Children's Home run by Compass Children’s Homes Ltd in East Sussex

Inspection report children’s home: 1263129 1 Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home was registered in November 2017; it caters for up to five children who display inappropriate sexualised behaviours. The organisation operates a registered school on the same site.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since the home opened.

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Information about this children’s home

In November 2017, the children, managers and staff transferred from another of the organisation’s homes. Therefore, the requirements and recommendations from the last report of the previous home are considered at this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

In this home, the staff are referred to as ‘adults’ rather than ‘staff’; the report therefore uses ‘adults’ instead of ‘staff’. Currently, only boys live here.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: This is the first inspection of this home since it was registered in November 2017. Inspection report children’s home: 1263129 2 Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1263129 3

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Recommendations

 Any home using CCTV or other monitoring equipment should have a written policy describing how this will support the safeguarding and well-being of those living and working in the home in accordance with regulation 24. Homes must gain consent to any monitoring or surveillance by the placing authority in writing at the time of placement. The use of CCTV is regulated by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and the ‘Surveillance Camera Code of Conduct’ (Home Office 2013). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16)

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Recommendations

In particular, the registered person should ensure that they review their policies and procedures in relation to the use of CCTV to ensure this provides sufficient guidance about how they will: – record any use of CCTV footage – monitor and evaluate its use – ensure children who are of an appropriate age and understanding agree to its use.  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. The Statement of Purpose is an important document in the process of care planning as it sets out the needs of children the home is set up and equipped to care for. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.14)

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Recommendations

In particular, the registered person should ensure that any impact assessments they complete fully record their assessment of a child’s compatibility with other children who already live at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make exceptional progress here and they confirm the positive difference that living here has made to their lives. Their families and social workers speak very positively about how, within a short space of time, the adults have helped children to change and have developed trusting relationships with children. One member of a child’s family said, ‘Even the way he speaks about things has really improved.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Leaders and manager take great care to ensure that the right group of children live together here. They carefully check that the care, education and therapeutic support is Inspection report children’s home: 1263129 4 appropriate for each child before he arrives. Children are supported well to move in and each child’s view of whether he wants to live here contributes to any decision about whether he should move in. This has a very positive impact on the stability of the group, the speed with which children settle and the progress that children make.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Impact assessments completed to decide if this is the right home for a child are comprehensive about the child’s needs. The assessments lack detail about how a prospective child’s admission may affect the other children who live here. The adults assess this information and can say what they considered, but do not always record this well in the impact assessment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The education, therapy and care that the adults provide work together extremely well. This is a really joined-up service which provides innovative, responsive care. There is a focus on how to improve children’s individual strengths and needs through finding ways to effectively engage them. Children talk about the improvements that they notice. They say that they have:

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

 grown in confidence  are learning how to manage their emotions better  have developed new skills of which they are proud.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One social worker said: ‘[Name of child] has gone from having no ambition to being really ambitious [for their future].’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s views are taken seriously. The adults work in partnership with children to determine what short-, medium- and long-term goals should include. Children are helped to try new experiences. Children say if they disagree with something that adults do, and are clear that adults should negotiate with them wherever possible. This negotiation can continue for some time until a resolution is reached.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Adults ensure that children keep in contact with people who are important to them and advocate for children to have their say in who they want to see. Families make good relationships with the adults who work here. They feel able to ask for advice and are confident about the way adults care for the member of their family.

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

Children’s safety is promoted well. Children say that they have felt safer since living here. Professionals and families are confident about the ways that the adults keep children safe and help them to develop greater awareness of how to keep themselves safe and manage unsafe behaviours better.

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

Adults focus on assessing and supporting children to reduce any problematic sexual behaviours. However, this does not detract from adults consistently and effectively supporting and addressing other issues that children have. Adults know what to do should a safeguarding concern arise; they vigilantly monitor children’s behaviours Inspection report children’s home: 1263129 5 together around the home. This observation is unobtrusive and does not impact on everyday living. The results are positive: children make good progress in all areas. For example, one child stopped self-harming, and another says his self-esteem has improved.

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

Safeguarding practice is monitored well and any deficits in practice are identified and rectified. During the earlier part of the year, there were short delays in notifying safeguarding teams of concerns. Leaders and managers implemented a detailed plan to eliminate this deficit, which has been successful. Social workers are confident about the adults’ approach to safeguarding; one said, ‘They always follow through on things that are raised’.

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

Behaviour management is implemented fairly. If children disagree with any adult’s actions, this is clearly recorded and worked through. The complaints system and house- meetings system are appropriately used to consider concerns that children and others have. Records of complaints are clear.

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

CCTV is installed in communal areas. Policies and records to support its use are not as clear as they might be. For example, it is not clear how leaders and managers will review its use.

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

Detailed and regularly updated risk assessments support the adults to know what to do should concerns arise. The risk assessments relate well to the child’s needs and are discussed with the child so that he can be part of the planning and understand what action the adults will take. The home’s location risk assessment is being reviewed as it does not fully reflect issues in the local area. The manager confirmed that this will include consultation with other important agencies, such as the police.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Exceptionally effective leaders and managers have a strong vision for the service and focus clearly on the right things for children. They act as role models for the team and creatively support and encourage the adults to be ambitious for children. In the short space of time since the home opened, the leaders and managers’ drive and ambition have supported children to make very important changes. One social worker said: ‘[Name of child] moved in on [date] he is completely different… he did not laugh or have friends. Now he does.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The quality of planning, monitoring and reviewing systems is excellent. Leaders and managers pay attention to detail so that they know that all aspects of the service are monitored well. They have a vision of continuous improvement, for example leaders and managers are working towards making the home a therapeutic community. The adults have daily plans and shift handovers to help them reflect on their care, and continually identify what they do well and what they could improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The support, supervision and appraisal that adults receive are very good. The culture Inspection report children’s home: 1263129 6 among the staff team nurtures learning and development. Leaders and managers help adults to reflect on their care practice and to consider how this affects others, especially children and the adults who they work with. The adults feel supported by the systems and rewards in place, and are committed to continually re-evaluating their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a very effective training programme which supports the adults to gain the right qualification within appropriate timescales. Training relates to children’s needs and supports the leaders and managers’ plan for the home to become a fully therapeutic service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The adults develop very positive relationships with relevant professionals. These relationships support children with getting the things that they need. One professional said, ‘If things don’t go right, it is resolved quickly.’

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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

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: 1263129 7

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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

Ruth Coler: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1263129 8 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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