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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2613849 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

A large national provider owns this home. It provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties. There were three children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 21 October 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2613849 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2613849 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are respectful, open and honest with children. This has enabled the children to build positive relationships. All the children say they feel safe and respected, and trust the staff. Therefore, children have a safe base to explore their past experiences and make progress towards their future goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s physical and emotional well-being is central to all practice. Integrated working with therapists and external agencies provides children with a consistent approach to their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff actively support children’s education. Two children have sat their GCSE exams and subsequently were able to accept a place at college. Another child has a tailored package of support to enable them to re-engage in education. Consequently, children’s experiences of learning and education are positive, and they make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff embrace the children’s wishes to try new experiences as part of their development into adulthood and independence. Staff use targeted key-working sessions to explore each child’s interests and needs. Two children have paid part- time jobs and are learning about responsibility and developing important life skills that build their resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of children maintaining connections with family and friends. Staff work in partnership with people who are important to children, and this helps them benefit from a consistent experience of care and support. One family member spoke positively about being able to contribute to decisions about how their child is cared for, and that they are involved in decisions about their child’s future plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well presented and maintained. Children’s bedrooms are personalised. Consultation with children is central to any refurbishment, which recently resulted in the garden room being redeveloped and decorated. Children’s wishes and views are valued and heard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the children to prepare for and manage their next steps. Once children leave the home, there is a period of outreach support. This allows children to make contact with staff when they need to. This level of support means children feel valued and can continue to benefit from the relationships they have formed.

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

Staff demonstrate good knowledge of safeguarding practice and follow clear procedures when incidents occur. The registered manager’s consultation with Inspection report for children’s home: 2613849 4 professional agencies is effective and positive for the children. However, on one occasion, the registered manager failed to notify Ofsted of a serious incident.

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

The staff promote positive behaviour and boundaries for the children, who are helped to understand their own behaviours through discussions with the staff and online courses. This practice provides opportunities for learning and building behaviour strategies. This sensitive and inclusive approach has contributed to a reduction in risk-taking behaviour. Physical interventions are not used, and consequences are rare.

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

Children are well supported to understand risks when accessing the internet. This includes adults holding workshops to develop the children’s knowledge. Therefore, children are aware of the risks when playing and working online.

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

Safer recruitment practice is inconsistent. For example, the registered manager ensured concerns raised about one staff member had been thoroughly considered. However, in another example, the manager did not ensure all gaps in employment were identified. This inconsistency demonstrates that safer recruitment practice is variable.

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

There are risk-management plans in place to guide staff. However, some plans are not routinely updated following incidents. Therefore, staff are not always kept informed of children’s current risks. However, this shortfall does not impact on the support children receive when incidents occur.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff are passionate about their work and child-centred. The registered manager is aware of areas for development. This includes developing the newer staff to ensure that they feel empowered to provide good-quality care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager reviews the children’s records. As a result of this monitoring and oversight, the registered manager has knowledge of the children’s day-to-day experiences and a well-rounded view of the progress that the children are making and the quality of care they are receiving from the staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers provide a comprehensive range of training opportunities for the staff, which includes specific training related to the individual needs of the children. The staff undertake additional training, including bespoke training and a qualification in therapeutic care. This further enhances their skills and knowledge. This demonstrates that the registered manager recognises the importance of skilled and trained staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is good partnership working and communication with external agencies. Social workers speak positively about the care children receive and working together to ensure best outcomes for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2613849 5 Staff feel supported by the registered manager. Regular supervision ensures that staff are clear about their performance and goals. However, records do not always reflect that staff are supported and that their well-being is considered following incidents and performance concerns. Inspection report for children’s home: 2613849 6

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure children’s plans are up to date and relevant to the children’s current risks, and that staff have a good understanding of these plans. 30 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child — 30 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2613849 7 is instigated; or

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that Ofsted is notified of serious incidents, in line with regulation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that recruitment records demonstrate that managers have taken all reasonable steps to explore gaps in staff’s previous employment. 30 April 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care and supports their welfare. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2613849 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: Compass Community Ltd, 3 Rayns Way, Syston, Leicester LE7 1PF

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Inspector

Rebecca Fisher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2613849 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 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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