Children's Home run by Compass Children‟s Homes Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2743646 1 Registered provider: Compass Childrens Homes Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to six children with complex social and emotional needs. Children who live in this home access a specific therapeutic programme to support their complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has the relevant experience for the role and is working towards a level 5 qualification. He has been in post since the home registered in November 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the first full inspection of the home since registration.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2743646 2

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improvement to be good

Children’s experiences of living in the home and their outcomes are variable.

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improvement to be good

Three children moved into the home in quick succession following the registration of the home. All the children were able to visit the home and an assessment of their needs was carried out before they moved in. However, for two children with very complex needs, the newly formed staff team were unable provide effective support to meet their needs. Both children made poor progress and left the home after a short time. For one child, this meant leaving the home in an unplanned way. One child’s social worker said that their child’s progress had been hindered during their time at the home.

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improvement to be good

One child continues to live at the home and is making progress. Staff know the child well and provide them with individualised care. The child told the inspector that they are happy and that they enjoy the time they spend with staff. Positive and caring relationships were observed between the child and staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff have been supportive of the child’s engagement in education, and this has helped the child to make progress. The child has recently taken their GCSEs and has secured a place at a college.

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improvement to be good

The child enjoys good health and is registered with relevant health services. The manager and staff work closely with specialist services to ensure the child gets the support they need. Staff encourage the child to engage in a range of enjoyable activities to support a healthy lifestyle.

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improvement to be good

The home is decorated to a high standard. The registered manager has worked hard to create a warm and welcoming environment for children. A well-equipped kitchen and comfortable living areas overlook a large garden. The child’s bedroom is personalised to their individual interests.

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improvement to be good

The child told the inspector that they feel safe living at the home and can identify members of staff to talk to if they have any worries or concerns. Staff understand the child’s individual risks and vulnerabilities and the agreed strategies to reduce risk.

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improvement to be good

Two children experienced significant periods of crisis during their time at the home. Staff were not able to support the children’s complex behaviours. On at least three occasions, staff called the police to ensure the children’s safety. On two of these occasions, a child was handcuffed by the police. Work with children following incidents has not supported Inspection report for children’s home: 2743646 3 the children to reflect therapeutically on the event or their feelings but has focused on the child’s behaviour and risk management.

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improvement to be good

Incidents of self-harm and suicidal behaviours are rare. When incidents have occurred, staff have responded promptly to reduce immediate harm to the child. However, staff do not consider the full range of measures needed to reduce risk. For example, on two occasions, staff did not seek medical support or increase levels of supervision for the child. Furthermore, the registered manager did not seek any additional advice or support from specialist services. This was a missed opportunity to ensure that the child had the right support for their mental health.

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improvement to be good

There have been a high number of incidents where children have been held by staff as de-escalation techniques have been ineffective. Staff are appropriately trained, and records demonstrate that holding a child is a last resort. However, the registered manager has not consistently ensured that children have had the chance to talk to an adult who was not involved in the incident. This compromises the opportunity for children to candidly express their wishes and feelings and for the team to understand the factors that may reduce the likelihood of a situation reoccurring.

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improvement to be good

Responses to disclosures and allegations of harm are responded to effectively. The registered manager has acted promptly and ensured that referrals to the local authority designated officer and other professionals are made to support children’s safety.

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improvement to be good

Incidents of children being missing from the home are rare. When incidents occur, staff are proactive and follow children’s missing-from-home procedures to ensure the children’s safe and timely return. When they return, children have the opportunity to speak with an independent person about the reasons for them going missing.

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improvement to be good

Recruitment procedures are secure, which means children are cared for by suitable adults.

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

The home is led by an experienced manager. He is enthusiastic and has high aspirations for the child living in the home. He is supported by an ambitious deputy manager who shares the same values and ethos. The registered manager does not hold the relevant management qualification. However, he is working towards achieving this.

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

A lack of effective monitoring and oversight has had an impact on some children leading to them having poor experiences while living at this home, who have had to ultimately leave because of this. Reflective learning has not taken place. This reduces the opportunities for the staff team to share information, reflect, and develop strategies and practice to improve the quality of children’s care and experiences when they move into the home.

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

Professionals have mixed views about children’s care. One child’s team manager described staff as supportive. However, a child’s independent reviewing officer said that Inspection report for children’s home: 2743646 4 she had been disappointed with the support provided by the home and felt the staff did not have the required experience and skills to meet their child’s needs.

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

Management oversight and monitoring are in place for the child who lived at the home at the time of the inspection. The manager understands the needs of the current child and uses plans effectively to develop and improve the home. As a result, the child in the home is making progress.

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

There is a permanent and stable staff team. Staff speak positively about working in the home and the management support that they receive.

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

The staff have completed a varied training programme that is designed to support them to meet the individual needs of the child. Not all staff have the appropriate level three qualification. However, the manager has plans in place to ensure that staff complete the qualification within the required time frames.

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

Staff receive regular practice-related supervision. This helps staff to reflect on their practice and supports their learning and development. Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended by the staff team. Staff use this time to reflect on their day-to-day practice and discuss how they can best support the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2743646 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, 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.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)) 1 August 2024

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, seek the appropriate advice, support and treatment when a child indicates an intention to or does self- harm. 1 August 2024

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 1 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2743646 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

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)(a)(f))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that a child who has been restrained is given the opportunity express their feelings about their experience of the restraint as soon as is practicable, ideally within 24 hours of the restraint incident, taking the age of the child and the circumstances of the restraint into account. In some cases, children may need longer to work through their feelings, so a record that the child has talked about their feelings should be made no longer than 5 days after the incident of restraint (regulation 35(3)(c)). Children should be encouraged to add their views and comments to the record of restraint. Children should be offered the opportunity to access an advocacy support to help them with this (regulation 7(2)(b)(iii)). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.60)

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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: 2743646 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Compass Childrens Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2743646 8 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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