Children's Home run by Compass Children‟s Homes Limited in West Sussex

Inspection report for children's home: 1253716 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 privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties. According to its statement of purpose, its focus is on safety while providing intensive therapeutic, personalised care and educational structure and attainment.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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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 outstanding

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1253716 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/05/2019 Full Outstanding 29/08/2018 Full Good 19/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: 1253716 3

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outstanding

Children receive high-quality care that makes them feel valued and secure. Every child in this home has made significant and meaningful progress from their starting points.

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outstanding

Staff provide a culture of respect, nurture and safety. Their interactions with the children are warm and loving. Children benefit from close trusting relationships with the staff who care for them. Staff provide stability and safety, which has helped children to move forward and take advantage of the opportunities which are available to them. One child said, ‘To be honest, I would not be the man that I am today without these staff.’

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outstanding

Key working is of exceptional quality. Staff thoughtfully plan to support the needs and current issues for each child. The range of work is extensive but does not impinge on the children being able to have fun. For example, one child has a clear independence plan that identifies each step, with goals and targets, that the child sets for themselves. This approach by the staff empowers children to have positive control over important aspects of their own lives.

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outstanding

Staff promote the value of education and learning. The support and encouragement for children to engage in education is exceptional. Staff advocate for children to have the best opportunities. Staff worked tirelessly with professionals for one child to be able to attend college. Individual support was provided by the staff to make this happen. This commitment to supporting children to build a future is given to all the children and creates the best opportunities for them to thrive and develop.

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outstanding

Children’s views are highly valued, by staff and managers. Children have multiple opportunities to have their say, for example through worry and suggestion boxes, weekly meetings, extensive key-working sessions and daily community meetings. These events allow the children to share and talk about their achievements, reflect on events and learn how to manage conflict. These opportunities provide valuable life experiences for children to learn how to communicate and listen effectively.

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outstanding

The staff place great emphasis on children making memories and having shared experiences that they can cherish and keep forever. This is evident in the home through a vast range of pictures, memory books and treasures. The staff have been hugely creative in providing a wide range of activities, holidays and projects over this challenging period of COVID-19. For example, staff and children all completed a first-aid course, providing the children with a valuable life skill. They also enjoyed participating in growing tadpoles. Culture and diversity are celebrated throughout the year, incorporating staff’s own experiences and knowledge. During this inspection, the children excitedly shared how they have set a staff member the task Inspection report for children's home: 1253716 4 of bringing back 10 items from her visit to her home country. These examples show the value of relationships between the children and the staff.

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outstanding

Managers and staff are committed to making sure that children get the best from the time they spend with their families. The support is exceptional and described by one social worker as ‘way beyond their duties’ when enabling one child to maintain contact with their family. An inclusive approach supports children to maintain positive relationships with their families and people who are important to them.

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outstanding

Children are guided and nurtured during their journey to independence and adulthood. Practical advice for budgeting and cooking is readily available. Wider life skills, such as conflict resolution, tolerance and identifying which relationships are appropriate and safe, are also provided for the children through online courses and key-work sessions. One child has been supported to join a support group that will continue after they move, giving them already established and useful support mechanisms within the community. This approach equips the children to be more confident in their own abilities to look after themselves independently.

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outstanding

Children’s safety and well-being is a top priority for the staff team. The strength and consistency of the safe relationships that children have with the staff makes children feel secure. Children say that they feel safe and that the staff protect them. Staff are clear about their responsibilities and know how to respond to safeguarding concerns. Comprehensive training, regular supervision and team meetings provide staff with the knowledge and skills they need to inform their practice and safely care for children.

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outstanding

Children have detailed, clear and thorough risk assessments. These plans provide the staff with the information and guidance they need to understand and support the specific vulnerabilities and risks for each child. This awareness is embedded in the staff’s day-to-day work, which effectively reduces and minimises the risks for children.

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outstanding

Staff successfully help the children to understand and manage risk for themselves. Focused key-work sessions and online courses have supported a significant reduction of unauthorised absences with one child. By working together, there is a planned approach to supporting the child to have free time and remain safe while in the community.

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outstanding

Due to the positive relationships enjoyed between the children and staff, the use of physical intervention is rare. When restraints do occur, the registered manager carries out a thorough review and audit to promote learning for staff. Clear and supportive debriefs occur with the children. This gives them space to reflect and learn from these incidents. Inspection report for children's home: 1253716 5 The registered manager ensures safer recruitment procedures are followed effectively when employing staff. This promotes safety and reduces the risk of children being looked after by unsafe adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is passionate and motivational. She knows each child well and holds high aspirations for them. Her enthusiasm and support of the children and the team inspires the staff, who appreciate her modelling of good practice and care. One staff member said, ‘I like my manager because she cares and knows how to treat staff.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff have access to structured and developmental supervision that promotes reflection and learning. Such processes give space and time for managers to support staff to consider the impact of the children’s behaviour on them and to develop coping strategies. As a result, children benefit from well-informed and supported staff who are able to process and manage their own feelings and put the needs of the children first.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff’s expectations of what the children can achieve are high but also realistic. Staff show an excellent understanding of the children’s progress and future plans. Excellent communication and clear handovers result in the children experiencing well-planned, high-quality care. This is supported by excellent record-keeping which means that a wide range of information is legible, retrievable and easy to read.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and staff maintain strong and effective relationships with key external agencies and are readily able to get any specialist services or support that the children need. Placing social workers speak highly of the quality of care provided and the standards of communication maintained by the staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The strong leadership of the home and the quality of care create an environment where staff are proud to work and which children are proud to live in. Inspection report for children's home: 1253716 6

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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 for children's home: 1253716 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, Epinal Way, Off Squirrel Way, Louhborough, Leicestershire LE11 3GE

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Inspector

Rebecca Fisher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1253716 8 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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