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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 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

A large private company runs this home. It offers residential care for up to five children between the ages of five and seventeen with a learning disability or a lifelong condition that affects their ability to learn.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 1 November 2023

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/11/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Since the last inspection, four children have moved in and one child has moved on. The inspector spent time with four children, including participation in group activities and children’s daily routines.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have made exceptional progress living at this home. They are supported by dynamic and ambitious staff who understand children’s individual needs. The children have developed secure relationships with staff. They have made great progress in caring for themselves and are able to communicate their views more freely.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Interactions between children and staff are incredibly warm, receptive and based on family values. Staff thoughtfully celebrates children’s achievements and life events. Positive relationships with the staff have contributed to the children’s security and helped give them the stability they need to make progress.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

External professionals and parents spoke of the exceptional care staff provide to children. All were unanimous that this has supported children to make exceptional progress. One parent said, ‘The care from staff is fantastic. I could not ask for anything better. My child has come on leaps and bounds. They can speak now. I have nothing but admiration for staff and what they have done for us.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy an extensive range of exciting, enjoyable activities and clubs. These include holidays to sea-side resorts, skate shows, horse-riding, discos, bike club and trampolining. For many of the children their participation is an extraordinary milestone. This has widened the children’s world around them. Memories of trips are captured remarkably well in memory books. These provide children with a reminder of the extraordinary moments they shared with staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff support children to maintain links with the people who are important to them. Children regularly spend meaningful time with their families. The staff develop strong relationships with the children’s families. As a result, staff have supported a family to take their child on a family holiday. This gave the child an experience that had not previously been available to them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have complex health conditions. Staff understand the children’s health conditions and support the children to manage these effectively. Children are supported with a researched diet. This has helped to improve the children’s restrictive diets and general well-being. For one child who moved in at a considerably low weight, this approach has supported a healthy weight range.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children attend education and have made considerable progress. Leaders and mangers advocated for children to remain at their previous schools when moving in. This Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 4 approach ensured that children were provided continuity that has supported children to flourish with their learning.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children live in a homely and stimulating environment. A high-quality sensory room is in place to support the children’s needs. Purposeful communication aids are placed throughout the home, and these help the children to communicate. Children’s bedrooms are decorated to an extremely high standard and personalised to reflect their individual personalities and interests.

p.4

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

The staff are particularly creative in their approach to gaining the children’s views and helping them to communicate. Advocacy arrangements are in place for children. The managers requested that some of these visits take place at school. Because of the strength of these approaches, children make themselves understood and can express themselves.

p.4

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

Staff understand the children’s vulnerabilities. This is because the children’s plans and assessments are detailed. Staff consistently review the plans and follow strategies that help to keep children safe. Leaders and managers consult with external professionals and advocate for them to provide additional support for children. Children are supported to engage and benefit from play therapy sessions. These approaches have helped to keep children safe and support them in managing their behaviour.

p.4

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

Children are empowered with their independence. Staff understand the children’s potential and allow children to take balanced risks. A child who required a walking harness in the community has been supported to reduce the need for this in stages. This approach has helped children to work towards less restrictive practices.

p.4

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

Staff uses natural consequences to help the children develop appropriate behaviour. Regular praise and reward systems help children to understand the impact of their behaviour and understand positive reinforcement.

p.4

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

On occasion, physical intervention has been used by staff. This has been proportionate and used as a last resort. Children are spoken to after physical intervention. Children’s responses are used to inform their plans. Leaders and managers scrutinise records of the incidents to identify discrepancies and potential opportunities for improvement.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is qualified and experienced. She is supported by a deputy manager. Both are equally innovative and inspirational, and focused on enriching the lives of children in their care. Staff speak exceptionally highly of the support they receive from leaders and managers. Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 5 Staff are enthusiastic about their work. They talk about the children with pride and are child focused. This ethos stems from managers. As a result, high aspirations for the children permeates throughout the staff team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager understands the importance of staff being trained to meet the children’s needs. Staff receive the company’s mandatory training and specialist training. This ensures that staff have the skills required to understand children’s complex health, behaviour and communication needs. Staff implement this into their daily practice and continue to reflect on their learning though supervision sessions, team meetings and practice discussions. Staff are either qualified or working towards the relevant childcare qualification within the required timescale.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home’s therapeutic practice development coordinator regularly visits the home. This supports staff with understanding and delivering therapeutic practice. The staff have the confidence and knowledge to implement the therapeutic approach into their daily practice. This has developed the staff’s understanding and knowledge, enhancing the care they provide to children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Safer recruitment processes are followed. Staff move through a detailed research-based induction. This has been developed to equip staff with the necessary skills for their role. Staff receive induction reviews. This supports them to reflect on what they have learned and receive regular support throughout their induction period.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from purposeful supervision sessions and annual appraisals. This gives staff the opportunity to frequently develop their practice. One staff member said,

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

I had the best support and training to support the children, and feel that I am learning every day. The training that I have had from managers and the team has helped me progress professionally. Managers are not just managers; they are part of our team, always there for us and the children no matter what it is.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The leaders and managers have good monitoring tools in place. They have excellent oversight of children’s progress and areas in which they need more help. Leaders and managers understand the strengths and areas for development. Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 6

p.5

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: 2723839 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Syvanna Matthew, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 8 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.7

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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8