Children's home run by Compass Children’s Homes Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2630796 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 children’s home is privately owned. The home provides care for up to four children who have experienced childhood trauma and have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

It was registered on 1 February 2022. This is the home’s first inspection since registration. There has been no registered manager since August 2022.

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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2630796 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are welcomed to the home following well-planned moves. The children have lived in the home for a short period and have settled well. Children are well matched and are helped to understand each other’s differences. Staff have captured children’s histories in clear care plans. Staff know the children well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say they enjoy living in the home. They are proud of their rooms and they can decide how their rooms look. Staff support children to explore and celebrate their preferred gender identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff often talk with children about their experiences living in the home. This helps to plan topics for future conversations and consider plans for the home. Staff involve children in planning meals and activities. Children have been to a local winter wonderland attraction and paintballing. If children are not happy, they know how to make a complaint. Children are listened to by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in the home. Staff review children’s progress frequently, setting clear goals. Staff celebrate children’s achievements in weekly catch-up meetings and in conversations with children. Children enjoy regular time with their family and staff help children stay in touch over the phone.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to attend education. One child is doing well and has started attending education after a long period of non-attendance. Children have worked hard to achieve qualifications. When children have not attended education, staff have been curious and tried to understand why. The manager has called a meeting with education and social care professionals to create a plan.

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

There is a strong safeguarding culture in the home. Professionals say safeguarding is a strength of the home. It is central to all team meetings, supervisions and in children’s care records. Staff are confident to whistle-blow and raise safeguarding concerns.

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

Staff understand risks such as online safety and self-harm well. There are clear risk assessments in place and staff know how to reduce risks. Staff talk to children regularly to reduce risks and keep children safe. There are monitoring systems in place to keep children safe online.

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

Children do not go missing from home on a regular basis. There was one serious incident when a child left the home in the night and a door alarm did not trigger. There is an investigation ongoing about this incident. The staff have taken Inspection report for children’s home: 2630796 3 immediate steps to reduce risk. The door alarm system has been checked for faults and practice has been changed to ensure that alarms are properly set.

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

When children have made allegations against staff, these have been managed well, with staff informing the relevant agencies and following advice given. There are plans in place to assess the risk. Staff are curious about establishing patterns if a child makes frequent allegations.

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

Children have strong relationships with staff and talk to them about their feelings. Children also receive help from therapists. Children have been open to this and engaged well. The therapist supports the staff with understanding the home’s model of care and this is being embedded in practice.

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

Physical intervention is rarely used in the home. On the occasions it has been used, it has been effective at minimising risk. Staff inform parents and professionals promptly. Children and staff are debriefed soon after incidents.

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

Children have behaviour strategies in place. One child is prescribed sedative medication for the management of his behaviours. This is written up on the child’s medication administration record but not included in their behaviour support plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management arrangements have changed in the home. There is a manager covering day to day who was previously the registered manager for the home. The manager knows the children and staff well. This is providing consistency while the responsible individual recruits a new manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders have good oversight of the home. The responsible individual and deputy manager have been consistent figures during managerial changes. They understand the progress made by the children. There are strong quality assurance processes in place to monitor the quality of care provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report they are well supported. They have excellent training, which prepares them well for their roles. New staff received very well-structured inductions. Staff receive regular supervision and attend team meetings. They also receive clinical supervision, which supports the development of a therapeutic approach. Staff morale is good, despite the changes in leadership.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home environment is maintained to a very high standard and is homely and comfortable. The managers have taken great care to ensure the home has a homely feel, with pictures of the children displayed throughout. Repairs and actions identified from audits are actioned promptly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work well with parents. One parent has frequent contact with the staff in the home. When a parent made a complaint about lack of communication, the manager resolved this promptly. However, the manager has not recorded this complaint or the action taken. Inspection report for children’s home: 2630796 4

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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, the 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 ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 17 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home (Regulation 27 (1)(a)) 17 February 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that chemical restraint (being medication not prescribed for the treatment of a formally identified physical or mental illness, but instead being prescribed for use ‘as needed’ or ‘PRN - pro re nata’) should only ever be delivered in accordance with acknowledged, evidence-based good practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 48, paragraph 10.24)

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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: 2630796 5

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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: Compass Community Ltd, 3 Rayns Way, Syston, Leicester LE7 1PF

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Inspector

Mark Dawkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2630796 6 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 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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