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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2692653 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 home is owned by a private organisation. It provides care for up to four children who have social, emotional and behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 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: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2692653 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. The home environment is exceptional. It is well maintained and finished to a high standard. This gives children a welcoming and homely environment in which to live. Children’s bedrooms are well decorated and personalised to their tastes and interests. One child has a large, purpose-built Lego table in his bedroom, on which he is designing and building a Lego city. The other child is able to keep a pet reptile in his bedroom.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have built trusted relationships with staff. Children and staff are relaxed and comfortable together. They spend time together doing jigsaws and playing with construction toys. Staff and children share appropriate humour, although boundaries are enforced by staff if this becomes inappropriate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to attend school. One child is attending full-time education and thriving. Staff arranged for the headteacher to visit the home as part of the child’s introduction to his new school. The child’s achievements are celebrated and he is making good progress. There are relevant education plans, including an education health and care plan which helps staff to understand and support his educational needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to take part in activities. These include bowling, fishing and visiting a castle. Children are encouraged to develop skills such as cooking and cleaning the car. These provide children with enriching social and cultural opportunities. Children develop interests and life skills which will support their independence and adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are able to maintain relationships with their families. Family time can be facilitated at the home, and the staff provide transport and lunch for families. This helps families to feel connected to the home and the child’s lived experience. Staff build relationships with families, which means there is a good level of trust and communication between them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Initial risk assessments when children move to the home do not provide detailed consideration and analysis of how individual children’s risks are safely combined. The assessment of two children with aggressive behaviours fails to fully consider how staff should manage incidents between the children. Referral information is not scrutinised or questioned, despite it lacking in detail and being of poor quality. This lack of professional curiosity means that children are not always fully understood when they move to the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2692653 3

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

Children said that they felt safe and listened to by staff who have responded to their concerns. One child said that he did not like living with a peer, but he was able to tell staff when he felt sad. He said that staff had spoken to him and his peer about being friends and being kind to each other.

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

Children have individual support plans and risk assessments. These reflect the placing authority’s plans. Each risk and individual need has an individual plan that is regularly reviewed and updated in line with children’s progress. The plans contain clear actions for staff to follow to ensure that children are kept safe. One child’s plan has been amended to remove the alarm on his bedroom door. Children receive an appropriate level of help and support which encourages their independence and progress.

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

Clear, focused work is carried out with children around their individual needs and risks. Extensive work in bullying and building positive relationships has helped two children to improve their relationship. This includes some joint restorative work. This allows children to understand the impact of their behaviour and take responsibility for their actions.

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

Safeguarding incidents and allegations of harm are reported appropriately to placing authorities, Ofsted and the local area designated officer (LADO). The manager seeks advice from the LADO about reporting. The home’s policy is clear and all allegations are reported. This consistent, transparent approach ensures clear oversight of risk, and ensures that children are kept safe.

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

Consequences are given for positive and negative behaviours. Children are held accountable for bullying and aggression towards others. This provides clear boundaries and behavioural expectations. Children’s efforts and achievements are celebrated. This approach reinforces the benefits of positive behaviour for children and supports them to take pride in their achievements and successes.

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

One child has been subject to a high number of physical interventions. These incidents have been appropriately managed, and the child and staff are routinely debriefed. The child is asked how they feel and what staff can do to avoid further incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is qualified and experienced. She has ambition for the children and staff. There is a clear vision of what she wants to achieve for children. She has clear oversight of the day-to-day running of the home and staff’s practice. There are clear monitoring and management systems to ensure that children and staff receive the support that they need. In the short time the home has been open, the manager has created a culture of learning and improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2692653 4 There is clear challenge from the manager when expected standards for children are not met. Persistent challenges to education providers and a placing authority about the delays in providing adequate education provision for a child have been made. This issue was also escalated to the Office of the Children’s Commissioner by the manager. Practice which does not accord with a child’s care plan is addressed in

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

staff supervisions, and actions are identified to rectify shortfalls. This provides good, strong advocacy for children’s rights.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals and parents all provided positive feedback about the support children receive. They feel children make progress and that the manager is proactive and available to them when needed. This has provided the children with good experiences and outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager strives to improve the quality of care. Actions from the independent person’s visits are completed. Staff practice is discussed in team meetings and supervision with staff. Learning is identified and there are clear actions for staff to improve. The improvement plan identifies areas for learning and development for the service. This means that practice is developing, and staff are better able to meet the needs of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are supported to give their views about living at the home and the support that they receive. They are encouraged to take part in weekly meetings and attend staff meetings. Children’s views and complaints are well recorded, and the outcomes and actions are shared so that children know what is happening.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by managers and enjoy working at the home. All new starters have had a comprehensive induction programme before they work on shift. They feel able to approach managers about professional and personal issues. They receive regular supervisions and attend team meetings. This ensures that they have a good understanding of children’s needs and feel well informed by managers. Inspection report for children’s home: 2692653 5

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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 care planning standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that when a child moves into the home the risk assessments and plans fully consider the impact of children living together. Particularly, to ensure that all the referral information is questioned when it lacks detail. 27 March 2023

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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: 2692653 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Compass Childrens Homes Limited

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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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Inspectors

Joe Matkar-Cox, Social Care Inspector Tom McGhee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2692653 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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