Children's Home run by Compass Children’s Homes Ltd in Herefordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1247764 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 privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care for five children. The home provides a specialised therapeutic programme that is tailored and delivered for each child during their stay.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since 14 April 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager has been appointed and intends to apply to register.

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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

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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: 30 January 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1247764 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/01/2023 Full Outstanding 06/05/2021 Full Outstanding 02/10/2019 Full Good 15/10/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1247764 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has been welcomed to the home in a planned way following a thorough assessment of their needs. Two children have moved successfully into semi-independent accommodation as a result of effective planning. These children remain in contact with the staff, sharing the progress that they continue to make and stories of their adventures and achievements. When children leave the home, they receive a memory book that creatively reflects their time in the home, including photographs and commentary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress in all aspects of their health, education, social and psychological well-being. All four children engage with the provider’s bespoke therapeutic model of care and make good progress with their individual programmes. The children have regular therapy sessions with the programme psychologist, who takes direction and advice from an external organisation made up of highly trained and experienced psychologists.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have individual placement plans that are presented in a child-friendly way. The children are consulted as part of all reviews and updates to their plans. Children’s therapeutic programmes are bespoke, flexible and tailored to their individual needs. Children know the progress they are making and benefit from daily meetings, reflection sessions and taking part in a weekly community meeting with their peers and the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite some very complex behaviour, children are enabled by staff to enjoy individual interests and hobbies outside of the home. For example, children are supported to join clubs, including theatre school. One child competed for Great Britain in their chosen sport and ranked fourth in the world championships. Children enjoy a wide range of experiences that help them to develop their skills and peer relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress with in their education. Two children attend the on-site school and two children are supported to attend mainstream college. All four children are making positive progress. For example, one child is achieving their age- expected targets in school. The headteacher explained that another child responds ‘beautifully’ to their bespoke reward system. College staff are positive about the progress that children are making, including how one child is showing enthusiasm to be challenged with their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to have valued time with family and friends. Furthermore, the staff have supported some children to increase family time and rekindle relationships. Positive feedback was obtained from a child’s former foster carers about how they are supported to maintain their relationship with one child. Inspection report for children’s home: 1247764 4 Children are supported to increase their independence skills. As part of the programme offered, children work towards age and risk-appropriate independence targets. Examples of this include the safe use of electrical devices, safe use of the internet, how to safely manage free time and general life skills such as budgeting, cooking and laundry.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming and homely throughout. The decor and maintenance of the home are to a high standard. The managers and staff prioritise ensuring that children are provided with a comfortable, safe and nurturing environment in which to live. Personal touches throughout the home, such as photos of the children and their activities, create a homely feel. The children have personalised bedrooms that are decorated to their individual tastes. The children benefit from a gaming room and playroom, as well as a large communal area and a well-kept back garden with a trampoline, where they can come together and socialise.

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

Staff know the children and their associated risks well. Staff have a detailed knowledge of the model of care and use this to help the children understand and reduce risk to themselves and others. The children have clear risk, behaviour management and support plans. These are reviewed and updated regularly and reflect concerns and any new behaviour. Furthermore, the staff team meets regularly to discuss the children with education and therapy colleagues, to ensure that there is a joined-up approach to children’s care.

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

Staff help children to understand and identify risk. This is achieved through daily support from the staff team and the work done by the children as part of their individual programme, including keep safe work. This means that the children have a good understanding of the complexities of their behaviour and take ownership of this and the consequences of their actions. As children make progress in managing their behaviour, risk-related restrictions are reduced. This helps to prepare children to move on from the home following completion of their programme.

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

Children’s behaviour is supported effectively by staff. The staff team responded well to an unsettled period following a child coming to live at the home. Increased incidents required the staff to use their initiative and to work quickly and effectively to find a resolve and minimise the impact for children. A considered approach by staff means that the child is now settled and is responding well to personalised care, including incentives that reflect the home’s therapeutic model of care.

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

There has been one complaint and two allegations made by children. Managers have responded to these concerns swifty, and children have been supported and kept informed about what is happening throughout. Direct work focused on resolution ensures that relationships are reunified when there are challenges. Furthermore, the children are encouraged and supported to appropriately air their differences with each other to find an agreed resolve. This enables children to increase their confidence in managing conflict positively, including the ability to say ‘no’. Inspection report for children’s home: 1247764 5 Children are supported to understand the importance of community, equality and diversity. This is achieved through the children attending clubs within the community, including being supported to engage in charity work. This has encouraged one child to show an interest in homelessness. Within the home,

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

children experience and learn about different cultures through themed food nights and celebrating events from the worldwide calendar.

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good

The registered manager left in April 2023. A manager was appointed in May 2023. However, despite being in post for several months this manager did not make an application to register. This manager left post in November 2023. Failure to make an application to register limits the judgement in this area. A new manager took up management responsibility for the home shortly before the manager left and is trialling the manager role.

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good

The new manager has been part of the management team as the programme psychologist since 2020. This means that she has expert knowledge of the programme and the therapeutic model of care. She has already established relationships with the children, who have responded positively to her becoming the manager of the home. Although there has been a change in managers before this manager took up post, planned handovers has helped consistency for children.

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good

The manager is child-centred and role models this as an expectation. The staff share her vision and respect and value their new manager. Staff speak positively about their relationships with the manager and how she has seamlessly moved into her new role. Staff say they are ‘valued’ and ‘respected’ and refer to their manager as ‘approachable’, ‘available’ and ‘supportive’.

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good

As an interim arrangement, there is an alternative programme psychologist completing therapy sessions with the children. Positively, she shadowed the now- appointed manager for approximately one year in this role. This means she has established and developed relationships with the children. A new programme psychologist is in the process of being recruited and the children are fully aware of this pending change. Some therapy sessions did not happen over the festive period. However, all four children will complete their programme as predicted.

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good

Since the last inspection a number of staff have left the home. On occasion agency staff have been used to cover gaps in staffing. New staff have received a thorough induction that includes mandatory and specialist training with the programme psychologist. All new staff are enrolled on a level 3 award and complete 25% of this course as part of their induction. New staff benefit from increased supervision and regular reviews of their practice throughout their probationary period. Long-term staff receive regular and reflective supervision that supports their individual development. Staff have personal development plans and appraisals and staff training is up to date. Inspection report for children’s home: 1247764 6 The manager’s monitoring systems are comprehensive and have been in place for several years. In her role as the psychologist, the manager was involved in the monitoring of the home and children’s progress and continues this good practice

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good

with the support of the responsible individual. Robust monitoring means that all aspects of the home, staff practice and the care children receive are monitored to a high standard. There is detailed monitoring of the outcomes for children and how the home is meeting regulation and the quality standards.

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good

The manager is an extremely effective advocate for children. Professionals are positive about their working relationships with the manager and staff, particularly the child-centred approach. Inspection report for children’s home: 1247764 7

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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: 1247764 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

Stacie Sharpe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1247764 9 inspects 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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Inspector

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