Children's Home run by Compass Children’s Homes Ltd in Walsall

Inspection report children’s home: 1227869 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 five 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

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager now provides formal supervision to all staff. These well-planned sessions enable staff to reflect on and review their own performance, and to assess their own learning needs. The registered manager uses these meetings to consider how staff practice may impact on young people’s progress and development. This approach places young people at the centre of all activities in the home. Young people now benefit from comprehensive and effective care planning. This includes independence plans to support young people moving on from the service. This is because staff ensure that young people’s case files include all necessary and relevant information. Staff devise internal care plans that reflect young people’s individual needs. These plans take account of risk factors and behaviours that may hinder their development and progress. When other agencies do not provide staff with essential documentation, or fail to deliver the services that young people need, the registered

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Inspection report children’s home: 1227869 2 manager now challenges these professionals and escalates her concerns to senior managers. Consequently, meeting young people’s needs is the focus of the planning process. Young people present a range of very complex and challenging behaviours. As a result, the use of physical restraint remains high. However, staff now write detailed records of these events and the records include comments and feedback from the young person. This enables the registered manager to assess the lawfulness of this intervention and to evaluate the effectiveness of this practice. As a result, the registered manager is able to confirm that staff only use physical restraint as a last resort to protect young people and/or others from significant harm. The registered manager has reviewed the use of bedroom door alarms. At the time of the last inspection, the use of these monitoring devises was custom and practice in the

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

home. Managers and staff now ensure that these alarms are only used to safeguard young people. When staff believe that these alarms are necessary to keep young people safe, they ensure that they record their rationale for making this decision. Furthermore, following a review of internal safety procedures, the registered manager no longer authorises the locking of internal doors, such as the kitchen door, at night. This restrictive practice no longer occurs in the home. Subsequently, young people have free access around their home. This instils a better sense of family living. The registered manager monitors the quality of care that young people receive. She reviews young people’s learning achievements, day-to-day experiences and overall progress. As a result, the registered manager can demonstrate that the service continues to meet young people’s needs and supports their development. Since the last inspection, there have been a number of changes to the staff team. These

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

changes include staff leaving the service for new opportunities, and the redeployment of staff to other homes run by the organisation. Also, there have been a number of allegations made by young people. In these circumstances, the registered manager takes appropriate and necessary action to manage these allegations, and to protect young people and staff during the investigation process. As a result, there are occasions when substantive staff are unable to work in the home. The registered manager ensures that adequate numbers of staff remain available to support young people. However, this means that there are a number of new staff currently working in the home and these staff lack experience and formal qualifications for their role. The registered manager has taken positive action to address seven of the eight requirements made at the last inspection. This demonstrates the capacity of the service to continue to develop and improve to meet young people’s needs.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1227869 3

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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 registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).The requirements are that the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32(2)(a)(3)(b)) 27/04/2018

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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’. Inspection report children’s home: 1227869 4

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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: 1227869 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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