Children's home run by Compass Children‟s Homes Limited in Charnwood

Inspection report for children’s home: SC031220 1 SC031220

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Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Limited

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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 who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, five children lived in the home. Four of them were spoken with during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably experienced and registered with Ofsted in March 2024.

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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

Date of last inspection: 12 February 2024

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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: SC031220 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/02/2024 Full Outstanding 22/03/2023 Full Outstanding 14/02/2022 Full Good 27/01/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC031220 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from individualised and nurturing care. They say they are happy with their care and like living in the home. The home feels warm and welcoming, and is decorated to a high standard. The children have an abundant choice of games and in- house activities that they freely access. Children’s bedrooms are well furnished, clean and are personalised with their choices. This creates a relaxed homely environment where children feel settled.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have fully integrated relationships with the in-house therapeutic practitioners, as well as with education staff. All three teams work together to develop good practice, share information, and help children to make progress in line with their plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with the children to improve school attendance. This helps them to achieve academically and will increase their opportunities in the future. There is collaboration with schools on how to support children effectively, which promotes consistency for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take children to visit their families in their hometown, even when this is located far away. By maintaining these ties, children retain a sense of their identity and preserve relationships that are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move on from the home, this is planned with sensitivity and takes account of the child’s wishes. When emerging risks are identified, then the child’s move is expedited for safety reasons. Familiar staff support the child throughout the move to settle them into their new home. This helps the child to feel confident about their next steps and reduces any feelings of rejection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s wishes are central to their care. Children have frequent opportunities to express their views, both to their peers, and on an individual basis to staff. This validates the children’s opinions and makes them feel part of an established group.

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

Children’s risks are regularly reviewed and well documented. Safety plans are in place that are effective in mitigating risks. Any relaxation of restrictions and external controls is done in a considered and paced way, taking account of children’s ability to manage increased freedoms. This contributes to only infrequent incidents. Some examples of duplication were found in sampled records, but this was unusual practice that the manager’s audits should address.

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

There have been occasional incidents of conflict between the children. These are proactively managed by staff. The quality of key-work discussions is good and is focused Inspection report for children’s home: SC031220 4 on areas of need. This helps to give children the knowledge and skills to reduce their own risks.

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

There have been no incidents where children have needed to be physically held for their own or others’ safety. This leads to a relaxed feel within the home. Staff have a system to reward positive behaviour. The system effectively motivates the children to engage in their therapeutic programme or to practice independence skills.

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

Boundaries are an integral part of caring safely for the children. Children understand which behaviours are not acceptable, through staff imposing consistent rules and firm boundaries. Sometimes, withdrawal of privileges for one child has been extended to others, which leads to resentment.

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

Children have clear plans to support staff to return them quickly and safely when they go missing from the home. These plans are not always followed. Sometimes, staff do not go out to look for the children, because of insufficient staffing in the home. This sometimes places children in a vulnerable position by being out in the community under conditions and at times of day where their safety is not guaranteed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are committed and infectiously enthusiastic. Their aspirational ethos is shared by staff, and shapes the culture of the home. The registered manager provides strong leadership.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are effective, established relationships between leaders, staff, professionals, children and families. Most stakeholders say communication is a strength; others say it could be more frequent. Leaders understand the value of communicating effectively, and they respond quickly if they see a way to improve this. Managers also challenge when the practice of others falls short.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been allegations of harm made by children. On these occasions, managers respond quickly and effectively. The records are clear, and external liaison takes place reliably. This protects both staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some staff say that they do not receive professional supervision in line with the provider’s policy. As arrangements are already in place for regular supervision, managers are reviewing why this is occasionally falling short.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been an increase in staff changes since the last inspection. This reduces stability for the children, though they say they adapt to new and unfamiliar staff quickly. On a number of occasions, including at points of crisis, there have been insufficient staff available. This impacts on the delivery of care. Despite this, staff say they feel like a team and that the manager is supportive of them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is dedicated to the children’s well-being. His personal commitment shines through, and he is creative in seeking to further develop the service. Inspection report for children’s home: SC031220 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure plans are followed to promote the children’s safety. 16 March 2025

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there are sufficient staff to meet the children’s safety and well-being needs. 16 March 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure they have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice. It is good practice for a Inspection report for children’s home: SC031220 6 note of the content and outcomes of supervision sessions to be kept and to ensure that both the person giving the supervision and staff member have a copy of the record. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2 and 13.4).  The registered person should ensure that any sanctions or other actions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature and apply to that child only, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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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: SC031220 7

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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: Compass Community Ltd, 3 Rayns Way, Syston, Leicester LE7 1PF

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Bowker

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Inspectors

Rachel Ruth, Social Care Inspector Deirdre Silkstone, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC031220 8 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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