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

Inspection report children’s home: 1254840 1 Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for three children, aged from eight to 17 years, with learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessional compulsive disorder, specific language/communication difficulties, and/or sensory integration difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been at the home since November 2019, holds a level 5 diploma in leadership and management and was registered with Ofsted in August 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 8 October 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on our website.

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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: 11 December 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1254840 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/12/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/09/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: 1254840 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff speak passionately about the children and want the very best for them. They have a good understanding of each child’s abilities and needs. The children are at ease and enjoy spending time with staff. Staff use play and fun activities to strengthen relationships, develop communication and focus, and reward positive interaction. As a result, the children are settled in the home and making good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and teachers work well together to meet the children’s educational needs. Staff have been creative in providing alternative educational activities during the COVID- 19 restrictions, and have now successfully supported the children to return to school. One child has been delayed in starting a new school. The registered manager has been proactive in advocating on the child’s behalf and ensuring that interim measures are in place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager, staff and children are continuing with their plan to improve the home’s environment. The home is in the process of being painted throughout. Communal areas and the children’s bedrooms are being redecorated, and new furniture has been ordered. These developments ensure that the home continues to provide the children with a homely environment to live in and to enjoy.

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

Safeguarding and practice concerns are well managed by the registered manager, with prompt monitoring of incidents and quick referral to appropriate agencies. The manager works in partnership to address shortfalls. Recent medication errors have been thoroughly investigated. Actions have been taken to address shortfalls and improve practice. An independent medical professional has now been commissioned to review the revised procedures. This management oversight provides the opportunity for improvement to practice.

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

Due to the children’s complex needs, they can at times display extremely difficult and challenging behaviours. Staff have a good understanding of these behaviours and know what action to take to address them. Staff support the children to develop positive behaviours. This includes staff taking a child-centred approach and following detailed behaviour management plans and risk assessments. This ensures the safety and welfare of children and has led to a reduction in the number of incidents

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

Staff communicate with the children using a variety of communication tools that are individual to each child. For example, staff are trained in Makaton, and key staff have attended safeguarding Makaton courses. This ensures that the children’s wishes and feelings are understood and acted on. It also helps them to understand new situations and learn to stay safe. For example, a social story was used to successfully prepare a child before having dental treatment. Makaton is being used Inspection report children’s home: 1254840 4 to help children understand the appropriateness of different forms of touch with staff and with parents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff have a clear understanding of the progress that the children make. This is supported by internal and external monitoring, which show that the children make good progress over a sustained period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff are knowledgeable about the complex needs of the children. They work effectively with partner agencies and parents. This collaborative working ensures that consistent approaches to care are promoted. This, in turn, enhances the children’s sense of stability and security.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported to develop their professional practice and skills. They have attended training that is relevant to the needs of the children, and they receive reflective supervisions and attend regular, informative team meetings. They place great emphasis on creating a nurturing environment that promotes healthy lifestyles, enjoyable and stimulating activities, and a sense of belonging and good self-esteem.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a clear understanding of the strengths of the service and areas that she wants to develop. She has a development plan that she regularly reviews to ensure that actions are achieved within timescales. Inspection report children’s home: 1254840 5

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: 1254840 6

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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, Off Squirrel Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3GE

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Inspector

Dawn Bennett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1254840 7 to 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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