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

Inspection report for children's home: 2683331 1 Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider and offers care for up to 6 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager at the home since February 2026.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2683331 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/06/2025 Full Good 24/04/2025 Full Inadequate 11/11/2024 Full Good 19/02/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2683331 3

p.2

Summary of findings

Since the last inspection, children have made progress from their starting points. Children benefit from positive, trusting relationships with staff who know the children well. The children enjoy a wide range of activities outside and inside the home. The staff support children to receive education consistently and encourages structure and daily routines. Transitions into and out of the home could be improved. Assessments for children moving into the home do not detail how all children will live safely together. Endings are not always planned.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, 6 children have moved into the home and 2 children have moved out. At the time of the inspection, 5 children were living at the home. One child spoke to the inspectors.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress from their starting points and experience positive outcomes. Children who moved into the home with poor routines, difficulties with self- care and hygiene, and challenges regulating their emotions have made notable progress. Staff support children to develop consistent routines, improve their personal care and reflect on incidents to better understand and manage their emotions. One social worker said that the children have ‘flourished’ since moving into the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are valued and acted on, helping them feel listened to and respected. Staff seek children’s views both formally through children’s meetings and informally through everyday conversations. They use creative approaches to understand children’s likes, dislikes and preferences and then take action in response. As a result, children are involved in decisions about their lives and have opportunities to influence the care they receive.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to take part in education, develop new skills and build confidence. Three children who were not accessing education before moving into the home are now enrolled in full-time education. Staff have supported 2 children to remain at their existing schools despite the significant distance from the home. This has enabled children to maintain important relationships, routines and educational stability during a period of change. Staff also provide additional learning opportunities through tailored home-learning activities, library visits and access to musical instruments. Children also benefit from individualised therapeutic support. Staff receive regular guidance from the assistant psychologist and implement therapeutic strategies in their day-to-day care, helping children to better understand and manage their emotions.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience warm, nurturing relationships that help them feel safe, valued and cared for. Interactions between staff and children are natural, affectionate and Inspection report for children's home: 2683331 4 characterised by laughter and enjoyment. One child said that this is a good place to live. Staff support children to maintain relationships with people who are important to them through safe and meaningful family time. Children also enjoy a wide range of activities that reflect their individual interests and provide opportunities to develop confidence, independence and positive memories.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience a strong sense of belonging and security. The home is warm, welcoming and thoughtfully designed to meet children’s needs. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, and there are photos throughout the home celebrating shared experiences.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children do not always receive the support they need when moving on from the home. Following an unplanned ending, one child was not provided with opportunities for restoration or emotional closure despite having established meaningful relationships during their time living at the home. As a result, the child may be left with unresolved feelings about the ending and the loss of important relationships.

p.4

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

Staff know the children well and respond to their emerging needs. They demonstrate a good awareness of each child’s needs and implement agreed strategies to keep them safe. There are effective safeguarding systems that are understood by staff, who are confident about when to use them. External professionals are positive about how the staff share concerns.

p.4

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

Safeguarding practice is good, and incidents are well managed. Children who have incidents of physical intervention are supported to understand why they may need to be held in a child-friendly way. Staff communicate with them throughout the incident and adjust interventions where required. Conversations with children are detailed, and the language used is trauma informed.

p.4

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

Children have access to a wide range of resources that are tailored to meet their individual needs and promote positive outcomes. Staff are committed to using research- informed practice and actively engage with current evidence to enhance the quality of the support they offer.

p.4

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

Staff provide practical and aspirational support to help children develop independence and life skills. For example, one child was supported to achieve their moped licence. Staff ensured that the child had a thorough understanding of road safety and the importance of using appropriate gear. Suitable safety gear was sourced and purchased promptly, enabling the child to access this new opportunity safely and without unnecessary delays.

p.4

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

When children go missing from home, the missing-from-care protocol is implemented promptly and appropriately, with staff notifying the police in line with expectations. Children are supported to return home and engage in meaningful and supportive conversations as well as being offered a warm meal and drink. Inspection report for children's home: 2683331 5 Managers review allegations, and guidance is sought from the relevant agencies. Staff complete key-work sessions with children following allegations to help them understand their feelings and reflect on what has happened. Staff have clear plans to follow with regard to allegation management, and focus is on supporting and safeguarding the child.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there have been changes to the home’s management arrangements. A new manager was appointed but left the post after a few months. During this period, the provider’s peripatetic manager assumed the role of interim manager, ensuring continuity of leadership and oversight while recruitment took place. A new manager was appointed and is currently undertaking a structured handover with the interim manager to support a smooth transition. The manager was previously employed in a different department and is already familiar with the provider’s ethos and values and has submitted their application to register.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions happen regularly, and staff find these helpful. Staff say they feel supported during their induction. They have regular meetings and are given a thorough plan to complete training within achievable time frames. Staff’s feedback with regard to the leadership team was positive. They say managers are supportive and approachable. A staff member said, ’This is the best leadership team that the home has ever had.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders make effective use of team meetings to share information and promote continuous improvement. Managers and professionals deliver workshops to support the home’s approach to trauma, and this contributes positively to children’s experiences and outcomes.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have systems in place to monitor the care provided to the children. The manager is ambitious for the team to continue to deliver and improve positive experiences for the children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers ensure that safer recruitment checks are in place for all staff employed. Managers have oversight of incidents, physical interventions and missing-from-home episodes. Their oversight is reflective and identifies potential areas for improvement.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have established positive, trusting relationships with children, families and professionals. This contributes to a homely and nurturing environment, where children feel safe and well supported. Professionals say that there has been an improvement in the team as well as the leadership in recent months. A teacher from the school said, ‘My role as the designated teacher is supported enormously by working with a strong setting and good staff who are enthusiastic about the children in their care.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s moves into the home have been well planned to support them with settling. However, children’s individual needs have not been fully considered, including how children may safely live together. Leaders and managers have not considered additional support that may be required. Inspection report for children's home: 2683331 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that they assess children’s needs effectively as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and fully consider the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that each child’s transition is planned and help each child to prepare for leaving both practically and emotionally. 11 September 2026

p.6

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: 2683331 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Compass Children’s Homes

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Compass Community Ltd, 3 Rayns Way, Syston, Leicester LE7 1PF

p.7

Inspectors

Emilja Myers, Social Care Inspector Andreia Alves da Silva, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2683331 8 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.

p.7

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8