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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 1 SC403789 Registered provider: Cove Care Residential Limited Full 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 children who may have a combination of mental health, psychological, emotional and complex care needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is on long-term leave. An interim manager was in post but has recently left. Senior managers are in the process of recruiting a new interim manager to cover until the registered manager returns to work.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that an allegation was being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the allegations were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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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 inadequate

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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

Date of last inspection: 8 September 2021

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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: SC403789 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/09/2021 Full Good 12/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/09/2019 Full Good 13/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 3

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improvement to be good

Three children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. Two children have moved on from the home since the last inspection and one child has moved in. Staff visited the child before they moved in and staff supported a child to move on to their new home. One child moved on sooner than anticipated. Records relating to transitions into and on from the home are unclear and this is a missed opportunity to fully evidence some of the good care that children receive.

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improvement to be good

Most aspects of children’s health are met well by staff. For example, children have their annual health assessments and attend routine appointments. Health needs are kept under review and children make some progress with their physical and emotional health. In addition, a child has access to specialist support with regard to a particular health concern. However, staff have not received training to help them to understand and respond to this specific need.

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improvement to be good

Medication management is not robust because staff do not keep good records when they administer medicines to children. Despite having systems in place to audit medication, these are not implemented well by staff and overseen by managers. Furthermore, staff do not ensure that some medications are stored at the appropriate temperature. These shortfalls have the potential to compromise children’s health.

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improvement to be good

The home does not provide a warm, welcoming or cosy environment where children can unwind and feel relaxed. The inspector observed that some door handles were broken, living room and hallway carpets were stained and some children’s bedrooms were untidy and one required cleaning. Children have not been given the opportunity to personalise their bedrooms, one child does not have enough storage space and their bedroom door does not close fully to give her the privacy she would like. These shortfalls do not enable the children to invest in their home and feel valued. A recommendation raised at the last inspection about the home environment has not been addressed.

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improvement to be good

Children have made some good progress with their education from their starting points. For example, most children now attend school more regularly. Staff advocate for children when there are concerns about the suitability of school placements. However, children do not receive consistently good support. For example, one child does not have structure during the school day while waiting to start an education placement. In addition, staff and managers are not fully aware of children’s academic progress and one child’s personal education plan is missing.

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improvement to be good

Staff undertake regular key-work sessions with children and there are further opportunities for children to express their wishes and feelings at children’s meetings. Inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 4 As a result, children contribute to their daily care and to some aspects of the running of the home.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy various leisure activities, such as going out for meals, cycling, arts and crafts, playing card games, shopping and day trips out to funfairs. Staff support children to spend quality time with close friends and family. Children are developing hobbies and interests as well as building their social skills, self-esteem and social networks.

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improvement to be good

Staff and the managers encourage the children to do chores around the home, such as cooking and doing laundry. They also help children to spend time in the community safely, in line with their needs and development. This is promoting children’s independence and life skills.

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improvement to be good

The quality of children’s risk assessments is generally good. However, staff do not follow all the guidance set out in these documents. For example, staff do not store cables from games consoles safely when not in use to militate against the risk of children self-harming. While this has not compromised children’s safety to date, it has the potential to do so.

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improvement to be good

Senior managers lack professional curiosity to explore gaps in staff’s employment histories. As a result, recruitment practice is not consistently good and this increases the risk of unsuitable people being employed to care for children.

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improvement to be good

Managers have recently reviewed the locality risk assessment. However, they did not consult partner agencies in compiling this assessment to ensure that it contains information about all current risks in the local area. This does not show good partnership working to help inform staff and children about potential risks that children may face when they are out in their local community and how these risks can be mitigated and managed.

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improvement to be good

A fire risk assessment has been completed within the last year. No outstanding actions were raised at this review. However, during the inspection three fire doors were observed not to close properly. This indicates that as part of routine checks, managers and staff are not identifying issues that may compromise fire safety. This shortfall was rectified during the inspection.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy positive relationships with staff. This is a strength of the service and has helped children to develop trusting relationships with staff, whom they can talk to about any worries or concerns.

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improvement to be good

Staff have undertaken some good work with children to help them to understand the risks related to county lines, child sexual exploitation, going missing from home and the potential implications of offending behaviour. As a result of good work with children, their risk-taking behaviours, such as going missing from care and verbal Inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 5 and physical aggression, have reduced. Children recognise that they have made progress with managing their emotions and behaviour. Consequently, children have a better understanding of themselves and risk and they are empowered and equipped to keep themselves safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is currently on long-term leave and interim management arrangements have been poor. Senior managers have taken action to address this. However, as a result of ineffective management and oversight, there has been a decline in the previously good standards of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A deputy manager has recently returned to work to support the management arrangements, together with the responsible individual. The registered provider is in the process of recruiting a new interim manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Because of the shortfalls in management arrangements, staff have not received regular supervision and they have not had an annual appraisal of their performance. In addition, while staff have undertaken mandatory training, they have not had the breadth of training that would enable them to fully understand and meet some of the children’s needs. These are missed opportunities to promote staff’s development and equip them with all the skills and knowledge that they need to care for children consistently well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff and the manager do not keep children’s records up to date. For example, staff did not have up-to-date local authority review plans and education plans for one child. This limits staff’s and managers’ ability to review and keep track of children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not ensure that the regulator has an up-to-date statement of purpose, in line with regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Monitoring is poor and this means that shortfalls are not always identified quickly and addressed. Two requirements raised at the last inspection have not been met and are restated. Two recommendations raised have also not been met and requirements have now been raised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have used the services of agency staff to cover when there are staffing shortfalls. Consistent agency staff know the children and contribute to them receiving continuity of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Despite the shortfalls identified, partner agencies report that managers and staff work well with them and keep them informed about the well-being of the children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 6

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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 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

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 26 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(viii)) 26 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 7 In particular, ensure that managers understand children’s academic progress, and for children who are temporarily out of education, ensure that they engage in constructive activities during the school day.

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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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and was restated. 26 August 2022

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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 staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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)(c)(h)) 26 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and 26 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 8 notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and was restated. 26 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The individual has the appropriate experience, qualifications and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (2)(a)(b) (3)(d)) 26 August 2022

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 26 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 26 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 9 The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2)) 26 August 2022

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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: SC403789 10

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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

Rumbi Mangoma, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 11 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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