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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2528516 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 privately run home provides care for up to six children aged between 10 and 17 who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 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 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2528516 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/10/2024 Full Good 16/01/2024 Full Good 16/11/2022 Full Outstanding 14/04/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2528516 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, four children have moved into the home and three children have moved out. The inspectors saw all three children and two children shared their views with the inspectors. One child had moved out in an emergency as the staff were unable to meet their increasing needs, which required specialist help. Two further children moved out as increasing risks meant the provider was unable to meet their long-term needs. Managers included the involved professionals in this planning and helped the children to have the best possible endings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to have positive moves into the home. This includes visits that help them to settle and feel welcome. One social worker said that their child was very well prepared to move in and had a ‘fantastic’ start. Managers assess the needs of children moving in, taking into consideration children’s dynamics and how well able they are to meet their needs. However, on one occasion managers did not talk to all relevant professionals, which meant that some likely risks and needs were not known.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build positive relationships with the children. The children said that they feel listened to and are well supported. They gave examples of staff supporting their education and time spent with family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the children to do well in education. The staff work well with professionals to ensure that children who are unable to attend full time receive stimulating activities in the home and community. Two of the children are being supported to start college in September 2025 and one child is being helped to return to full-time education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff help the children try new things. One child said that staff were good at taking them out and doing activities that they enjoy. Staff take the time to explore things that the children are interested in, such as motor cross, going to the beach, spending time with animals and swimming. This helps children to develop self-esteem and gives them positive experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know how to complain and feel able to do so. Staff support children to have their experiences heard and respond quickly to any issues raised. One child said that they were happy with how issues they have raised in the past have been addressed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Social workers are positive about the care and support provided to children. One social worker said that staff ‘really tried their best’ for their child. Another social worker said that their child had made good progress because of the help and support of the staff. They said that staff were attuned to the child’s needs and knew how to help them. Inspection report for children’s home: 2528516 4 The home is spacious and decorated nicely. Children said they like the feel of it. There are photos of children and staff on the walls. This helps create a family feel that shows children that they are valued and cared about.

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

Children feel that they can go to staff for help when they need to. This is because staff know the children well and build positive relationships with them.

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

Staff build positive relationships and work closely with other professionals to help reduce risks to children. Staff quickly share information regarding possible exploitation so that police can investigate where needed. Staff respond appropriately to incidents and work quickly and effectively with partner professionals to reduce risk.

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

There have been regular instances of children going missing from home. Staff respond quickly when children go missing. They follow the children, try to locate them and support them to return home safely. The police liaison officer said that staff follow children for as long as possible, including getting on trains when necessary. The staff welcome the children back into the home and help them to talk about what happened. They keep social workers well informed. The staff ensure that children receive return home interviews from someone independent. These interviews provide an opportunity for the children to talk about their experiences. This helps staff and professionals better understand risk.

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

Staff use a specific therapeutic programme to help children understand personal safety and develop their skills. One social worker said that this approach had helped their child to make very good progress in this area and that that this had helped to keep the child safer.

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

Staff generally understand risks well and children’s plans are regularly updated. However, on one occasion staff did not follow a child’s risk assessment. The child was allowed access to the internet unsupervised, and this increased their risk of exploitation.

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

There have been occasions when staff have used physical interventions. These have been proportionate and clearly recorded, with suitable management oversight. Children’s views are sought after incidents. However, on some occasions children have been spoken to by the member of staff involved. This lack of independence has the potential to undermine children’s ability to express themselves freely. Staff have not always ensured that consequences for behaviours are fair and restorative and in nature. On one occasion, staff removed a child’s game console access as a consequence. However, staff did not record this or return the console until challenged.

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

The manager has quickly and appropriately responded to the two allegations made by children since the last inspection. On one occasion, when a child said they were hurt during a restraint, managers informed the local authority designated officer but did not notify Ofsted. The child was safeguarded. However, the failure to share allegations with Inspection report for children’s home: 2528516 5 Ofsted potentially undermines Ofsted’s ability to maintain suitable external oversight of the home and ensure that managers and staff are always acting in the best interests of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The suitably qualified registered manager has been in post since December 2024. They are child focused and have a good understanding of children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has experienced a period of challenge and instability. During this time, the registered manager and responsible individual have continued to monitor practice effectively to ensure that children continue to get good care and support. When practice has fallen below the expected standards, the manager and responsible individual have quickly addressed this. The manager said that she is proud of her team and the way they have worked together to respond to a challenging period at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they feel well supported, and as a result, staff retention is good. Staff benefit from monthly supervision and suitable training. Staff complete training relevant to the individual children’s needs, including neurodiversity and exploitation. Staff said that the regular team meetings are used as a forum for learning. This has helped ensure they are up to date with their knowledge and has developed their confidence in caring for the children. The stability of the staffing helps children to experience consistency and to receive care from staff who know and understand them well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Wider professional feedback was positive overall. Professionals said that staff always attended meetings, and that decisions regarding how to best respond to risks and decisions regarding children’s moves were made jointly with the multi-agency network. Managers and leaders consider moves carefully.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a culture of learning. When children have moved on, managers and staff reflect on endings and identify learning for the future. The manager uses lessons learned from this reflection to try to prevent future breakdowns and children having to move. Inspection report for children’s home: 2528516 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)) 23 June 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they understand what will be required of them before they accept responsibility for a child’s placement, to avoid disruption and instability for the child in future and for other children in the home. They should ensure that information is gathered from other relevant agencies, and if appropriate, the child’s family with regard to children who may move into the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.5)  The registered person should ensure that they notify Ofsted and other relevant persons if one of the situations specified in regulation 40(4)(a)–(d) occurs, or if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home which the registered person considers to be serious (40(4)(e)). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63,

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Recommendations

paragraph 14.10)  The registered person should ensure that a child who has been restrained is given the opportunity express their feelings about their experience of the restraint as soon as is practicable, ideally within 24 hours of the restraint incident, to someone who is Inspection report for children’s home: 2528516 7 independent of the restraint. Children should be encouraged to add their views and comments to the record of restraint. Children should be offered the opportunity to access advocacy support to help them with this. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.60)  The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality

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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: 2528516 8

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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

Carrie Twinn, Social Care Inspector Priscilla Koroka, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2528516 9 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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Inspectors

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