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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683690 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

A private provider runs this home. It provides care for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s statement of purpose highlights that the staff are trained to apply a specific model of care.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an interim manager in place, who is seeking to become registered with Ofsted. At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home, and both were spoken with.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683690 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection. However, there were shortfalls concerning some aspects of practice in the leadership and management of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The assurance inspection took place following concerns being raised on a multitude of issues that resulted in a child moving on from the home. While there was no evidence of malpractice, this child’s move was unplanned, abrupt and chaotic. Consequently, the local authority had to initiate a forced move with little time to plan. Ultimately, the organisation, in this instance, failed to meet their obligations to the child and the child’s local authority.

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Findings from the inspection

Two children have experienced unplanned moves from the home since the last full inspection. While the manager’s concerns and justification to seek a move for each child was credible, as noted by a social work team manager, the children’s written records do not capture this. This diminishes accountability and the opportunity for the child to make sense of their move if they choose to read back on their written records from the home in the future.

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Findings from the inspection

Although communication with the children’s respective social workers is generally good, the reporting of a specific significant incident was chaotic and uncoordinated. In this instance, the social worker was challenged to make sense of events and coordinate an appropriate response. Furthermore, staff have not effectively used the home’s written recording systems to accurately reflect some significant incidents.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager’s report of the review of the quality of care provided in the home is not credible. This is due to senior leaders not effectively supporting the new manager to approach this work evaluatively. Additionally, aspects of the report are not reliable as they are not evidenced based. Furthermore, some statements in the report are duplicated from another of the provider’s home’s reports. Again, undermining the credibility of the review of the quality of care children receive.

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Findings from the inspection

The number of physical interventions to keep children safer in the home has been high, twenty-seven since the last inspection. The manager has evaluated that the use of physical intervention has been necessary and proportionate. Furthermore, the manager consistently seeks solutions to avoid the need for staff to exercise this level of intervention. However, these efforts have not yet yielded a sustained decrease in such incidents occurring in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager acknowledged that the staff have experienced a sustained period of challenge. Despite this, staff are positive about their role and spoke lovingly about the children. Therefore, the new manager has a lot of positives to work with going forward.

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Findings from the inspection

The recommendations made from the last inspection have been restated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683690 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/04/2025 Full Good 14/08/2024 Full Good 21/08/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683690 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

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

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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(h)) 15 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that arrangements are in place to— 15 September 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683690 5 plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b) (5)) 15 September 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should consistently work alongside the children’s respective virtual schools and understand their value to the child’s educational support network. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 27, paragraph 5.10)  The registered person should ensure that language that is written in the children’s written records are relatable to children and is non-stigmatising. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should undertake a review of the quality of care children receive then write an evaluative report that incorporates the children’s views about their care. In particular, the manager seeking the children’s views directly as opposed to relying on third party information. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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Recommendations

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683690 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rebecca Gomersall

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Inspector

Steve Guirey, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2683690 7 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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