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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2576409 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 service is a privately owned children’s home that is registered to provide care for six children with problematic sexualised behaviour. There is a registered manager in post.

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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: not applicable

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2576409 2

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outstanding

Children make significant progress because of the excellent help and support that they get from staff. Staff are well equipped to meet the needs of children and use a research-informed approach to promote the children’s individual needs. This includes the home’s therapeutic model of care and therapy programme, which underpins every aspect of the care that children receive.

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outstanding

Before a child moves into the home, the registered manager works with the child’s social worker, school and the provider’s own therapist to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the child’s needs. The assessment informs the support that is offered to a child from the very first moment that they move into the home. As a result, children settle at the home quickly and soon begin to flourish.

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outstanding

The registered manager ensures that care planning is dynamic, well informed and effective. For example, the registered manager works in conjunction with the therapist, school and other relevant external professionals to reflect on what is working well for the child and how they can be better supported. This is particularly effective as staff and the registered manager know the children well and are alert to any subtle changes in the children’s behaviour or presentation.

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outstanding

Prior to moving into the home, the children had a history of extended absence and disruption to their education. Due to the effective support, help and encouragement of staff all the children now attend full-time education and have 100% attendance. The children have exceeded their personal education targets and are on track to take exams and achieve qualifications.

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outstanding

Children’s emotional welfare has improved because of the care, warmth and support that they get from staff. Staff use guidance from the therapist to inform the strategies they use to engage the children. This includes staff carrying out research- informed direct work with the children. These sessions complement the group-based and one-to-one therapy sessions provided by the therapist. As a result, children are receiving help to heal from the trauma of their earlier childhood experiences and they are becoming more emotionally resilient.

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outstanding

Staff are successful in improving children’s health. Good routines, guidance and support help to address issues such as children’s weight and personal hygiene. Children also learn how to express their feelings and develop vocabulary which is representative of their chronological age. Furthermore, the child, who was non-verbal, is now able to express himself with words and he has a vocabulary which is representative of his chronological age.

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outstanding

Staff support children to complete a daily journal every night. Children write down their reflections of the day, including their thoughts and feelings. Children are then Inspection report for children’s home: 2576409 3 encouraged to take this to their weekly therapy session. This helps children to learn how to work through any feelings of anxiety or worry.

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outstanding

Children’s individual interests are actively promoted by staff. Staff encourage children to take part in leisure activities that support their overall development. For example, one child likes to go out running and another child regularly attends a boxing club. As a result, children’s mental health, self-confidence and self-esteem have improved.

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outstanding

Children are supported to contribute positively to their community. For example, children have been actively involved in local community-based charity events and one of the children has applied to volunteer at a pet shelter. These opportunities help children understand that they can make a positive contribution to the community they live in.

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outstanding

Partner agencies are overwhelmingly positive about the care that children receive. One social worker told the inspector that he had made a good choice placing the child in this home, because the care and opportunities that the child receives would not be available elsewhere.

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outstanding

Children become increasingly safe because of the actions taken by staff. Children who come to this home have a history of risk-taking behaviours and may have committed a criminal offence. From the point of referral, creative and effective steps are taken to break any unhelpful cycles of behaviour. For example, children must engage in age-appropriate group activities and one-to-one time with staff. This not only supports children to build supportive and positive relationships with staff and other children but also provides them with structure and routine.

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outstanding

Detailed risk assessments are informed by input from the therapist and research- informed practice. This means that staff understand how best to keep children safe and how to manage children’s behaviour. Incidents of criminality, going missing from home, self-harm, physical aggression and damage to property have significantly reduced and are minimal or have stopped altogether. This is a significant change for some children.

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outstanding

The registered manager adopts a contextualised safeguarding approach when considering children’s vulnerabilities. For example, the home’s location risk assessment provides staff with very clear guidance on the risks that could trigger children to place themselves in a risky situation. This means that staff are well equipped to take steps to protect children.

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outstanding

Children say that they feel safe and know that staff are there to help and protect them. One child told the inspector, ‘I know staff and the manager would do something to keep me safe if I had a concern.’ Another child gave an example of when he felt protected and safe because of staff intervening in response to a Inspection report for children’s home: 2576409 4 worrying incident. Children have confidence in staff’s ability to protect them and therefore they seek out help rather than acting in a way which may inadvertently increase their risk of harm.

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outstanding

Staff place a strong emphasis on children’s successes and positive behaviour. This means that children are rewarded with attention and gratitude when they have been well behaved or done something well. One child told the inspector how the home has rewarded him, recognising his achievements in his independence skills. Children respond well to this and strive for these positive accolades.

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outstanding

Staff work hard to support family members to have regular visits with their children. This has enabled children to enjoy activities in the community with various members of their family. Some children now have overnight stays with their families, which has been a positive development for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is solution-focused, child-centred and a motivational leader to her staff team. The responsible individual is an equally impressive leader. They both ensure that children are thriving in all aspects of their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team has a clear understanding of the therapeutic model of care and research-informed practice they are using to enable children to progress. They receive regular supervision from the registered manager, clinical support from the therapist and staff team meetings are facilitated by the registered manager and therapist. This helps to strengthen staff resilience and contributes to the positive and relaxed culture in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The stable staff team receives training that is individualised to the current children’s needs. This includes research-informed training, which is provided by the therapist. Staff skills and knowledge are regularly tested during team meetings and supervisions. Staff speak highly of the support they receive from managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager overcame the challenges of the pandemic well. For example, when children tested positive for COVID-19, staff supported the children during their period of isolation and helped them to understand why they had to isolate and to comply with rules.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals speak highly of the registered manager and staff. One social worker said that they see the positive relationships that their child has with staff. They also said communication with staff is excellent and he is always well informed. Feedback from other professionals echoes this viewpoint. A headteacher commented that the staff work very closely with them to meet the child’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2576409 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 for children’s home: 2576409 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: Compass Children’s Homes Limited, 3 Rayns Way, Syston, Leicester, Leicestershire LE7 1PF

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Inspector

Sam Dulay-Kainth, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2576409 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

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