Children's Home run by Compass Children’s Homes Ltd in East Sussex

Inspection report children's home: 1263129 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 six children with social, emotional, and mental health difficulties. It is owned and run by a private organisation. At the time of the inspection, six children were living in the home.

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Information about this children's home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2023.

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Information about this children's home

Two of the children living in the home attend one of the organisation’s schools, which is located on the same site. The inspector only inspected the social care provision.

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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: 6 December 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1263129 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/12/2022 Full Good 02/03/2022 Full Outstanding 09/03/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/01/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children's home: 1263129 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children in the home speak warmly of their relationships with staff and make good progress in relation to their starting points. One child is now able to find ways to help himself feel calmer. This has resulted in less incidents of behaviours that challenge.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children come to live in the home, this is managed carefully by gathering sufficient information to determine suitability and needs. Clear plans and assessments guide staff to provide good quality care that meets the needs of each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's health needs are managed sensitively to enable them to access the services they need. One child had recently been able to have some medical treatment after some help to manage their fear of needles.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children attend school regularly. When children do not attend school, staff work with education colleagues and children to devise plans and strategies that will enable children to re-engage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to enjoy a range of activities and to have fun with friends. They attend various clubs in their community that are of interest to them and enable them to start developing links. Where appropriate, children are supported to stay in touch or spend time with family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel that they are listened to. They know how to complain if they have concerns and know how to access the independent visitor, social workers, and the responsible individual if they wish to speak to someone outside of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to explore their identity. The relationships that they have with staff helps them to feel confident in doing so in a safe way. Where children need additional support, managers liaise with external groups who can support children further.

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

Children in the home feel safe. They can identify trusted adults that they feel confident in speaking to if they have any worries or concerns.

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

When children present with self-harming behaviours, this is managed carefully by staff. Following these incidents, managers seek appropriate support and training for staff to help improve their confidence and practice. Inspection report children's home: 1263129 4 Staff have a good understanding of the risks and vulnerabilities for each child. They are guided by clear and detailed plans that help them to be confident in supporting children well.

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

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding arrangements and are clear in their responsibilities to protect children. When concerns arise, staff take effective action to keep children safe and liaise with relevant agencies such as social workers, police, and the local authority designated officer for safeguarding.

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

Staff respond appropriately to any concerns regarding bullying in the home. They focus on educating children on the impact of this and using consequences to support learning. However, on one occasion the consequence used prevented a child from socialising with other children.

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

Staff are effective in managing incidents where children present with behaviours that challenge. There is a clear emphasis on positive behaviour that is supported by a clear rewards system. Staff support children in a caring way and only use physical intervention where it is essential, doing so for the shortest time needed to ensure safety.

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

Incidents of physical restraint have reduced significantly for children. However, where children have required medication to help manage their anxiety or behaviours, this has not been appropriately recorded. While there is no evidence to suggest any detrimental impact on the care or wellbeing of children, the lack of documentation means that managers do not have sufficient oversight of its use and effectiveness.

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good

Managers do not always have sufficient processes in place to enable them to have sufficient oversight in the home. This has meant that managers are unable to review the effectiveness, frequency and learning from some incidents in the home. For instance, the inappropriate consequence used and consistency of restraint records.

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good

On one occasion, managers had not notified the regulator of a significant event relating to the protection of children. However, all other action taken was appropriate to manage and resolve the concern.

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good

Managers have a clear and ambitious vision for the home and have clear expectations of children. They have established a staff team that share these views and who deliver good quality care.

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good

Managers have a good understanding of some of the home's strengths and weaknesses of the home and is working proactively to address these. They seek to learn, improve, and adapt where appropriate and make good use of scrutiny from their independent visitor. Inspection report children's home: 1263129 5 Managers have a good understanding of the progress that children make and recognised this with children, in ways that are appropriate to each child. On one occasion, the manager had spent time with a child talking about a significant improvement in the child’s behaviour and celebrated this with them.

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good

Managers have established close working relationships with social workers. They are confident in challenging responses if this is necessary to improve the support and help provided for children.

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good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions that help them to learn and develop in their roles. They are also afforded a wide range of training that helps them to feel confident in meeting the needs of each child. Staff speak warmly of the relationship with managers. This enables them to feel valued in their roles.

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good

Children in the home are listened to. They share their views with staff who value them and act where appropriate. When children make complaints, these are dealt with effectively and to the satisfaction of children. Inspection report children's home: 1263129 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

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable, or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

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Requirement Due date

any restriction, other than one imposed by a court or in accordance with regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), on a child’s contact with parents, relatives or friends.

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Requirement Due date

In particular ensure that sanctions do not unnecessarily isolate children from their peers or friends. (Regulation 19 (1) (2)(c)(i)) 10 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; 10 January2024 Inspection report children's home: 1263129 7 the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii))

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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)) 10 January 2024

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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 children's home: 1263129 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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Inspector

Jay Shekleton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1263129 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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