Children's Home run by Compass Children’s Homes Ltd in Southend on Sea

Inspection report for children’s home: 2723842 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 registered to provide care for up to five children who have experienced trauma and family breakdowns. This is one of several children’s homes operated by this private company.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a school on site, which is run by the organisation. The inspector only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2023.

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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: 2723842 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is the first inspection since the home registered with a new organisation. There are three children living at the home. One child has moved on in planned way to a semi-independent provider that is closer to their family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good relationships with staff. The atmosphere is warm and nurturing. Children are comfortable around staff, which helps children to feel settled and safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are sought in a variety of ways. The children have meetings at the home, take part in key-worker sessions, and the manager has an open-door approach. This encourages children to frequently chat to the manager. One child has been supported to use an advocate to make a complaint against the local authority. This resulted in the child getting some important belongings returned to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made progress with their education. Their education plans are tailored to their needs. One child has applied to go to college and is very proud of this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to build independence skills that are suitable for their age. Staff support children to develop these skills in a staged approach. One child talked about how they are a role model for the other children. The child is embracing the new responsibilities and freedoms that come with being older.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities that help them to build positive memories. They went on several holidays over the summer. They also enjoy visiting escape rooms, theme parks, and aquarium. Children attend youth and drama clubs. These activities help them to build friendships and be part of the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff commemorate important events for children. One child was supported to do a balloon release at the local beach to mark an important event. Another child recently had a birthday and the staff made it very special. The child talked about the photos taken that day and expressed how much they enjoyed it.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Positive behaviour is consistently reinforced, and the staff use incentives well. However, some records of negative consequences that have been used are not clear in their duration or impact. This could lead to an inconsistent approach.

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

The manager and staff know the children well and this helps them to create individual risk-reduction plans for each child.

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

Staff have appropriate measures in place that help to keep children safe. Children are vulnerable to exploitation. Staff work with children to help them to understand Inspection report for children’s home: 2723842 3 the risks of exploitation. Children take part in key-worker sessions and have education sessions that help them to understand online safety and exploitation.

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

The staff work well with the local community police team. The police are very positive about the staff and the way that they support children. The police visit the home to deliver workshops to children when they move in. The police have provided training sessions to the staff team. This strong partnership working helps children to develop their understanding of personal safety.

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

The staff have not used any physical restraints. Alternatively, they seek to de- escalate children’s behaviour at all times. There has only been one episode of a child going missing from home. This was recorded well, and the child had an appropriate opportunity to talk about it with the manager and the police.

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

The staff work effectively with a range of outside agencies to make sure that children’s health needs are met. The looked after children’s nurse provided very good feedback about the proactive staff team.

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

There have been two incidents where two children have spent the night in another child’s bedroom. The manager has investigated these incidents thoroughly. The children’s social workers have been updated and a meeting is taking place next week. The door alarms intended to monitor whether children are in their bedroom at night have not worked effectively and this has placed children at risk of harm.

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

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that safer recruitment practices are followed consistently. Agency staff are used on a regular basis. Agency recruitment files do not contain all the required information, including a full job history and gaps in previous employment. There is a lack of scrutiny that has left children at the risk of being cared for by unsuitable adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced and suitably qualified manager. She is highly motivated to ensure that children have a good experience at the home. She works alongside a deputy manager. Together, they make a strong management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has an excellent knowledge of each child. This helps her to lead the team to provide children with individualised care. All of the children have a good relationship with the manager, and are positive about her. One child said, ‘She [the manager] tries really hard to make everything nice.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel very well supported by the manager. They see her as a positive role model. Staff receive regular supervision sessions, and these include a good focus on safeguarding. Staff supervisions focus on staff development and recognising good practice. One staff member said that he very much appreciates this feedback, which helps him to develop. Inspection report for children’s home: 2723842 4 Staff well-being is supported. The staff are offered group and individual sessions to talk about the emotional impact of the work and any challenges they face. Ensuring that staff are well cared for helps them to provide better care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has developed an aspirational culture. The staff genuinely care for each child. This comes down from the manager to the staff. The children and staff share humour. Overall, the children truly benefit from a sense of permanence and belonging.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works closely with the home’s therapeutic lead. Three staff have achieved accredited therapeutic practitioner qualifications. This enables staff to better help children with complex needs and ensure that the children they care for achieve positive outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2723842 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 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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that door alarms are fit for purpose. 1 December 2023

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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

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d)) 9 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2723842 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that records are consistently clearly maintained, and that information is always recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, consequence records should specify the duration of the consequence and have an effective review of their impact. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality’ standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2723842 7

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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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Inspector

Mary Costello, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2723842 8 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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