Children's Home run by Compass Children‟s Homes Limited in Swindon

Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 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 is registered to provide care for up to four children who have experienced childhood trauma and display emotional and behavioural difficulties. At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022, when this home was registered.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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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: 2667197 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This was the first inspection of the home. One child has lived here since the home was registered, and another two children moved in. It became apparent that this home was not appropriate to meet the needs of the third child. Full information about their background and mental health needs was not provided by the placing authority. Despite the home arranging for the child to move on, the child was helped to understand the reasons for the move, and they enjoyed a leaving party, gifts and cards.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good physical health; they are helped to attend routine medical and dental appointments. The promotion of healthy eating has led to children reducing their intake of sugary snacks and replacing them with more fruit and vegetables. Children have developed great skills in cooking and enjoy preparing their own meals and baking for everyone. The involvement of a psychologist ensures that children, and staff, can readily access therapeutic support. The psychologist is attached to the staff team for three days per week. This supports the therapeutic approach being embedded throughout the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff and manager are ambitious for the children and their access to education. All children have full-time school places with attendance above 80%. This is a very positive outcome considering that before living here, all the children spent significant periods out of education. Staff support with attendance has led to academic achievement and sitting exams. Visits to prospective colleges and voluntary work experience at a local farm help one child with their aspiration to be a veterinary nurse.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is great importance placed on family time, where appropriate, ensuring that children have positive experiences with people who are important to them. This includes visits to the home, where family members can cook together and spend time in the house and garden. One family appreciated being able to spend a day in the home over the Christmas period.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children express their views, wishes and feelings in several ways. Children were observed doing this, and records clearly capture their voices. Many photos are taken to contribute to the children’s memories of their time living at this home. Children enjoy pursuing their interests and attend local clubs such as a gym, ice skating, ballet and weight lifting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a very pleasant family-style home. Bedrooms are personalised, and one child has painted a mural on their wall, highlighting their artistic talents. The kitchen-diner is a popular place to be, where children and staff can chat and cook together. Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 4

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

Children are cared for by a team that is trained in safeguarding and has an awareness of the impact of childhood trauma and attachment difficulties.

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

Children have gone missing from this home. This increased over the four weeks before this inspection, with two children missing from home together. There are significant concerns when the children are not in the home at the agreed time. The escalation in incidents means an increase in risks as the children have travelled to a neighbouring county. The manager and staff team remain curious and active to arrange the children’s safe return; this includes searching for them throughout the night.

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

Leaders and managers attend regular meetings with a network of professionals who are involved in the care and protection of children. Strategies are devised to disrupt the pull of family and friends that has led children into risky and anti-social behaviour. A final strategy involved separating the children to ensure that their needs could be met safely without the distraction of each other. Core members of staff spend time with the child who has moved out. They are available for support and to create a positive ending, as much as is possible, while preparing the child for a move to another children’s home within the same organisation.

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

Since March 2023, there have been four allegations against adults working in the home; none of these have been substantiated. Generally, thorough investigations are carried out following safeguarding concerns or complaints. One allegation was referred to the designated officer two days after the incident. This was not done in a timely manner and involved an internal investigation before any consultation. The manager failed to follow the safeguarding procedures for this one incident. Senior managers undertake analysis and consider if there are any lessons to be learned to inform any changes to practice or training requirements.

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

All records confirm that any use of restraint is to prevent a child from harming themselves or others. Records provide a clear account as to what happened and why. The manager has good oversight of these records and ensures that children have an opportunity to talk after an incident. In recent weeks, physical intervention has been used appropriately to redirect children when they are threatening to harm others or attempting to leave the house late at night. Staff use their distraction skills well when there are difficulties within group living.

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

Some family members and a social worker provided positive feedback about the care and protection provided to the children. A social worker acknowledged that the child can no longer live at this home, yet she praised the ‘outstanding commitment’ shown to the child while living here. A relative reports that the quality of care provided is ‘brilliant’, and they have nothing negative to say about the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 5

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good

The manager is committed to developing this new home to be successful. It is her first post as a registered manager, and at times she has required support from senior managers to assist with management tasks. An experienced manager has been appointed as a mentor. In addition, the manager is taking part in an internal management development course to increase reflective practice, develop leadership styles and ultimately improve the practices within the home.

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good

Staff members spoken to during the inspection report that they enjoy their work and feel supported and trained to do it well. Staff receive supervision to discuss their role, responsibilities and professional development. These meetings occur regularly and records are made. Teething problems for the new home, such as staff inconsistencies in their approach to children and a lack of experience in record- keeping, have been addressed through team meetings, training and an improved handover system.

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good

Children have some positive relationships with the adults who care for them. The manager and staff team are proud of the children’s achievements and speak about them with strong affection.

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good

To give one child a positive experience with a friend, the manager arranged a sleepover at the home. Although this included discussion with the child’s social worker, the manager failed to assess the wider risk by not consulting with the social workers for the other children in the home. The sleepover went well and without incident. However, the potential risks had not been fully considered. Another oversight is that leaders and managers have failed to recognise that allegations referred to the designated officer also need to be notified to Ofsted.

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good

Leaders and managers use effective systems to monitor and review the care records and staff practice. Indeed, the above failings were identified by such monitoring. The organisation has built in layers of quality assurance among senior staff to ensure that compliance is met and that all incidents are managed and reported appropriately. Leaders and managers promote a learning culture where incidents are analysed and opportunities are taken for reflection and learning. The shortfalls identified from this inspection are known to leaders and managers, who have development plans to make improvements. Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vii)) 31 August 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

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 31 August 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that each child’s placement plan sets out the permissions that their placing authority has delegated to the registered person. This should provide clarity on the home’s ability to give permission for school trips, sleepovers or the child’s involvement in sporting, leisure and cultural activities. Children are to be supported to be involved in the same activities as their peers. This specifically relates to ensuring that consent from all social workers is obtained and all risks considered before permitting a friend to sleep- over in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.2)

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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, Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 7 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: 2667197 8

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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: 3 Rayns Way, Syston, Leicester LE7 1PF

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Victoria Sorrell-Cook

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Inspector

Clare Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 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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