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

Inspection report for children's home: 2743646 1 Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to six children with complex social and emotional needs. Children living in this home follow a tailored therapeutic programme designed to support their individual needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has the relevant experience for the role and is currently working towards the relevant managerial qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, five children were living at the home. All five children were spoken to during the inspection.

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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: 2743646 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/06/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2743646 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from thoughtful planning when they move into the home. On arrival, they find their bedrooms prepared with personalised items such as specific bedding and decor that reflects their individual interests, identified in advance by the manager and staff team. This helps children to settle quickly and begin forming positive relationships with staff at the earliest opportunity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience a warm and welcoming home that is presented to a high standard. They refer to the house as ‘my home’. There is a homely atmosphere throughout, with personal touches such as photos of the children displayed around the home. Children enjoy using several communal rooms and an extensive outdoor space, where staff regularly play football with them, and they go on walks in the surrounding area.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress from their individual starting points across all aspects of their health, education and emotional and social development. They are encouraged to engage in new experiences and opportunities that promote their well-being. For example, one child with a keen interest in music was supported by staff to attend and take part in a concert, where they performed their own music to an audience of over 200 people. Staff also identify opportunities for children to support one another in learning new skills, such as playing musical instruments in the home, fostering peer- to-peer encouragement and collaboration.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain links with their families and understand the importance of helping them preserve relationships with those people who matter most to them. Family members shared positive feedback about the effectiveness of communication, highlighting how well they are kept informed about the progress children are making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are healthy. They are registered with local health services and supported to attend medical appointments as needed. A therapist works directly with all the children and provides support and guidance to staff in relation to their care.

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

Children are supported to take age-appropriate risks. For example, staff help them to access mobile devices and the internet safely. Children receive one-to-one sessions and access online resources to help educate them on how to keep themselves safe.

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

A reflective practice tool is used following every safeguarding incident to identify examples of good practice and areas where staff’s care for children can be further developed. The tool clearly outlines the actions to be taken by the management team to drive improvements in practice. These actions are completed in a timely manner Inspection report for children's home: 2743646 4 and communicated clearly to both children and staff, ensuring children receive consistent support and guidance.

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

When specific vulnerabilities are identified, the manager accesses specialist resources through their professional networks. This includes sessions with the local policing team and health professionals, providing children with a safe space to explore the health and legal implications of situations they may be vulnerable to.

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

Children’s plans and risk assessments provide staff with clear guidance on the steps to take when children go missing from home. Staff respond effectively to missing-from- home incidents and provide appropriate reassurance and welfare checks on the child’s return. Information is shared appropriately with external agencies, parents and carers.

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

Positive behaviour is promoted consistently. All the children have individualised incentive charts that reflect their personal interests and the goals they are working towards. Staff use de-escalation techniques and only use physical intervention as a last resort to keep children safe. Children consistently receive timely debriefs and additional one-to-one sessions. However, staff are not always individually spoken to following incidents, which limits opportunities to ensure the accuracy of recording.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children and staff speak highly of the registered manager. External professionals also express positive views of the team and the approach they use to support children to reach their full potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff are safely recruited and receive a thorough induction. Staff practice is regularly reviewed through reflective supervision, personal development plans and annual appraisals. Staff say they feel listened to and supported by their manager to develop their skills, enabling them to support children effectively and progress into more senior roles within the home when opportunities arise.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a clear understanding of children’s progress and maintains effective oversight of the home. They are aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development and continually striving for improvement. Leaders have robust systems in place for monitoring and review, which are used effectively to identify and implement improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is proactive in using research to inform and develop practice. Team meetings include discussions on how staff can apply research to deepen their understanding of each child’s needs and implement strategies that align with children’s individual care plans. Inspection report for children's home: 2743646 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint are maintained and that they and the staff are enabled to review the use of control, discipline and restraint. The review should help identify effective practice and allow for prompt responses to any emerging issues or concerning trends. It should provide an opportunity to amend practice to ensure it continues to meet the individual needs of each child. (‘Guide to the 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: 2743646 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

Charlotte Tippett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2743646 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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