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

Inspection report children’s home: 2578675 1 Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company and was registered in September 2020. The statement of purpose says that the home provides the highest quality care and substitute parenting for up to three children who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager post is vacant following the registered manager leaving on 16 August 2021. The responsible individual is providing day-to-day management support at the home while a new manager is recruited.

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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. This home was last inspected on 4 May 2021, with two monitoring visits taking place on 19 May 2021 and 16 June 2021, respectively.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: Inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Inspection report children’s home: 2578675 2 At the full inspection in May 2021, serious and widespread concerns were identified, and two compliance notices were issued. A restriction of accommodation notice was also served. The compliance notices related to the protection of children and leadership and management. Two monitoring visits took place. Following the monitoring visit on 16 June 2021, the compliance notices were found to be met and the restriction of accommodation notice was lifted. Inspection report children’s home: 2578675 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/05/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: 2578675 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children living at this home are now making good progress. They have developed positive relationships with the adults who care for them. These relationships are based on mutual respect and nurture. One child said, ‘This is my home; I’m happy here and don’t want to be anywhere else.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s educational achievement and attendance are effectively promoted. Both children have college placements secured for September 2021. This ensures that children have plans for their future and are supported to develop their career aspirations. The adults encourage children to learn, using recognised awards that are linked either to learning new skills or reflecting on occasions when something hasn’t gone so well. As a result, the children are continuing to gain education credits and learn new skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children regularly see important people in their lives. The adults are creative in helping the children enjoy holidays and activities that suit their interests and needs. As a result, they enjoy typical teenage social activities that make them feel part of the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children understand the risks of COVID-19. They know the importance of following hygiene routines and maintaining social distance. Staff have helped children to understand the reasons behind the various restrictions and have helped children to have a variety of experiences and activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have opportunities for their voices to be heard. Weekly meetings take place where they freely express their wishes and can participate in making decisions about the home. Success is also celebrated, and the children are clear about what they need to achieve so that they receive rewards and are proud of their success.

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

A recent visit from the designated officer has strengthened the safeguarding culture at this home. The adults have received further safeguarding training and are clear about what to report, to whom and when. Face-to-face training has also taken place which further consolidates the training and considers their different learning styles. Consequently, children’s safety is improved because the adults are now better skilled in identifying, and responding to, potential concerns.

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

The adults have worked in partnership with the police in order to share intelligence about potential criminal exploitation in the local area. The learning from these concerns has been threaded through to the location assessment and the children’s individual plans. For example, suspicious activity at two locations was reported to the police and used to inform the location assessment. Inspection report children’s home: 2578675 5 The staff have been unable to prevent a child from continuing to display risk-taking behaviour. The adults followed the child when they went missing and coordinated a response with the police and safeguarding partners. Records sampled showed that the adults followed strategies to try and reduce risk. However, one record sampled did not contain information about how the child left the home on one occasion. This is a missed opportunity to provide clear information that can be reviewed and

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

analysed in order to guide, and improve, the safeguarding measures.

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

Specialist support to children is provided. One child was encouraged to engage in direct work about understanding the dangers of substance misuse and smoking. Although they were not keen to engage, the adults continued to provide them with opportunities to revisit these specialist support services. This tenacious approach reinforces to children that adults care and that they want them to lead healthy lives.

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

The children have frequent and focused key work sessions with the adults, linked to their care plan targets. However, the records of these sessions are variable. Some provide a clear overview and others lack clarity. This is a missed opportunity to provide the child with an accurate reflection that may help them to understand their journey through the home.

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

Feedback from external professionals is good. A social worker said, ‘I would say the adults go above and beyond with [child] so as she is happy and feels safe in the home. At all times, I have never doubted the adults’ ability to keep her safe, and I know she feels supported and secure living there.’

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

The home is well maintained. Routine servicing of equipment and regular maintenance ensure that the environment is safe. The children have safe spaces in which to relax, and their bedrooms are decorated to their individual taste. They take pride in their home and enjoy cooking and sharing meals together in the communal area.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The organisation has worked hard to make, and sustain, improvements since the May 2021 inspection. Additional support has been given to the home and various quality audits have taken place. This tenacious approach from the organisation has resulted in requirements being met and significant progress being made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s post is vacant following the departure of the previous registered manager. In the interim, the responsible individual has based herself in the home in order to manage it on a day-to-day basis. Her management is having a positive impact on the service. She sets clear targets that place the children’s progress at the centre of the adults’ focus. All the children’s plans have been reviewed. The priority is for the children to have positive experiences and safe, predictable care, and it is central to the progress being made at this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The requirements made at the full inspection in May 2021 have been met. She has additional support from another registered manager within the organisation who has Inspection report children’s home: 2578675 6 a proven track record. The organisation is in the process of recruiting a new manager. There are plans to have a detailed handover when the new manager comes into post in September 2021.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A new deputy manager is in post. This has strengthened the management arrangements at the home. Furthermore, new adults have been recruited, including senior team members. The new adults speak positively about their induction and the clear leadership and management within the organisation. Frequent supervision with agreed targets ensures that the adults are clear about the goals and objectives of leaders and managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The impact of the interim management arrangements is evident in the progress of the children. They have a safe, stable base and adults are providing consistent and predictable care. Behaviours which may challenge others have reduced. The management team’s analysis of the children’s behaviours shows that children are now much more settled, and are making progress at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Therapeutic-led practice is being introduced to the adults. This is having a positive impact on the care being delivered. They are learning to view the behaviours of the children as a form of communication. This enables them to adapt their reaction to the behaviour and give the children an individualised and appropriate response. Inspection report children’s home: 2578675 7

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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 must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; and

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that records of the children’s key work sessions are detailed and include the child’s voice. 26/09/2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records are kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36 (schedule 3(14)). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child’s parents. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31)

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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: 2578675 8

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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, Off Squirrel Way, Loughborough LE11 3GE

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Inspector

Sarah Olliver, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2578675 9 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

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