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

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to four children who have experienced trauma and who have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since the home opened in November 2022; however, she is currently absent from the home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/07/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 3

p.2

improvement to be good

There are four children living in this home with different lived experiences and needs. Children have made variable progress from their individual starting points. There has been some disruption in the home more recently, and this has impacted the consistency of care and the children’s day-to-day experiences.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children have experienced instability due to staff leaving and the registered manager’s current absence. This has made it difficult for them to build relationships with the people who care for them. One child said that they were upset when their favourite staff left, and they became guarded in response to this. However, they are starting to build relationships with new staff.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children are witnessing each other’s behaviours in times of distress and are sometimes copying these unsafe behaviours. Professionals, parents and staff have shared their worries about this and the impact it has on the children’s emotional well-being and their individual behaviour.

p.3

improvement to be good

Two children have had physical altercations with each other, and staff have intervened to reduce tensions. Staff have listened to one child’s views and supported them to report the other child to the police. Staff have made efforts to support the children to develop a positive relationship, however, their relationship remains unhealthy.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children are supported to spend time with people who matter to them most, but this is inconsistent. One child is spending increased time with their family as staff have offered to facilitate this. However, staff are not consistently supporting the child to have agreed telephone calls with their mother.

p.3

improvement to be good

Professionals and parents have highlighted some shortfalls in the home’s communication with them. They have not consistently received information to aid their understanding of the children’s experiences and needs. However, some have noticed improvements more recently.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff have supported children to make progress with their education. They are encouraged to participate in hobbies such as ballet, swimming and cadets, and they also enjoy activities with staff. Some children attend therapy, which helps them to process their lived experiences.

p.3

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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 4 Despite the instability within the home, staff have responded quickly to emerging concerns and have followed established safeguarding processes. When children have left the home in an unplanned way, staff have followed them, encouraged them to return home and sought police support.

p.4

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

When significant incidents have occurred, staff have used physical interventions proportionately, ensuring the safety of children and staff. After incidents, staff speak with children to explore their feelings and to assess whether medical input is needed. They also support the children’s right to make a complaint.

p.4

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

After incidents, managers have separated the children by planning activities and scheduling one-to-one time. However, they understand that this is only a short-term contingency but there is no clear longer-term plan in place. Staff speak with children about their behaviours, good decision-making and the importance of a safe home environment.

p.4

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

Staff help children to manage their relationships; however, they are still turbulent at times. Unhealthy relationships between children were considered at the last inspection and remain a feature within this home. Staff have not done enough to help support the development of healthy relationships.

p.4

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

Managers and leaders respond appropriately when they identify shortfalls in practice that are detrimental to the children’s well-being. They consult with the local authority regarding concerns about staff and conduct thorough investigations.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, the home has experienced staffing instability, with people leaving or stepping down to working as bank staff. New staff have joined the home and are being supported by agency staff who are regularly used by the home. Recruitment for permanent staff is ongoing. Some staff have transferable skills and others are new to children’s residential care. Children are being cared for by lots of new people and this has been unsettling for some of them.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders recently identified staffing loss as a concern in this home, and they were making efforts to explore this prior to the registered manager’s absence.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The new regional operations manager has been in post for four weeks. He is an experienced registered manager within the organisation. He is providing oversight and support to a new interim manager, who recently joined the home. They are supporting staff’s development through training, shadowing opportunities and supervisions but due to the infancy of the staff team, this is yet to be embedded.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The regional operations manager and responsible individual are paying closer attention to this home in the registered manager’s absence. They understand some of the Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 5 weaknesses and are taking action to address them. They have a good track record and are determined to make positive changes in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 6

p.4

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The 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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a) (iv)) 30 June 2024

p.6

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(e)) 30 June 2024

p.6

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 7 understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f))

p.6

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: 2667197 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 Rayns Way, Syston, Leicester LE7 1PF

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered manager: Victoria Sorrell-Cook

p.8

Inspector

Tara Webb, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 9 regulates and 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W : www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9