Coniston House

Inspection report children's home: SC379123 1 SC379123 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 five young people who may have mental health, psychological and/or emotional difficulties and associated needs, and/or complex care needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is currently working towards his level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None. Inspection report children's home: SC379123 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/06/2019 Full Good 13/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 24/09/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC379123 3

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All young people are helped to access education. As a result of the bespoke work carried out by the staff, young people who have previously refused to go to school are now regularly attending school. The manager is quick to escalate concerns if he feels that young people are not getting the right educational support. Consequently, young people are achieving academic success.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff manage young people’s vulnerabilities well by bringing in strategies that help to keep young people safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people told the inspector that they were happy at the home. They benefit from having good relationships with the staff and said that they would rate the home 10 out of 10.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have helped one young person to successfully move into her own accommodation. The young person has a full-time job and has high aspirations for her future. The young person told the inspector: ‘I’ve been in a lot of children’s homes, but never one as good as this. Staff do not give up on young people here.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite the many positive features, there have been a couple of occasions when staff practice has fallen short of the required standard. For example, on one occasion, weaknesses in practice led to a young person’s placement being ended by their placing local authority. The management team has ensured that a thorough investigation has been carried out, and that lessons have been learned.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some record-keeping requires improvement. This includes the recording of key-work sessions. The organisation is in the early stages of implementing a new electronic system that is anticipated to address this shortfall. Inspection report children's home: SC379123 4

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  Some records may be kept electronically (regulation 38), provided that this information can be easily accessed by anyone with a legitimate need to view it and, if required, be reproduced in a legible form. Electronic records should be held at the individual home in accordance with data protection principles. IT systems should ensure the safe storage of these records and business continuity planning should be in place to prevent loss or damage to them. (‘Guide to the

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Recommendations

children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 14.2) Inspection report children's home: SC379123 5

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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

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: SC379123 6

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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

Louise Battersby, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC379123 7 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 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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