Children's home run by Coventry City Council

Inspection report for children’s home: 2807350 1 Registered provider: Coventry City Council

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in December 2024. This was the first inspection after registration.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority to provide care for up to four children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home and spent time with the inspector.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2024. They are suitably experienced and hold a leadership and management qualification.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2807350 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children have moved into the home since it was registered. The manager ensures that moves are planned well and managed sensitively. For example, children are given the opportunity to meet staff prior to moving into the home, to have sleep overs and to choose decoration and furnishings for their bedrooms. This practice welcomes children and helps them to settle into their new home quickly.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children access a wide variety of activities that are stimulating. They enjoy holidays and regular trips, including visiting zoos and theme parks. Staff create personalised photo books that capture these special moments. This helps children to build positive memories and develop a strong sense of identity.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Interactions between staff and children are warm and nurturing. Children said they like living in the home and like the staff who care for them. Positive relationships between children and staff contribute to children feeling emotionally secure. Staff speak proudly about children’s achievements and consistently offer verbal praise. Individualised certificates and awards are used to celebrate children’s success and promote self- esteem.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are understood by staff who ensure that their identified needs are met. They are registered with universal health services and are supported by staff to attend routine health checks. Staff provide consistent support, including facilitating and supporting one child’s daily physiotherapy exercises. This good support promotes children’s emotional and physical well-being.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work well with educational professionals. One teacher said, ‘[Name of child’s] school attendance has been outstanding, and their emotional regulation and engagement within the school environment has significantly improved.’ Managers ensure that alternative arrangements are in place for children who do not have an identified school to attend. For example, one child now has access to home tuition.

p.2

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

The manager and staff are clear about their safeguarding responsibilities. They are confident in raising concerns and understand how to escalate these should they need to, including using the whistle-blowing process.

p.2

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

Staff respond promptly and effectively to incidents between children. They implement agreed behaviour support strategies and de-escalate situations calmly. Following incidents, staff speak with children to help them reflect on their behaviour and develop strategies to reduce the risk. Inspection report for children’s home: 2807350 3 Staff respond well to children’s needs in the event of a medical emergency. They know children’s health needs well and follow agreed protocols.

p.2

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

Specialist equipment used in the home is well maintained and serviced regularly. Staff receive training in areas including manual handling and seizure management. This helps to keep vulnerable children safe.

p.3

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

One child uses a restrictive vehicle harness when travelling and wears a safety helmet to reduce the risk of injury. These restrictive measures have not been reviewed by the manager or other professionals. This impacts on the manager’s ability to know if the vehicle harness and safety helmet are appropriate and the least restrictive option.

p.3

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

Medication management arrangements are not consistently effective. There have been three medication errors in the home. Staff responded appropriately by escalating concerns and seeking medical advice. The manager has reviewed medication procedures and introduced improvements. For example, there is now a system where staff are notified when medication is due.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is child focused and knows children well. She speaks passionately about therapeutic practices and has high aspirations for staff and children. Staff speak positively about the manager and enjoy working in the home. One staff member said, ‘The management and staff team are very supportive.’

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly and give staff the opportunity to share research into practice, strengthening their knowledge in key areas. For example, one staff member developed a training session on the ‘window of tolerance’, exploring how adverse childhood experiences can affect children’s tolerance to situations.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, which provides them with an opportunity to discuss each child. There is reflection from staff, and the manager supports staff to identify personal development targets to further improve their skills.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s wishes and feelings are important to the manager and staff. For example, when children are asked about their views, the manager ensures a direct personalised response to their requests. This means children feel listened to.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is good multi-agency working with other professionals, and they speak positively about the manager and staff. One child’s social worker said, ‘There is a good level of communication; I feel listened to and part of decisions.’

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective monitoring systems. This means that she has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. However, for one staff member, the manager had not gained a reference from their most recent employer. This could lead to unsuitable individuals looking after children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2807350 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

p.4

Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

p.4

Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child);

p.4

Requirement Due date

or a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

p.4

Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that mechanical restraints in place for children, such as vehicle harnesses and head helmets, are reviewed regularly, that appropriate professionals are involved in the planning of their use and that these are deemed the least restrictive. 12 November 2025

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— 12 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2807350 5 full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that references are gained from the employee’s last employer.

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that medicines are administered in line with a medically approved protocols and that there are suitable arrangements to manage and administer medication. This specifically relates to ensuring children receive medication as prescribed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2807350 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: PO Box 7097, Coventry CV6 9SL

p.6

Inspector

Kirsty Truesdale, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2807350 7 regulates and inspects 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7