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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 1 SC403789

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Registered provider: Cove Care Residential Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned. It provides 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 has recently left. Another manager, who works part time, has been sharing managerial responsibilities with the registered manager. This manager has yet to apply to register with Ofsted. Given the recent departure of the registered manager, senior managers in the organisation are reviewing the management arrangements in place. Until resolved, the part-time manager is being supported by the responsible individual.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home. One child has moved on since the last full inspection. She received good support and moved on to live with foster carers in line with her wishes and needs.

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The care of children

Children develop some positive relationships with staff. If they get into difficulty in the community, they contact staff for help. This shows that children are developing some trust in the adults who care for them.

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The care of children

Children have access to the organisation’s clinical practitioner. Engagement from children is sporadic. However, one child is now receiving help to understand their life story. Children are supported by staff to attend appointments to address health concerns. However, they do not always attend routine appointments and staff continue to encourage them to do so.

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The care of children

Staff support children to maintain links with their family and friends. As a result, children keep in touch with the people who are important to them.

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The care of children

Some aspects of the home environment have improved. For example, some areas have been redecorated and two children’s bedrooms are personalised. Bedroom furniture has been purchased but not yet assembled. The pace of the work is slow, given that a requirement about the home environment was raised at the last inspection. Further work is needed to ensure that the environment is clean and homely throughout.

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The care of children

Managers and staff do not keep abreast of children’s progress with their learning and school attendance. In addition, children are not in good routines and are often late for school. When they do not attend, children sometimes engage in educational activity, but this is not consistently so. Children have aspirations for their future; however, they are not clear on the steps they need to take to achieve these.

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The care of children

More positively, when a child raised concerns about his experiences at school, staff listened. Managers liaised with relevant professionals and an alternative education provision was identified.

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The safety of children

Children’s risks are kept under review and their individual risk assessments are up to date. These documents set out guidance for staff to follow. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 3 Overall, staff take appropriate action when incidents of concern occur. For example, when a child went missing from home, staff searched the local area and tried to contact the child and some of his friends. They reported him missing in line with his risk assessment. Follow-up work was carried out, which helped the child to understand the importance of staying in touch with staff and ensuring that they know where he is. The child is now able to spend time with friends overnight and has not been missing from home since November 2022.

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The safety of children

Staff educate children on risks they may face when out in the community and how to use the internet safely. This helps to keep children safe.

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The safety of children

Although children receive some rewards and consequences to help promote positive behaviour, these are not always effective and implemented consistently by staff. For example, a child did not receive a consequence and appropriate support in response to a potentially serious incident. Children have not always received appropriate help to understand the impact of their behaviour on themselves and others.

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The safety of children

New systems have been implemented to help staff improve the quality of record- keeping when they administer medication to children.

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The safety of children

Previously identified shortfalls in safer recruitment procedures have been addressed. This helps to reduce the risk of children being cared for by unsuitable adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

In November 2022, the registered manager returned to manage the home on a part- time basis after a long-term period of absence. Prior to her return, an interim manager was in day-to-day charge of the home. From November 2022, the registered manager shared the role with another manager, who also works part time. This manager has not yet applied to register with Ofsted; however, she is aware of her responsibility to do so. A requirement to address this shortfall is raised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Inconsistent management arrangements have contributed to a lack of progress in meeting some of the requirements raised at the last inspection and developing the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The responsible individual has not been overseeing the management of the home effectively, which also contributes to the slow progress made. An operations director has been appointed who will support the responsible individual to ensure that she has the capacity to carry out her role effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Internal and external monitoring systems are not strong and do not support the development of the service. For example, training records for staff are not clear, which makes it difficult to review what training staff have completed and what they need to do. Managers are aware of an issue with regards to this and are in the process of addressing it. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 4 The independent visitor provides monthly reports on the service following visits to the home. While some recommendations are raised, the visitor readily accepts that matters are being actioned. However, this is not always the case or action is not taken by managers in a timely way. This limits the effectiveness of this monitoring activity and does not fully support improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff do not receive regular supervision or an annual appraisal. This was raised as a concern at the last inspection and has not been addressed. Consequently, staff still do not have the opportunity to reflect fully on their practice and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Although the manager has updated the home’s statement of purpose, some information relates to a template and the text is not relevant to this home. In addition, some information is missing. For example, the document does not set out the number of children the home is registered to provide care for, nor does it include the qualifications for clinical staff who provide support to staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The home’s statement of purpose states that the home works in partnership with an education provider to offer accredited learning modules for children in a range of subjects. However, the manager and responsible individual accept that these modules are not delivered. These shortfalls do not fully support children to reach their potential. Furthermore, managers and staff are not providing support and services to children as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/09/2021 Full Good 12/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/09/2019 Full Good Assurance 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)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated. 30 May 2023

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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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; 30 April 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 7 help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that managers and staff understand children’s academic progress and attendance and liaise with children’s teachers and placing authority to provide additional support as necessary.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

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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

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(b) (2)(a)(iii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that follow-up work is carried out with children about behaviours that cause concern. 30 April 2023

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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

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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; 30 May 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 8 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))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been repeated.

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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

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the person with day-to-day management responsibilities for the home applies to register with Ofsted. 30 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(b)) 30 April 2023

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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))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated. 30 May 2023

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Requirement Due date

A responsible individual must— 30 May 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC403789 9 have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b)) Assurance 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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Inspectors

Jackie Line, Social Care Inspector Assurance 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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