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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2666161 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 is a privately owned home. The home is registered to provide care for up to 6 children who may have social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, 6 children were living in the home. All the children participated in the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2026.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that a serious incident that occurred at the setting since the last inspection is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 13 October 2025

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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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 inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have 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, Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2666161 2 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: 2666161 3

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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.

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Findings from the inspection

Children feel supported by staff. This includes being able to spend time with those who are important to them. One child shared how they have been able to spend time with family because of support provided by staff. There have been several new members of staff since the last inspection. Children say that staff are friendly and relationships are developing.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children to build routines. Children attend education regularly and when they face challenges, staff provide encouragement. Staff support children to consider their future lives. One child was being supported by staff to prepare for a job interview, including shopping for a suit. Staff celebrate children’s progress and their aspirations.

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Findings from the inspection

The home environment requires attention. Children need support to develop skills in keeping their bedrooms clean and tidy. There are areas around the home that are not well maintained. Where damage has occurred, repairs are not undertaken in a timely manner. Communal areas are not well used by children. The games room is uninviting. It is cold and dark, with piles of items which appear unused. A room used to provide therapy sessions for children is used to store boxes of paperwork. This does not provide a calm space for children to express their emotions. There has been little progress in the home environment since the last inspection in October 2025.

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Findings from the inspection

When children make allegations, managers ensure that appropriate professionals are informed and that children and staff are safeguarded effectively. Staff explore children’s feelings. However, evidence of support provided by staff to children following making an allegation is not recorded clearly.

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Findings from the inspection

Risk management plans are lengthy. They contain a large number of risks, but do not demonstrate the children’s known risks. Where risks have changed, the plans do not reflect the changed levels of risk or strategies to manage risk. Plans do not consistently provide guidance about how staff can best support children when they are struggling with their emotions. Staff do not always follow risk management plans to manage risk effectively.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager is verbally reflective about his oversight of the care provided to children and areas for continued professional development. However, this is not yet embedded into practice and is not evidenced within records. Language used by staff is not always child friendly or child focused.

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Findings from the inspection

Requirements set at the last inspection have not been met and are restated. Two recommendations have been made at this inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2666161 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/10/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/03/2025 Full Outstanding 28/02/2024 Full Outstanding 13/12/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2666161 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s individual risk management plans are relevant to their needs and that staff follow them consistently. 20 May 2026

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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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 20 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2666161 6 promotes their welfare.

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is effective oversight of the quality of care provided for children, so that staff identify areas of concern and respond with clear and measurable actions. Staff’s training must be up to date and equip them with the skills to meet the children’s individual needs.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that staff— 20 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2666161 7 treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children live in a clean environment and that maintenance is addressed without delay.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. They should use language that is child friendly and child focused. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2666161 8

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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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Inspectors

Kathryn Hurley, Social Care Inspector Siobhan Holmes, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2666161 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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