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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740402 1

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to six children who have experienced childhood trauma and have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

At the full inspection on the 8 and 9 April 2025, Ofsted judged the home to be inadequate. Compliance notices were issued under Regulation 12 and Regulation 13 due to poor placement planning that overlooked children’s needs, vulnerabilities and risks. Former managers failed to support staff in recognising risks, and consequently, their interventions did not keep children safe. Poor supervision contributed to children having sex in the home and this went unnoticed by staff. Children learned unsafe behaviours from each other during serious incidents, including accessing the roof of the building, which put them at risk of serious injury or fatality. Former managers were over-optimistic about the quality of care delivered to children and failed to identify weaknesses in practice that put children at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the actions taken by the provider in response to the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The provider is carrying out internal investigations to explore the failings within former leadership and management oversight and how this contributed to children’s negative experiences. Interim managers have reviewed placement decisions and concluded that staff are unable to keep children safe and to promote their best interests. Consequently, one child has moved out of the home, two children are moving out imminently, and the search for a new home for another child is underway. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740402 2 Interim managers have explored practice concerns identified at the last inspection and they have responded appropriately by talking with staff about shortfalls, scheduling training and supporting their development through supervision and team meetings. They have also identified additional practice issues through the monitoring of behaviour incidents and have critically reflected on these matters with staff,

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This monitoring visit

providing them with guidance after each incident. They have increased the number of staff working in the home to ensure children are adequately supervised.

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This monitoring visit

Interim managers are supporting staff to accurately interpret children’s behaviours. Consequently, staff have a clearer understanding of what constitutes sexually harmful behaviours and are being encouraged to use language that reflects this in incident reports. Staff have reflected on the stance taken by former managers and understand that this impacted their perception, as well as their ability to escalate concerns.

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This monitoring visit

Interim managers have established healthy boundaries for children, and they are supporting staff to maintain them. However, children have struggled with this adjustment. There have been several behaviour incidents and staff have been physically harmed. During a serious incident, a child accessed the roof of the building (again). This resulted in managers moving the children to temporary accommodation in order to mitigate the ongoing risk posed by them accessing the roof. The provider is considering whether the building is still suitable to operate as a children’s home.

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This monitoring visit

Interim managers have received a serious complaint from a child who used to live in the home. Interim managers have responded appropriately to this complaint by consulting with children’s social workers and the local authority designated officer. Due to the nature of the complaint, the police have also been informed.

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This monitoring visit

New managers and leaders are taking appropriate action to address the significant and serious shortfalls identified at the last inspection. However, the reduction in risk is attributable to children moving out of the home. Consequently, the impact and sustainability of changes cannot be fully assessed. The compliance notices for Regulation 12 and Regulation 13 will therefore be reissued. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740402 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/04/2025 Full Inadequate 18/09/2024 Full Good 23/01/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740402 4

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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 with 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm.

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should take account of children’s needs, vulnerabilities and risks at the point of referral to determine the capacity of staff to meet these needs.

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Requirement Due date

Also, the registered person should ensure staff have a good understanding of sexually harmful behaviours and how to safeguard children in this respect. 15 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740402 5 *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 promotes their welfare.

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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

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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(f)(h)) 15 June 2025

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. 15 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740402 6 (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(viii)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally; and

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(v)(viii)) 15 June 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740402 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

Tara Webb, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2740402 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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