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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2645281 1 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

The home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024 and is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home. The child spoke to the inspector during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2645281 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/08/2024 Full Good 14/06/2023 Full Good 06/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2645281 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to share their views, wishes and feelings. This helps the child to develop positive and trusting relationships and to feel safer. Staff are responsive in helping the child to understand their needs and provide bespoke support. For example, staff are supporting the child to take part in physical activities as part of their daily routine. This creates a nurturing home environment where the child feels safe to share their worries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to return to education. Education professionals describe the manager as a strong advocate for the child when they are experiencing barriers to education. Staff create a positive learning environment for the child by developing consistent routines for the child’s education. This supports the child’s engagement with education and encourages their aspirations for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s relationships with their family members are valued. Staff support the child to visit their family members and to be involved in planning their visits. This helps the child to feel comfortable with their visiting arrangements. Staff help the child to take part in activities in the community. For example, the child likes going to the leisure centre, shopping and visiting the park. These activities support the child’s independence and develop their confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise the child’s health needs and ensure that the child attends their health appointments. When the child feels anxious about attending their appointments, staff work with them to understand the reasons for these. In addition, staff work with health professionals to understand the child’s health needs. For example, the child is being supported to develop positive sleep and mealtime routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the child to personalise their bedroom, which supports their diversity and sense of belonging. The child told the inspector they liked their bedroom. The manager involves the child in gardening activities, such as growing vegetables and plants. This supports the child’s understanding of healthy eating and being outdoors. In contrast, leaders have not responded promptly to complete the identified repairs and redecoration of the home. In addition, broken furniture in the home and the garden has not been replaced and the communal areas of the home are not personalised. As a result, this does not create a homely environment for the child.

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

Staff understand the child’s needs and the support they require. This creates a nurturing and inclusive living environment where the child feels safe and valued. The staff team benefits from regular consultation with a psychotherapist and a clinical nurse. This specialist guidance enhances staff knowledge and skills, strengthening the quality of care and protection provided to the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645281 4 The child has comprehensive risk and support plans that are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changes in their needs. These plans provide effective guidance for staff. When risks are identified, the manager reflects on these with staff to reduce any future risks. The manager arranges training for staff in response to the child’s needs. For example, staff received therapeutic training prior to the child moving into the home.

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

Staff understand internet safety and the risks associated with social media. They support the child in using electronic devices and complete regular checks to ensure devices are secure. This approach helps to keep the child safe from online risks. When risks are identified, these are reviewed by the manager, and educative work is carried out with the child. The manager recognises that ongoing educative work is often required to support the child to understand internet safety.

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

The child does not go missing from their home. Staff develop trusting relationships with the child, which helps them feel safe in their living environment. Staff understand the risks to the child in the community. They help the child to develop an awareness of these risks through regular discussions and listening to their views. This helps the child to feel respected and valued and contributes to their safety and well-being.

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

Leaders and managers understand safe recruitment well. This ensures that there is effective and safe recruitment of adults caring for the child. The manager takes all complaints and allegations seriously and ensures these are investigated. This helps the child to know they are being listened to and to feel safer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home is led by a suitably qualified registered manager, who is child focused. Staff and the child describe feeling supported by the registered manager. She strives to ensure that the child is supported to make progress. However, some of the manager’s leadership systems require improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Monitoring systems used by leaders and managers to review the quality of care and staff practice require some improvement. The manager accepts that the monthly audits are not completed consistently, and this is a shortfall to be addressed. The audits by the responsible individual are not shared with the manager. This does not enable the identified areas for improvement to be addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff feel valued and supported by their manager. They receive regular and reflective supervision to develop their practice. Staff value the training they receive that supports them to understand the child’s needs. For example, the manager arranges for the staff to receive bespoke training to learn about the child’s needs. This ensures the child receives personalised care from staff who understand their needs. However, there are two staff members who have not completed the necessary qualification within regulatory timescales. This has the potential for the child to be cared for by adults who are not suitably qualified and who do not have the skills to keep them safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645281 5 The registered manager works effectively with children’s parents and professionals. External professionals speak positively about the advocacy of the manager and the communication by the staff. This enables all professionals to understand the child’s

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645281 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

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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all repairs and decoration are completed, and all broken furniture is replaced. In addition, that any future maintenance, including purchasing new furniture and decoration, is completed promptly. 22 August 2025

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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— 22 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2645281 7 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part-time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b) (6)(a)(b)) 26 September 2025

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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: 2645281 8

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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: 51 Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton WV1 4QJ

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Inspector

Siân Heffey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2645281 9 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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