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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2660064 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 privately run home provides care for up to 4 children who may have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were 4 children living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager in post. The previous manager registered with Ofsted in December 2025. They left the organisation in March 2026.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 16 September 2025

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2660064 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/09/2025 Full Good 28/08/2024 Full Good 26/09/2023 Full Good 23/05/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2660064 3

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Summary of findings

While there is evidence of some children having positive experiences and making progress in relation to their individual starting points, the cumulative shortfalls in the help and protection offered to children have led to an inadequate judgement.

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Summary of findings

Managers and staff have failed to supervise children effectively or carry out full searches of children’s bedrooms when there have been safeguarding concerns. When children go missing, managers and staff have not taken the required action to follow them, in line with missing-from-home procedures. Managers and staff have not monitored children in line with medical advice when children have taken illegal substances. Managers and staff have not taken immediate action when they have safeguarding concerns. The manager did not seek prompt police and medical advice when a child disclosed a sexual assault in the community. Managers have not ensured that children’s relevant plans contain clear and consistent advice for staff to follow. Managers have not ensured that staff receive frequent supervision of suitable quality.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Managers and staff have not always kept children safe. For 2 children, individual risks have reduced, while for 2 other children, safeguarding risks have increased.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

All children have made progress in their education. Two children have begun attending education provision that better meets their needs. Others have increased their hours of attendance each week.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s family time has increased, and staff support children sensitively to manage when time with their family has not gone as planned.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff talk to children after significant events. These conversations are non-judgmental and they aim to guide and provide education and support for children. When appropriate, staff talk to children about changes in staffing and the home’s leadership to minimise the impact of change as much as possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s achievements and events are celebrated by staff. When one child turned 16 they enjoyed a meal at a restaurant with all the staff and children. Two children have been to concerts. Children regularly go out in the local area and beyond for activities such as go-karting, for meals out and to theme parks.

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

There has been a significant increase in the risks for 2 children. These risks have increased for the children individually and together, both at home and in the community. Inspection report for children’s home: 2660064 4 Staff have not always followed the missing-from-home protocol for children. Records of how staff have supported children who have gone missing from home are poor. These do not detail the actions staff took to ensure children’s safety. Staff have not always followed children or reported them missing in the required time frame. Staff have not shared escalating concerns for missing children’s safety with the police quickly and effectively. Children have come to harm while they have been missing, including spending time in hotels and taking illegal drugs.

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

Managers and staff have failed to monitor children in line with medical advice when children have taken illegal substances. This includes when children have required hospital treatment due to serious concerns about their health.

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

Managers and staff have neglected to supervise children effectively. They have not carried out full searches of children’s bedrooms when there have been safeguarding concerns. Consequently, a child who did not live in the home remained in the home undetected for 3 days. During this time, the children came to harm. They engaged in sexual activity and took illegal substances.

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

Managers and staff have not understood their safeguarding responsibilities and have failed to take immediate action when safeguarding concerns have arisen. Staff have not raised their concerns immediately with a manager or taken necessary action at the time of the concern to reduce risk. The manager has not taken prompt action on being made aware of safeguarding concerns.

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

There has been one incident of physical restraint since the last inspection. The record of this incident is poor and lacks sufficient detail. It does not include what type of restraint was used, which staff undertook the restraint, how the restraint was carried out or for how long the restraint lasted. Furthermore, there is no record the manager talked to staff or the child about this restraint. There is no management analysis to understand whether this restraint was necessary or proportionate. This lack of management review also reduces the opportunity to learn from incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the last inspection, there have been significant management changes. A new nominated responsible individual has been appointed. The home does not have a registered manager. The previous manager registered with Ofsted in December 2025. They left the organisation in March 2026. Senior leaders have begun the recruitment processes to recruit a new manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not ensured that children’s relevant plans and risk assessments are kept up to date. One child’s risk assessment contains conflicting information about free time, access to money and access to mobile phones. Another child’s risk assessment contains conflicting and confusing advice about the amount of free time the child is permitted to have. This undermines the guidance to staff about how to manage difficult situations and reduce risk for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2660064 5 Staff benefit from regular reflective team meetings and support from the organisation’s therapeutic practitioner. They receive training in line with children’s specific needs. However, staff and managers have not received frequent reflective supervision, in line with the home’s statement of purpose. There are significant gaps in supervision for all staff, including those who are new to the home and managers who are new to

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

management roles. This is particularly relevant given the concerns noted at this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Senior leaders and managers in the organisation were aware before this inspection of some of the concerns identified. There are some plans in place to provide increased support and monitoring of the home. Some of this monitoring had started before the inspection. Investigations are ongoing into staff practice concerns relating to the safeguarding shortfalls. Inspection report for children’s home: 2660064 6

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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

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) 11 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 11 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2660064 7 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

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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and 20 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2660064 8 a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2660064 9

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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

Andrea Bounden, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2660064 10 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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