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 Limited

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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 is owned and operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children aged seven to 17. Children may have experienced trauma and placement and family breakdown. The manager was registered with Ofsted in June 2016.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 12 to 13 September 2018

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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 Good

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Good

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

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Good

Date of last inspection: 21 February 2018

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Good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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Good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1227869 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 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)) 09/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; and details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(ii)(v)) 09/11/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. Reviews should be underpinned by the Quality Standards as described in regulations 5 to 14. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.2) In particular, ensure that the quality of care review report provides sufficient analysis and evaluation throughout to fully show the impact the care is having on young people’s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children thrive in the home and their day-to-day experiences are positive. Staff deliver nurturing care and support that focuses on children’s individual needs. This enables children to make good progress in all areas of their development. Relationships between children and staff are positive. Staff use these relationships to Inspection report children’s home: 1227869 4 encourage children to express their views, wishes and opinions. The staff make sure that the aims and objectives of the placing authority, regarding children’s support needs and progress, are incorporated into the home’s internal care plans. As a result, children are involved in decisions about their care and they have a clear understanding of their progress. This approach helps children to recognise and celebrate their achievements. Education is central to the ethos of the home. Staff work with children to help them to understand how good school attendance and attainment supports their development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child told the inspector, ‘I do like school sometimes. Even when I find it hard, I know I need to go.’ When children face barriers to their learning, the registered manager works closely with teachers to finding new ways to help children overcome their difficulties. Children access all health services to meet their physical and emotional health needs. When children have complex health needs, staff work in partnership with specialist health professionals, such as bespoke hospital teams and children’s mental health services. As a result, children receive good-quality tailored healthcare that supports their development. Staff encourage children to take part in new activities, both in the home and in the local community. Children participate in a wide and varied range of social activities and leisure pursuits. This allows them to learn new skills, develop new hobbies, make new friends and grow in confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy regular contact with their families when this is appropriate to their needs and personal circumstances. Staff recognise how important this is for children. The staff provide emotional and practical support to ensure that children can make the most of their time with their families.

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

Staff write a comprehensive risk assessment for each child. These risk assessments reflect children’s individual needs and vulnerabilities. These documents help to guide the staff on how to respond to children’s behaviours. This consistent practice means that incidents of challenging behaviour, including verbal and physical aggression, reduce. There are very few occasions when children have gone missing from the home. However, in these circumstances, staff work with local police teams, the placing authority and children’s families. This ensures that children are quickly located. Staff use one-to-one sessions to help children to understand the dangers that they may face if they are missing from the home. Furthermore, staff regularly review and revise children’s individual ‘missing from home’ risk assessments to make sure that these continue to reflect their specific needs. Children benefit from a programme of personalised incentives and sanctions. These help

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

them to understand how to keep themselves safe and to make positive choices. Staff support this approach through the use of reflective one-to-one sessions and group learning activities. As a result, children begin to take age-appropriate responsibility for their actions. Staff encourage children to consider how their behaviours may impact on Inspection report children’s home: 1227869 5 others, and to develop alternative ways to manage their anxieties and emotions. Staff only use physical restraint as a last resort to prevent children from harming themselves or others. Records of these events mostly include all relevant and necessary details. However, there are some occasions when staff do not record the steps taken to try and de-escalate incidents, or accurately describe young people’s behaviours. This hinders the registered manager’s ability to review and monitor these events effectively. Managers and staff complete safeguarding and child protection training. This training

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

includes sections relating to referring and managing allegations. The registered manager works in partnership with the designated officer for the local authority. This means that any allegations of abuse or harm are quickly investigated. This good practice promotes children’s safety. The home environment is safe and well maintained. Staff regularly complete health and safety checks and quickly report any concerns. This helps to create a warm, welcoming and comfortable home for children. The recruitment of new staff is safe. Managers make sure that they complete necessary checks to assess the suitability of staff to work with children. This helps to protect children from possible harm or abuse.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has the skills and experience necessary to continue to develop and improve the service. She holds suitable level qualifications relating to the management and leadership of children’s homes. Her vision for the home is founded on her understanding of children’s individual needs and how best to meet these needs. The registered manager uses internal audits to collect information about children’s progress. Some aspects of the quality of care review are good. For example, the registered manager and staff show how they seek young people’s views and use these to improve the home and the quality of care provided. However, the quality of care review report could include more analysis in parts. For example, the review of some aspects of behaviour management lacks sufficient detail and evaluation. As a result, it is not always clear from the report how the actions of staff may influence young people’s

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

behaviour. Staff receive regular, practice-related supervision. The registered manager recognises that many staff have little experience of working in children’s residential care. Most staff do not hold a suitable level qualification for their role, although they are now working to complete this required qualification. In addition, training records show that several staff have failed to complete mandatory refresher training within suitable timescales. Consequently, the registered manager is unable to confirm that all staff have the skills and competencies that they need to support children. Partnership working arrangements between the registered manager and external agencies is a considerable strength of the service. The registered manager is steadfast in her expectations of others. She is confident in challenging other professionals when their actions or inactions impact on children’s development. As a result, children receive

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report children’s home: 1227869 6 integrated care that supports their progress.

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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: 1227869 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Jo Stephenson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1227869 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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