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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2613483 1 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 is a privately owned home that provides care for up to five children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were five children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 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 outstanding

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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: 27 February 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2613483 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2024 Full Good 28/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2613483 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by the staff in the home, who are attuned to their needs and who are aspirational for them. Staff understand the importance of building trusted relationships with children and take time getting to know them, their interests and likes and how best to support them to feel nurtured and safe. Staff understand and implement the care model used in the home, which underpins the individual plans for each of the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is very well presented and feels relaxed and welcoming throughout. The manager, staff and children share a sense of pride in the home and are invested in the decoration and furnishings. Children are supported to choose the decoration and items for their bedrooms, and staff go out their way to ensure that bedrooms are ready for children when they are first welcomed into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to take part in activities in and out of the home. Children are encouraged to continue to access groups they are already part of and to try new experiences both locally and further afield. Children have been able to choose where to go on holidays, and this includes trips to Europe. Children are supported to be active and feel included in their local area, for example taking part in a bake sale fundraising event, litter picking to improve the neighbourhood and sharing their home grown produce with neighbours. Memories of fun days out and achievements are kept in photograph books, including personalised books children take with them when they move on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Equality, inclusion and diversity are celebrated in the home. Children feel comfortable to express themselves and their individuality and have spoken about how their self- confidence has increased. Any negative views are challenged in a constructive way and children have become more understanding and open to different perspectives and opinions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children in their plans to develop their independence skills. Children have individualised plans that they are involved in creating and reviewing, and have made progress in areas such as budgeting, planning meals and shopping and cooking. Children have moved on successfully to semi-independence and staff ensure that children are prepared for this next step and continue to offer emotional and practical support after children have moved, when this is in their best interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with people who are important to them and staff advocate for them to promote this in line with their care plans. Staff and children regularly have meaningful discussions about issues that are important to them and support them to access specialist services when required. Children are part of their own plans and drive changes. For example, one child was supported in their decision around medication. Inspection report for children’s home: 2613483 4 Some children are not yet accessing their education provisions consistently. Despite having identified education placements, staff have not yet been able to support these children to attend, and this impacts on children being able to make progress in this area. Other children are in education and have excellent attendance, and this is enabling academic progress, and it supports their self-esteem and confidence. The manager

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

advocates for children to be in provisions which are suited to their needs and have multi- agency plans to support them. Children who are not yet accessing their formal education have clear routines each day to support out of school learning.

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

Children have highly individualised and detailed plans, which are regularly updated. Staff understand children’s vulnerabilities and how to respond to keep children safer. There are clear and effective means within the home to share information between staff when there has been a change to a child’s plan.

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

Children are part of their plans, which helps keep them safer. There are clear actions for staff to take to support children when they may be struggling. Progress children have made can be seen as risks reduce, care plans are updated, and more independence is given to the child. For example, one child, who previously did not go out alone, is now able to walk to the local shops. This is significant progress.

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

One child, who was at risk online, has made excellent progress in understanding and lowering this area of vulnerability. Staff consistently supported the child, and the child was invested in what they needed to do to be safer online. When risks reduce, staff continue to support children and revisit discussions with them to ensure that education is embedded and learning tested.

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

Staff respond well when a child is missing and are proactive throughout to ensure that they communicate with the child, other agencies and family members. The child knows the manager and staff care about them, and this relationship helps keep them safer. Learning from previous missing incidents inform how staff respond to future incidents.

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

Staff and managers ensure that they communicate with external agencies to understand any identified risks for children or when there have been incidents. There are effective debriefs with children and staff, and learning is taken to inform future planning. Referrals are made to specialist external agencies when needed.

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

Risk assessment in the home for children is a dynamic process, and children and staff are clear about what actions are taken and why. There is a consistent approach by staff, and children understand staff care for them. These relationships help keep children safer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is passionate and aspirational for the children who live in the home, and is an experienced professional who is proud of the children’s achievements. The manager is Inspection report for children’s home: 2613483 5 supported by an equally committed deputy manager. The care, nurture and attention to detail shown by the management team are reflected across the wider staff team in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has worked hard since the last inspection to stabilise the staff team in the home and improve staff retention. This has been effective and ensures consistency for the children in being cared for by staff members that they know and enjoy spending time with. The staff speak highly of the manager and deputy manager and feel supported. As a result, team morale is high, and staff feel their ideas for the children are listened to and acted on. The manager is keen to continue to ensure that the members of the team are continuously upskilled and feel confident in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Supervision, team meetings and appraisals take place regularly. They are reflective and support driving forward changes in the home. The chosen care approach of the home is embedded into training, supervision, team meetings and all areas of practice. Training and development continue to be prioritised, and the manager has clear vision for continuing to develop the home and outcomes for children. Staff receive a thorough induction when they are new to the home and training is specific to meet the needs of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager follows safer recruitment and vetting procedures for staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback from external professionals and a family member spoken with is positive. They feel children are provided with nurturing care and are safer as a result, and have made progress. Communication is described as excellent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has driven changes to ensure that research informs practice in the home. There is reflective and detailed management oversight of children’s records, and all areas are subject to quality assurance, including by senior management. The manager ensures that learning for the staff is meaningful and tests out understanding in supervision, workshops and team meetings. This ensures that the manager is confident that staff are clear about what they are doing and understand why this is important to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2613483 6

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Recommendations

 Children should be in full-time education whilst they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full-time attendance at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)

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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: 2613483 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Ltd

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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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Inspector

Caroline Hose, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2613483 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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