Children's Home run by Compass Children‟s Homes Limited in Solihull

Inspection report children’s home: 1232657 1 Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A private company owns and operates the home.

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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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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection an acting manager was in day-to-day charge of the home. The provider did not notify Ofsted of these arrangements as required. As a result of this shortfall, Ofsted made two requirements. The responsible individual took immediate action to address these issues. However, the appointed manager failed to submit an application to Ofsted for registration within the acceptable timescale. She has since withdrawn this application. A new manager was appointed in January 2018. Ofsted is currently considering this application.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people living in the home at the time of the last inspection have now left the service. These discharges occurred either as the result of extremely challenging or risky behaviours, or because young people would not engage with the service. For those young people, their day-to-day experiences were mixed. Although some young people made progress in some areas of their development, this was not consistent. Young Inspection report children’s home: 1232657 2 people currently living in the home have been in placement for between two and four months. They are still settling into the routines of the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have made improvements to risk assessment processes. These documents now detail young people’s individual risks and the actions staff need to take to promote young people’s safety and welfare. However, staff do not work as a team to consistently apply these risk assessments. Consequently, young people receive mixed messages regarding their behaviours. This does not help young people to fully understand what acceptable behaviour is and how to keep safe. This is detrimental to their progress and development.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, senior managers have ensured that staff complete records of physical restraints fully. For example, these records now include young people’s comments. Managers and staff also undertake one-to-one sessions with young people following incidents of challenging behaviour. Consequently, young people have the opportunity to reflect on what has happened. Staff continue to issue young people with sanctions when their behaviours warrant a formal consequence. These sanctions are now more restorative in nature, and can better help young people to reflect on their actions and consider the impact these may have on others. As a result, young people start to take some responsibility for their behaviours.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers now work in partnership with social workers and other professionals and this benefits young people. For example, young people have suitable school placements. This is because managers challenge failures by others to provide these services. Furthermore, staff ensure that young people’s case files include all of the necessary information and documentation. As a result, young people currently living in the home receive care that takes account of this relevant information.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of the last inspection, very few staff held the qualifications required for their role. This shortfall remains. There have been a number of changes to the permanent staff working in the home. However, the replacement staff also do not hold the necessary qualifications. As a result, permanent staff now working in this home lack the necessary knowledge, skills and experience to appropriately support young people. The previous registered manager made sure that staff regularly received good-quality, practice-related formal supervision. Consequently, staff were supported in their role as they developed their skills. However, staff no longer receive regular supervision. Furthermore, when staff actions fall short of acceptable standards, managers state that these concerns will be addressed during bespoke supervision sessions. However, they do not undertake these supervision sessions. Managers do not adequately monitor or review

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

staff practice to ensure that young people receive care and support of a good enough quality to meet their needs.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Currently, the home has insufficient permanent staff to provide young people with continuity of care. There is an over-reliance on the use of casual staff, agency staff and staff from other homes operated by this organisation, to provide the minimum staffing ratio that is required in this home. This practice is not conducive to providing young people with stable, safe or consistent care and support. Inspection report children’s home: 1232657 3 Since the last inspection, young people have made a number of allegations about staff. Managers have referred some of these allegations to the relevant agencies as required. However, on two occasions, the interim manager did not follow internal safeguarding procedures or statutory legislation. Although the new manager took immediate action to address this shortfall, this failure potentially placed young people at risk of harm.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(vi)(vii)) 30/03/2018

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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 promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; and ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13(1)(b)(2)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 30/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 30/03/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1232657 4

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Mountfields House, off Squirrel Way, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3GE

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Inspector

Jo Stephenson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1232657 5 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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