Coniston House

Inspection report for children's home: SC379123 1 SC379123 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 home offers care for up to five children with mental health difficulties, psychological and/or emotional difficulties and associated complex care needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since 23 March 2023. A new manager has been appointed.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 6 September 2022

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

On 28 March 2023, Ofsted conducted an assurance inspection. Serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care of children were identified. Two compliance notices were issued, for the quality and purpose of care standard (regulation 6) and the leadership and management standard (regulation 13). Inspection report for children's home: SC379123 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC379123 3

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inadequate

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home. Since the previous inspection, two children have moved on. For one child, this was a positive and planned move. For the other child, managers and staff were unable to keep them safe and manage risk. This child moved on more quickly than planned.

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inadequate

The home is in a poor condition and unclean. There were dirty carpets, walls in a poor state, a child’s toothpaste tube had mould on it, a mattress was stained and bedding was unclean, and a damaged sofa had not been repaired. Similar shortfalls were identified at the previous inspection and managers and staff have not taken action to rectify them. In addition, there was a lack of food options available. Children raised these concerns with the inspectors.

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inadequate

Managers and staff fail to provide children with a nurturing and homely environment. There is institutional practice, such as labelling crockery for staff use only, with children having different crockery. Some food and drinks are locked in a cupboard for no good reason. During the inspection, a deep clean was started and a large food shop carried out. Children said, ‘Staff are cleaning the house for inspectors not for children.’ This poor care demonstrates a lack of respect for children.

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inadequate

Staff are not always clear on the support they need to give children to help them with their education. Not enough action was taken to support one child to overcome barriers to education and whose attendance at school was poor. Staff are not always clear on children’s educational targets and goals and managers are unable to track any measurable progress. Both children living in the home are currently attending school.

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inadequate

Children are not always provided with the care and support needed to help them to progress. One child’s social worker said staff were not aware of the child’s care plan and had not supported the child to work on increasing their independence skills in readiness for moving on. However, another child has made some progress with self care skills and independence.

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inadequate

Children enjoy some activities such as going bowling and having their nails done. However, poor planning and lack of routines result in children sometimes missing out on positive childhood experiences and creating memories. For example, despite the children being on school holidays, staff had no activities planned for them to enjoy.

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inadequate

Children told inspectors that staff support them to spend quality time with their close family and friends, which is important to the children. This helps them to develop and maintain their social networks. Inspection report for children's home: SC379123 4

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to develop a positive safeguarding culture where staff are skilled in managing potential risk. Despite serious concerns for one child’s safety, managers were unable to demonstrate any meaningful work done with the children to help them to keep safe. Although some risk assessments are reviewed and updated to take account of new information, this is not done consistently. It is not clear that staff are aware of new information or strategies developed to help keep children safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

The impact on children of known risks in the local area has not been considered and these risks have not been added to the safe area assessment. This is despite leaders and managers receiving new information from the police. This hinders staff’s ability to ensure they fully understand the risks associated with the location of the home and how to protect children from them.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Leaders and managers are still not fully ensuring that all staff are safely recruited. Some staff files still had gaps in recruitment histories. This shortfall was identified at a previous inspection.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Restraints are not always recorded as required. The independent person identified this at their monthly visit in April 2023. At the time of this inspection, the shortfall remained. The responsible individual acknowledged that restraint records still need improving. This limits managers’ ability to review practice and ensure any restraint used is proportionate and safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

When children go missing from home, staff follow children’s missing protocols and behaviour management plans. They work in partnership with agencies such as police and social workers to locate the children and bring them back home safely.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Some children have made progress. For, example, one child’s emotional well-being has improved and their incidents of going missing from care have reduced. The child now has some independent time and access to a mobile phone.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager resigned from her post in March 2023. A new manager has been appointed but has not yet started work at the home. The responsible individual is present in the home two days a week.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers are ineffective. They fail to identify shortfalls or take action to make immediate improvements to the quality of care. Their reviewing and monitoring of the home continues to be poor and is not leading to sustained improvements. Compliance notices in relation to regulation 6 (the quality of care standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) have not been met. Some previous requirements are also not met and are restated. A restriction of accommodation notice has been issued, as there are concerns that if Inspection report for children's home: SC379123 5 further children move into the home this would compromise the welfare of children and place them at risk of harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers are failing to use feedback and scrutiny from external professionals to help them improve children’s experiences. For example, concerns raised at a local authority quality assurance visit have not been addressed. Recommendations from the independent visitor’s report have also not been addressed. This demonstrates a lack of ability to make the necessary changes to improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff and managers do not consistently listen to children’s wishes and feelings. For example, children said they do not feel this is a family home. They asked for a more varied diet and discussed activities but these requests were not acted on. However, one child was given a new desk and helped to choose some new decorative items for the home. This inconsistency shows children are not always listened to or their contributions valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff are still not receiving supervision consistently and some staff have yet to receive an annual appraisal. This is a missed opportunity to discuss staff’s strengths and areas for improvement to improve the quality of care given to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff and managers are still not maintaining up-to-date children’s records. Social workers raised concerns that they are not receiving children’s weekly progress reports, to assist them in tracking whether children are achieving their set outcomes outlined in their care plans. Staff are not keeping up-to-date records that consistently detail the children’s journeys and experiences. Inspection report for children's home: SC379123 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, The 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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of the child; and enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(vii)(ix)(c)(i)(ii)) 16 July 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC379123 7 This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated.

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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

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated. 16 July 2023

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)) 16 July 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 16 July 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC379123 8 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))

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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

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))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated. 16 July 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. 16 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; 16 July 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC379123 9 the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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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 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 signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is repeated. 16 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children's home: SC379123 10

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is suitably located so that children are safeguarded effectively and can access services to meet needs identified in their relevant plans (see regulations 12(2)(c)). Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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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: SC379123 11

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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

Rumbi Mangoma, Social Care Inspector Janet Fraser, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC379123 12 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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