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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 1 Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A large private company runs this home. It offers residential care for up to 5 children between the ages of 5 and 17 with a learning disability or a lifelong condition that affects their ability to learn.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 25 February 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/02/2025 Full Outstanding 01/11/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

At the time of this inspection, 5 children were living at the home. Since the last inspection, one child has moved in and one has moved out. The inspector spent time with all the children during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A culture of love, respect and high expectations runs throughout the home. Relationships between staff and children are incredibly affectionate and warm. Staff show curiosity and are attuned to the children’s individual needs. Children have an extraordinary experience of care that significantly improves their emotional wellbeing and life chances. Due to the exceptional care provided, children have made remarkable and sustained progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff meticulously plan exceptional opportunities for children, which broaden their horizons irrespective of their complex needs. Trips to theme parks, football stadium tours, music festivals, horse riding and craft clubs have been enjoyed by children. Staff arranged a surprise break for the children at a holiday resort. Children had opportunities to take part in festive and seasonal activities, enjoy a wide range of fairground rides, and participate in discos. Children greatly valued this highly enriching experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Leaders expertly consider children’s needs to ensure that all children have a positive experience. Leaders develop strategies to support children to move in positively and minimise any impact on the other children. Children who have moved out are supported to visit their new homes and supported well to process changes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are skilled and trained in the use of various communication methods and social stories. Purposeful communication aids are visible throughout the home and continually used to support children. Children who were previously limited in their communication are now able to communicate more freely. This approach has supported children to significantly develop their communication and language, which is an area of considerable progress for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff respond to bereavement with exceptional sensitivity, compassion and understanding. They help provide children who experienced the loss of a relative with opportunities to remember and honour their memory in a meaningful and respectful way and access regular therapeutic intervention and emotional support. As a result of the thoughtful and emotionally attuned way that staff respond, children have been able to begin to come to terms with their loss and grieve in a healthy way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported to regularly spend meaningful time with people who are important to them. Staff work closely with families to build positive and supportive relationships that place children at the centre. Due to the strength of these relationships, staff were able to accompany two families to take their children on family holidays. This gave the children an extraordinary new experience and valuable time with family members. Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 4 Staff actively encourage children with their learning. Staff maintain effective communication with education providers and support children through routines to ensure they are ready for learning. Children are making exceptional progress with their education, and their attendance is high.

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

Children have made remarkable improvements with their physical health and nourishment. Children are supported with a research-based diet. This has helped children to broaden their restrictive diets and eat a variety of food groups. For one child in particular, this method has supported them to make incredible progress with their mobility and independence; due to them building their muscle strength, they no longer rely on a walking aid.

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

Staff are skilled in using de-escalation strategies and respond well to children’s anxieties. At times, staff have used physical intervention to keep children safe. Children are spoken to about interventions and are provided with aftercare. Managers identify patterns in children’s behaviour, and they support staff to implement research-based alternative approaches to reduce the need for physical intervention. For one child, the use of pressure hugs has supported them during times of crisis and led to a significant reduction in the need for physical intervention.

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

Staff take a creative and thoughtful approach to gathering children’s views, ensuring these are central to the home. Children have advocacy arrangements in place, and staff encourage parents to gain feedback from children. This means that children’s views are sourced from alternative perspectives.

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

Staff understand the children’s vulnerabilities and the risks they face exceptionally well. Risk assessments, behaviour support plans and safety plans are detailed and are updated on a regular basis. Children are supported to develop risk awareness and take balanced risks in the home and community. Children have completed recognised award certificates in road safety, fire prevention, meal preparation and personal hygiene. This supports children to develop the much-needed independence skills for their futures.

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

Children live in a safe and stimulating environment that is well maintained. The home has been thoughtfully adapted to meet the individual and sensory needs of the children. Children’s bedrooms are individualised to their preferences and decorated to an exceptionally high standard.

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

There have not been any allegations made by children. Staff were able to detail how they would respond to children and how they would identify concerns. All staff have appropriate safeguarding training, and regular discussions take place to help support staff to appropriately safeguard the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is dedicated, ambitious and highly aspirational. An equally motivated deputy manager supports her. Both are focused on enriching and improving the lives of children in their care. Staff speak highly of managers and are proud to work in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers are strong advocates for training and ensure that all staff have access to high- quality training to further develop their practice. Managers quickly identify when there is a need for further training and ensure this is implemented. For example, all staff received bereavement training to ensure appropriate support could be given to one of the children who lost a relative. Because of the approach taken by managers, the quality of care is continually improved, and the needs of the children are regularly assessed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from regular team meetings. These meetings are strengthened by research- based input from wellbeing leads. These include effective discussions that reflect and focus on the children’s behaviours, their past experiences and their vulnerabilities. This helps strengthen staff’s understanding and enables them to collaboratively explore how they respond to the children’s vulnerabilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Safer staff recruitment processes are followed. New staff are supported to complete a detailed induction, which is underpinned by research and the home’s therapeutic approach. Managers understand the importance of supporting new staff in their role, and they support new staff with fortnightly supervision. This supports new staff to reflect on what they have learned and ensures they receive regular support throughout their induction period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers are strong and effective advocates for children. They ensure the children’s voices are heard and their needs are prioritised. Managers challenge appropriately and persistently to ensure children receive the right support and have access to opportunities to which they are entitled. For one child who was at risk of losing their place at a club, managers made the case for club leaders to try alternative approaches to ensure the child was not excluded. When another child’s education was disrupted, managers advocated tirelessly for alternative arrangements to be sourced. This initiative-taking advocacy supports children’s experiences and outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff encompass diversity. Staff tailor the care provided to children to reflect the children’s unique backgrounds and needs. Communication aids are developed by staff to support children’s cultural heritage and language. This supports children to be accepting of others and embrace their own identities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals and parents speak extremely positively about the manager and staff’s effective communication and the progress children have made. Managers understand that working collaboratively with professionals and parents is necessary for the children’s sense of security. One parent said, ‘I am so pleased we found a place there. I have no worries or concerns. I cannot think of a more wonderful place. The manager and staff Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 6 are just great; I know how well they look after him and support [name of child]’s needs. They adore him and that is easy to see. [Name of child] is doing things I never thought would be possible; it is just amazing.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were raised following this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 7

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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: 2723839 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: Compass Community Ltd, 3 Rayns Way, Syston, Leicester LE7 1PF

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Inspector

Syvanna Matthew, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2723839 9 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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Inspector

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