Children's home run by Coventry City Council

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2529639 1 Registered provider: Coventry City Council

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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 run by the local authority. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who may have experienced early childhood instability that has led to trauma and/or associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2021.

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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 inspectors 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: 2529639 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

Children form good relationships with staff. When children experience difficulties with their peers, staff support them to overcome their differences. For example, staff carry out focused direct work with children around bullying and relationship building. This effective work means that children have not been involved in any arguments with each other for almost two months.

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The care of children

Children make progress in terms of their education. Some of the children face barriers with their education and regularly refuse to attend. Despite this, staff provide children with educational work and attend regular meetings to consider ways they can help the children to improve their attendance. One social worker told the inspector, ‘Staff stay in regular contact with the school to boost attendance, they are already looking at apprenticeships for next year.’

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The care of children

Children’s views are considered. Their concerns are listened to and investigated by managers. Children are updated throughout and are supported with mediation to help rebuild relationships.

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The safety of children

Individual management plans are in place and are updated regularly by staff. They contain up-to-date and relevant information, which includes information about recent incidents and measures in place to manage these. Plans are clear, which means that staff are aware of de-escalation and intervention strategies to be used to support children effectively during times of crisis.

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The safety of children

Staff responses to risk, such as children going missing from care, are robust and effective. They know what procedures to follow and ensure that professional networks are informed and involved in the safe return of children. Managers attend strategy meetings to discuss further plans to keep children safe. Consequently, children are supported to remain safe.

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The safety of children

Safeguarding procedures have not always been followed by the manager. For example, when concerns around staff practice were brought to the manager’s attention, these were not reported for a further six days. During this time, no children were at risk because of the concerns; however, this had the potential for concerns around practice to continue. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2529639 3

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

A permanent, suitably experienced and qualified registered manager leads the home with the help of a deputy manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

All requirements raised at the last inspection have been met, except for regulation 12. This was not met in full because, on one occasion, the manager did not follow safeguarding procedures promptly. Overall, however, the quality of care for children has vastly improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers have systems in place to help bring improvements to the quality of care for the children, and incident oversight is robust. Following incidents, staff and children receive timely debrief conversations to ensure that lessons can be learned and approaches can be adapted if needed. Good oversight helps managers to develop a good understanding of the strengths and areas of development of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Children are consistently cared for by a stable core staff team. Most staff hold the required level 3 diploma for residential child care or equivalent qualification. The remaining staff are enrolled to complete the qualification and are supported to achieve it within the desired time frame.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff feel supported and enjoy working at this home. Staff say that they receive regular supervision. Managers are not able to show the records of supervision sessions that take place. For example, several staff members’ supervision files show that no supervision has taken place for a period of three months. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2529639 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/07/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/09/2021 Full Good 06/02/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2529639 5

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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 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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the registered manager takes effective and prompt action in accordance with their child protection policies when concerns have been highlighted. 12 May 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff supervision records are kept. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b) (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2529639 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Coventry City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Coventry City Council, Council House, Earl Street, Coventry CV1 5RR

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Inspectors

Kev Brammer, Social Care Inspector Vicky Smith, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2529639 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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