s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(c)(2)(a)(iii)) 30/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(5)) 30/04/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC403789 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under Regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 55, paragraph 10.24) In particular, the registered person should ensure that they act upon recommendations of the independent visitor within a timely manner.  The registered person should only accept placements for children when they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child‟s assessed needs as recorded in the child‟s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 56, paragraph 11.4) In particular, ensure that there is a clear audit trail of decision-making when

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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.

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Information about this inspection

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: SC403789 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cove Care - Residential Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 16 Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV1 4BL

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Inspector

Sarah Junor-Fitzpatrick, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC403789 6 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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