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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2740402 1 Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run company 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, no children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home does not have a registered manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: The home was subject to a compliance notice issued under regulation 12 and regulation 13. Inspection report for children’s home: 2740402 2

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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: 2740402 3

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improvement to be good

Inspectors did not have the opportunity to see or speak with children because they had all moved out of the home.

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improvement to be good

Since the last full inspection, on 8 and 9 April 2025, children have made limited progress as they moved out home shortly after. However, interim managers and staff worked collaboratively with social workers to support children to move to new homes that are able to meet their needs.

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improvement to be good

Children experienced further instability after a serious incident prompted interim managers to move children out of the home into temporary accommodation. Despite this, one child continued to attend school full time and achieved a high score in his mock exam. Staff supported two children to increase their school attendance. Two children, who initially struggled to adapt to new boundaries and expectations, began to show some understanding of them, and this prompted a shift in their behaviours. In contrast, staff were unable to help one child who refused to attend school to re-engage in his education. They also did not help them to establish a good routine and did not engage him in educational activities.

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improvement to be good

Relationships between children and staff started to improve. Staff began to engage in meaningful conversations with children. Children and staff enjoyed some positive experiences together, such as visiting an escape room, going to a water park and enjoying barbecues in the garden.

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improvement to be good

Interim managers and staff made efforts to ensure that children’s transitions were as smooth as possible. Staff spoke openly with children about their moves and provided them with reassurance. They sought children’s views, advocated on their behalf and ensured their voices were heard. They helped facilitate meetings between children and their new carers and, when possible, they took children to their new homes.

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improvement to be good

Interim managers put strategies in place to mitigate the risk of children accessing the roof. However, for one child, these strategies were not impactful. The child accessed the roof of the building, again, in April 2025 and displayed dangerous behaviours that put them at risk of falling off the roof. The police intervened to safely remove the child from the roof. Interim managers took swift action to safeguard the children by moving them out of the home and into temporary accommodation. The children were relatively settled while staying in temporary accommodation and there were no significant incidents. Inspection report for children’s home: 2740402 4 Interim managers have supported staff to adjust their perspectives and improve their practice through a combination of training, supervision and revised guidance. There has been a marked improvement in staff’s ability to recognise unhealthy relationship

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improvement to be good

dynamics and to identify sexually harmful behaviours. Staff were becoming more curious and exploring the motivations behind children’s behaviours. However, this requires more time to become embedded into practice.

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improvement to be good

Staff started to deliver consistent care to children, making expectations and boundaries clear. They demonstrated increased confidence when using de-escalation strategies and showed improved teamworking to help children in moments of frustration and distress. When staff have resorted to using physical interventions, it has been necessary and proportionate.

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improvement to be good

One child still experienced some episodes of going missing from the home. However, these only lasted for short periods and the child started to remain in contact with staff, communicating with them via text and video calls. The child also asked staff to collect him. This highlights a shift in the relationship dynamics between the child and staff, indicating that he was beginning to trust them and to seek support when emotionally unsettled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Interim managers have taken action to address the significant concerns found at the full inspection in April 2025. They have worked alongside staff to observe their practice, ensured that staff received appropriate training and supported staff development through supervision sessions. They have taken part in critical reflection with staff after incidents and in team meetings. However, staff still struggle to make some decisions without direct supervision from managers, and this causes some confusion in relation to boundaries.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Interim managers are approachable and have encouraged staff to speak up about their development needs. This has prompted some honest conversations about knowledge gaps. Staff still require upskilling to expand their capabilities and confidence. Interim managers are taking appropriate steps to address these, but they remain in their infancy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Internal investigations are still ongoing, and leaders are keeping relevant professionals updated with the progress they have made. Since the monitoring inspection on 6 May 2025, Ofsted has received two whistle-blowing reports relating to the home and the wider safeguarding culture within the company. The concerns raised in these reports were considered during this inspection but there was no evidence to suggest they were valid. Shortfalls in practice were linked to individual’s decision making, actions and omissions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Interim managers and leaders are taking a realistic approach to caring for children in the future. Leaders have decided to vary the home’s registration, reducing the number Inspection report for children’s home: 2740402 5 of children it can accommodate. While action has been taken to reduce the likelihood of children accessing the roof, the home still needs to undergo some repairs due to property damage. As there are no children living in the home, staff have been deployed to the company’s other homes. Some staff have decided to leave the company. Leaders are in the process of recruiting new staff for the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders have recruited a new manager and responsible individual. However, they will not be joining the home for several months and will require an induction period. Interim managers also need to recruit new residential support workers. Leaders anticipate that the home will not be operational for the next five to six months, which means it is unable to care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There have been positive changes since the last full inspection. However, it is unclear if these will be sustained when the home becomes operational again. Consequently, the requirements will remain in place. However, interim managers and leaders have taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices issued under regulation 12 and regulation 13. Inspection report for children’s home: 2740402 6

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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 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

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 their compatibility with children already living in the home and the staff team.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should ensure they develop a good understanding of sexual abuse and sexually harmful behaviours. 30 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2740402 7 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

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;

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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)) 30 January 2026

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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; 30 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2740402 8 de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (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;

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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)) 30 January 2026

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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: 2740402 9

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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: 3 Rayns Way, Syston, Leicester LE7 1PF

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Inspectors:

Tara Webb, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Gary Turney, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2740402 10 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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