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

Inspection report for children's home: 1247764 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 owned children’s home is registered to provide care for five children. The home specialises in providing a therapeutic environment for children who display problematic sexualised behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out, and three children have moved into the home. At the time of the inspection, five children were living at the home. Three children were present and spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has been registered since July 2025.

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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 outstanding

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 11 November 2024

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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: 1247764 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/11/2024 Full Good 03/01/2024 Full Good 30/01/2023 Full Outstanding 06/05/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: 1247764 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The inspector spent time with three of the children living in the home. Two other children were staying away from the home and were given an opportunity to share their views remotely. One child did this and gave positive feedback on their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The other three children were all seen and stated that while they would prefer to be with their families, the home was the ‘best’ it could be as a second option. One child said that they felt their home was ‘absolutely fantastic’. Staff were seen positively interacting with the children and implementing boundaries in a clear and humorous way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide care for children focused on their specific needs and risks. Great lengths are taken to ensure that children’s voices are heard in the home and that their requests are accurately recorded and tracked. Their overall progress, both educationally and in respect of therapy, is clearly documented.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff relationships with external professionals are positive, and they note that good communication and regular updates from the home ensure that they understand what is happening for the children. The team works closely with multi-agencies, and the children themselves, when making important decisions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time is prioritised for all children, including those from a different local authority area, and staff ensure that this is effectively supervised when required. Staff are attuned to the needs of the children following discussions with family and look to adapt plans to accommodate this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress in the home and attend the on-site education provision on a full-time basis. The home and school have a close relationship and have daily meetings to ensure information is shared about the children. Care is given to document the daily lives of the children in handwritten life-story books, which they can then take with them when they leave the home. Moves for children in and out of the home are effective and carefully planned. Staff assess children’s competing needs and risks when making decisions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Therapeutic support is provided by an on-site assistant psychologist, and all children are provided with a clear package of support. Children’s progress with therapeutic support is tracked effectively and demonstrates positive outcomes.

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

Staff, overall, understand the risks related to the children and work to reduce these risks alongside the therapeutic support provided in the home. They work alongside external agencies to ensure that specific risks, some of which are particularly complex, are Inspection report for children's home: 1247764 4 targeted and reduced. Staff understand the children and their vulnerabilities, and there are clear risk assessments in place.

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

A recent safeguarding incident, although isolated, indicates that some staff lack understanding about the importance of supervision of children. The manager and senior leaders have addressed this, and safety measures are now in place.

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

Staff provide clear and consistent boundaries in the home, and this supports children to feel safe. Physical interventions are used, but only when necessary and in a proportionate manner. Staff and the provider are working to move away from the use of negative consequences in the home and to begin to focus on reparative work and less sanction-based approaches.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has an excellent understanding of the children and is highly ambitious in respect of their progress and attainment. There are thorough methods of tracking and analysing children’s progress in the home, helping the manager to identify the impact of staff support. She works alongside the therapeutic lead to ensure the children are achieving their goals. Although new to the role, she has implemented several additional measures to ensure the children’s voices are heard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The leadership team uses effective and well-researched therapeutic approaches in the home to support the children to grow and develop, and to address the concerns regarding problematic sexualised behaviour as well as other risks. This is having a significantly positive impact on the progress of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is creative in ensuring that the team members have opportunities to enhance their skills and practice on a regular basis, using research to support this. Staff are happy working in the home and feel they are provided with effective and helpful supervision sessions. Team meetings are used to provide additional training to staff and to ensure their practice remains relevant and up to date. Senior leaders provide additional robust oversight and support, and this continues to enhance and improve practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

When there are concerns relating to staff working in the home, these are managed in a robust and planned way, with the focus on keeping children safe. The manager understands both the strengths and areas for development in the home, and there are plans in place to address any areas that need to improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager challenges external agencies effectively when she feels the response from them is not robust enough and is an extremely strong advocate for the children in the home. Inspection report for children's home: 1247764 5

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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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iv)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff who are supervising children have the required relevant and up-to- date training to support them to identify any potential risks.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also ensure that staff follow the home’s policies and procedures in respect of the supervision of children in their care. 1 September 2025

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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: 1247764 6

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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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Inspector

Helen Cushnie, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1247764 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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