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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 1 Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately run and provides care for up to four children who have been through childhood trauma and experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since June 2024 and has received a fit person interview.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/07/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children were present during the inspection, and the inspector spoke with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff, and they feel content and happy in their care. There is a lot of play, laughter and energetic interactions in this home. Children feel secure and confident enough to express their views, seek help and negotiate house rules. One child rated the home ‘10 quadrillion out of 10’ and expressed a desire to live there forever.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive consistent care from staff who have a good understanding of their needs. For example, staff identified that one child struggled to return to school after the holidays. They worked collaboratively with teachers to agree on a transition plan. A week before the new term starts, the child visits the school with staff to discuss curriculum changes. Staff motivate one child by helping him to carry out research linked to the curriculum changes. This child now has 100% school attendance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand that children need support to achieve good health. They model positive routines and nutritious diets. One child enjoys brushing his teeth because staff brush their teeth alongside him while listening to drum and bass music. Staff have assisted another child in visiting the GP to improve their understanding of sleep hygiene. They are making good efforts to keep the child busy throughout the day so that they feel tired and able to relax in the evening.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to ensuring that children spend time with people who are important to them. They prefer children to have family time in the home or in the community. When possible, they help families work safely towards this goal. One parent expressed that she was happy her family time had increased and was grateful to staff for helping her plan activities. Another parent spoke fondly about visiting the home and sharing Caribbean food with his child and staff.

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

When the manager joined the home, she immediately recognised that children’s relationships were unhealthy and took appropriate action to address this issue. For example, she engaged the children in discussions about their needs and ensured that the older children enjoyed freedoms that were suitable for their age. This was effective in reducing missing-from-home incidents and risks; older children stopped leaving the home with younger children and going missing together.

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

Staff have developed a good understanding of children’s lived experiences and how they influence their views, emotions and behaviours. They have a nurturing and consistent approach to boundaries, which helps children identify when their behaviour is Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 4 unacceptable. Children generally trust and respect staff. As a result, they are willing to engage in meaningful conversations and take learning on board.

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

Staff use appropriate strategies to support children when they are frustrated and distressed. For example, they give children space, employ distraction techniques, and sometimes use humour. If these strategies are not effective and staff are worried children might hurt themselves or others, they use physical intervention. In such instances, the use of physical intervention is necessary and proportionate. Incident records are clear; however, the duration of holds is not consistently recorded. This does not help the manager’s oversight of incident to help them make improvements to practice.

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

There is a positive safeguarding culture in the home. Staff speak up when they have witnessed or heard something that concerns them. They also inform the manager when they have made mistakes and need help to rectify them. When concerns are raised about staff, the manager takes appropriate action to safeguard children and prioritise their well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager joined the home in June 2024 following an internal promotion in the company. She has taken steps to address the shortfalls identified at the last full inspection. As a result, the home is settled, there is a relatively stable staff team, and children are receiving better care. Children feel safe and secure because they have consistent staff caring for them, and this has allowed them to develop positive bonds.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has high expectations of staff and the care they deliver. She has developed a happy, playful and committed team that enjoys working at the home and values her support. When the manager identifies shortfalls in staff practice, she supports them through supervision and performance plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When there have historically been staffing sufficiency issues, the manager has confidently informed the company’s placements team that she is unable to care for new children. This is because she is unwilling to compromise the care and safety of existing children. This was accepted by the company. The manager envisages being ready to care for a third child in the near future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Two children who moved out of the home remain in contact with the manager and adults, calling them to speak about their experiences and progress. This is a testament to the positive relationships the staff have built with the children. Parents and social workers speak positively about the home. They said that adults are friendly, committed to supporting family time, and regularly keep them updated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when several physical interventions are used during one incident, the duration of each intervention is clearly documented. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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: 2667197 6

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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: 3 Rayns Way, Syston, Leicester LE7 1PF

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Inspector

Tara Webb, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2667197 7 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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