Children's Home run by Compass Children’s Homes Ltd in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2664035 1 Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children who may experience emotional or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, four children were living at the home and three were spoken to by the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 20 January 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 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: 2664035 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2025 Full Good 19/03/2024 Full Good 21/03/2023 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 2664035 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress from their individual starting points. Each child has a clear plan that sets out how their progress, including educational achievements, is tracked, monitored and reviewed. The manager and staff team are proactive in reviewing strategies to help children access education effectively and they show a strong commitment to promoting the value of learning. Staff and leaders are creative in identifying and offering extracurricular activities that enhance children’s learning experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive effective support to manage their physical and emotional health needs. Staff work closely with them to support their understanding of the importance of attending health appointments. They regularly review available support options to ensure that each child’s needs are met. All children have access to weekly one-to-one and group therapeutic sessions within the home. These child-led sessions provide a safe space for children to explore their feelings and develop a stronger sense of identity. As a result, children show improved emotional resilience and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive structured support to develop essential skills for their future independence. This includes learning self-care routines and spending time safely in the community. Staff follow a detailed programme of modules designed to build children’s independence skills and track their progress effectively. Where additional support is needed, staff introduce extra modules that are tailored to children’s individual needs. These experiences ensure that children are well prepared for leaving the home and have the confidence and practical skills to live independently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean, well maintained and provides a warm, homely environment for children. Bedrooms are personalised and living areas are well furnished to create a comfortable and welcoming space. Children are regularly encouraged to share their ideas for improving the home, which helps them to feel valued and involved in their living environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with their families and friends, helping them to maintain important relationships. The home recognises the value of these connections and actively facilitates opportunities for children to develop and sustain positive social networks. One parent said, ‘They do feel like family, it really feels like a family home.’

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

Children are supported to take balanced risks that promote independence and safety. Staff encourage children to spend time in the community and with friends and family unsupervised, where appropriate. They also help children to use electronic devices and access the internet safely. Staff complete direct work with children to ensure that they understand potential risks and can make informed decisions. Inspection report for children’s home: 2664035 4 Children feel safe and have trusted adults who they can speak to. They regularly initiate conversations with staff about past experiences and potential future risks. This enables staff to deliver tailored key-work sessions that help children to develop strategies to build resilience. These interactions reflect the strong relationships and sense of stability that children experience within the home.

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

Individual risks are clearly identified, understood and managed effectively by staff and leaders. Risk management plans provide staff with the information they need to keep children safe and are applied consistently. Incidents of children going missing are rare. When they do occur, individual protocols are followed promptly to ensure that children return safely.

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

Staff spend quality time with children to understand how best to help them manage their feelings safely. When de-escalation strategies are unsuccessful, physical intervention is used only as a last resort to protect children from harm. After each intervention, the manager completes a reflective learning review to consider the child’s experience and identify improvements. This learning is shared in staff meetings to develop the team’s skills and ensure that children are supported in the least-restrictive way.

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

Inconsistencies have been identified in how children’s positive achievements are recorded. This limits the manager’s ability to monitor the consistency of rewards and recognition provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is child focused and supported by a staff team that shares her commitment to providing high-quality care. Leaders set clear expectations for children and demonstrate a strong commitment to helping them achieve their full potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager recognises the home’s strengths and areas for development through regular, reflective practice. This approach is used effectively to inform decisions and drive continuous improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff development is a clear priority for the leadership team. Staff report receiving regular, high-quality supervision and having individual development plans to support their progression. They benefit from regular team meetings and a strong focus on well-being. As a result, staff speak positively about the management team and the support provided for their professional and personal development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working with the wider network to meet children’s needs is a key strength of the manager’s practice. Staff and leaders maintain positive relationships with external agencies and individuals who are important to children. This collaborative approach contributes significantly to improving children’s safety and enhancing their overall experiences. Inspection report for children’s home: 2664035 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, this refers to recordings being dated and signed by the author of each entry and that there is consistent recording of positive moments for children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2664035 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: Compass Community Ltd, 3 Rayns Way, Syston, Leicester LE7 1PF

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Inspector

Charlotte Tippett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2664035 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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