Children's Home run by Compass Children’s Homes Ltd in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report children's home: 2664035 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 children’s home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for five children who have had adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children's home

The current manager was registered with Ofsted in May 2022 and is suitably qualified.

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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: Outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2664035 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2023 Full Outstanding Inspection report children's home: 2664035 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home. Since the last inspection, two children have moved out of this home, and three children have been welcomed into the home and settled in well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children’s health needs are known and recorded in their plans. Access to the home’s assistant psychologist enables children to begin to address past experiences and current concerns around their emotional health. The assistant psychologist also provides support and training to staff, enabling them to reflect on and understand children’s needs and behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The arrangements for the controlled storage and administration of medication are safe and effective.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have a range of educational placements available to meet their individual needs. Engagement in education has proved challenging for some children. However, staff persevere in helping children to overcome any barriers to their learning. They have high aspirations for the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with their families and friends where it is safe to do so. This helps the children to have a sense of belonging and enables them to have positive experiences and maintain links to significant people in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views and opinions relating to the quality of care provided by the service are not intrinsic to the running of the home. Although children occasionally participate in ‘children’s meetings’, staff focus these meetings on activity and menu planning. Staff are not creative in their approach with children to enable them to reflect on their care or the development of the home.

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

Staff ensure that children have individual risk management plans. These are regularly reviewed and include tailored strategies that help to keep children safe. These records demonstrate that the staff have a clear understanding of the risks to children and have implemented effective strategies to reduce and manage the risks that they face.

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

Staff have strategies to help children to remain calm, which are implemented well. This is supported by the staff understanding each child, their vulnerabilities and how these impact on their safety. There is good management oversight of staff practice when behaviour management strategies have been unsuccessful and there has been need for staff to use physical restraint. Lessons learned are informed by debrief meetings held with children and members of staff who have been involved in an incident. This enables them to gain an understanding of whether the incident could have been managed differently. Inspection report children's home: 2664035 4 When children go missing from the home, staff will contact the police and other relevant agencies to share information and promote the child’s safe return. Children can discuss any issues with an independent person. This gives them the opportunity to discuss the reasons why they went missing and for staff to take action to

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

minimise this happening again in the future.

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

Staff make sure that the home is free from potential hazards to children’s safety. Environmental safety checks are routinely undertaken to promote the safety of children in the home. Records show that children and staff regularly practise evacuation of the building, so they know how to respond in an emergency.

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

An appropriate vetting and selection process is employed when staff are recruited. This ensures that children are protected from adults who may pose a risk to their safety and welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has an appropriately qualified manager. He has a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that the manager is supportive and approachable and that there are good opportunities for training. All staff have received training pertinent to the children in their care. This ensures that the service offered to children is based on their individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. This supports the staff with their work in caring for the children, and with their own professional development. Staff commented that they find supervision supportive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular team meetings when they can discuss children’s care. The home’s assistant psychologist contributes to these meetings. This supports the staff to reflect on their practice and to understand the children better.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have developed positive relationships with other agencies. Education and health professionals all feel that communication with staff is very good. An education professional reported, ‘From my point of view, communication with the home is always excellent. They respond to questions and queries speedily and when we have had any issues, they have always followed up promptly.’ Inspection report children's home: 2664035 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 children's views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children's care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that a functional system is in place to capture children's views, wishes and feelings. 03 May 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: 2664035 6

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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

Dave Carrigan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2664035 7 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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