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 Interim 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 in November 2017. His last date of employment was 24 January 2018, however he stopped working at the home before this date. Ofsted was processing an application for his replacement at the time of 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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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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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 outstanding 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

Children continue to make excellent progress. One child said that the home was now ‘even better’ than at the previous inspection visit. Children’s best interests are placed at the heart of staff practice and their views are valued and respected. Adults build warm, caring relationships with children which focus on finding ways to help children to build a Inspection report children’s home: 1263129 2 better future.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The three services available at the home (residential care, education and therapeutic services) work exceptionally well together. Their coordinated and integrated approach supports innovative person-focused care that adapts to a child’s needs.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children who are new to the home are matched well. The assessments clearly take account of all children’s needs and how they might affect each other. One child said that managers make good decisions about who comes to live here. The new manager also recently consulted with the children about what they think is important about children who may move to live with them. Their suggestions have been incorporated into the manager’s assessment form to use in the future. This demonstrates the level of importance given to children’s views.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers continue to improve services by critically analysing and reflecting on how to do so. Their plans build on what children do well and how they can help things that children struggle with. Recent positive developments include:  Creating a programme for a new qualification, which the manager and therapist based at the home intend to validate with a university.  Leaders and managers have started working towards achieving a therapeutic communities practice award.  The manager and therapist are working together to develop more restorative and reflective sanctions. It is envisaged this will assist adults to monitor how children are learning to understand the underlying motives for their own behaviours.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Monitoring and reviewing systems comprehensively test and monitor practice. For example, the manager’s monthly reports to senior management are a detailed assessment of what has occurred. The accompanying commentary is reflective, providing confirmation of what action has been, or will be, taken to improve any deficits noted.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is well presented. The children are proud of their home and help to decorate it. They recently refurbished the small lounge. This is now a lovely space for which the children made stylish shelves from reclaimed boards, a fun activity that helped children to learn useful skills for later life and promoted good relationships among themselves.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Adults respond to serious incidents and safeguarding concerns effectively and professionally, promoting children’s welfare and safety well. As a result, children do not go missing from the home and, for one child in particular, restraints have been used less frequently Several children now have free time, having completed units of the home’s ‘safe programme’ for children with problematic sexual behaviours. When managers consider that sanctions imposed by staff are unfair, the sanctions are reversed, and restorative discussions between the adult and child take place so that their relationship can be rebuilt.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Concerns and complaints are welcomed as opportunities to understand practice and make improvements. Records of how concerns are managed show that staff act on Inspection report children’s home: 1263129 3 children’s and professionals’ concerns quickly and appropriately.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, children questioned how well adults at the home make consistent decisions. The manager acknowledged that consistency remains an area of development which they discuss a lot with the children. Two children differed in their opinion about whether this had improved. However, many opportunities are offered for children to put their views forward and the children clearly feel empowered to do so. For example, house rules have been created because children wanted these to help improve consistency.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/07/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: 1263129 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, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3GE

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Inspector

Ruth Coler, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1263129 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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