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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2832967 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

The home registered with Ofsted in February 2026 and is run by a private provider. It offers care for up to 3 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2026.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2832967 2

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Summary of findings

Staff demonstrate a commitment to building positive and trusting relationships with children. Children benefit from the care provided by staff. The staff listen to children, provide reassurance and offer one-to-one support and encouragement.

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Summary of findings

Records do not always evidence the care provided to the children. Staff do not consistently follow specific strategies in place to support the children. Consequences used to address poor behaviour are not always restorative in nature. The admission of one child was undertaken quickly and did not fully consider the impact on the children already living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living at the home. All the children were seen and spoke to the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have created an environment that is welcoming and warm. They talk about the children with care and compassion. Children’s bedrooms are personalised according to their preferences and reflect what is important to them. The staff and welcoming home environment contribute to family-style living for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children maintain contact with the people who matter most in their lives. Staff build relationships with families and keep them updated. Staff take children to visit their families, and families visit the home. This helps children to maintain a sense of identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well met. Staff respond appropriately to emerging physical health needs and ensure that children access routine healthcare appointments promptly. Children are offered therapeutic support that is offered in ways that reflect children’s interests and preferences, and children are encouraged to engage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children actively contribute to their care planning. Staff work collaboratively with children when considering adjustments to care arrangements and strategies, ensuring that children feel involved in decisions affecting their lives. This approach has contributed to a reduction in missing-from-home incidents for one child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are offered and participate in a wide range of enjoyable activities. Staff actively encourage and introduce children to new experiences that broaden their confidence and social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The admission of one child was undertaken quickly and did not fully consider the impact on the children already living in the home. This resulted in children experiencing periods Inspection report for children’s home: 2832967 3 of anxiety and worry. Managers and staff continue to support children to improve peer relationships and strengthen the dynamics in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have received a wide range of additional training to improve their understanding of one child’s specific and complex needs. The child receives good-quality care and support. However, the strategies, resources and approaches needed to best support the child are not consistently reflected in the child’s plans or embedded in day-to-day care. Documents lack clarity on how resources such as visual and sensory aids should be used. This has the potential to affect how the child experiences the world around them and manages their difficult feelings. This, in turn, affects how they react to situations.

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

Children say they feel safe living at the home and know who they can speak to if they have concerns.

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

Any allegations are treated seriously, and appropriate action is taken to safeguard children. Managers work effectively alongside safeguarding agencies and ensure that appropriate notifications are made.

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

Incidents of self-harm are responded to appropriately, with children receiving reassurance and support. Prompt medical treatment is sought where required. Staff’s thoughtful approach has resulted in the children having increased confidence in seeking staff support. This, in turn, has resulted in a reduction of incidents of self-harm.

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

Staff respond well when children go missing from home. They act quickly to try and locate children to ensure their safe return. Staff maintain regular communication with partner agencies and demonstrate persistence in reducing risk.

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

Documents designed to guide staff in how to best meet children’s individual and sometimes complex needs are detailed. However, it is not clear that staff consistently follow the guidance provided. Records in respect of incidents do not always demonstrate the actions staff take to keep the children safe. It is therefore not always possible to assess or evaluate effectively whether practice has been appropriate or met children’s needs.

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

Leaders and managers have introduced additional safeguards in medication administration processes following a previous medication error and recording discrepancies. However, the inspector observed staff not following the new procedures and asking the child whether they had received all their medication. This practice does not provide sufficient assurance that medication administration processes are consistently robust.

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

When staff use consequences, the effectiveness and proportionality of these measures are not always recorded well. This undermines the manager’s ability to review them effectively and ensure that they are not punitive. For example, on one occasion, staff removed a child’s clothing from their room in response to a clear safety risk. However, Inspection report for children’s home: 2832967 4 the child was not given clear information about what would be required for the items to be returned or when this would happen.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a permanent and child-focused manager who has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Despite a number of staffing changes, managers and staff have ensured that children are cared for by people they have familiar relationships with to ensure consistency and stability. This minimises disruption and helps children feel secure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Morale in the staff team is positive. Staff describe a culture where they feel valued, listened to and encouraged to develop their practice. They attribute this to the support and engagement from the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals and parents are highly positive about the home. A consistent message is that they are all very happy with the care children receive at the home. Professionals highlight good communication and strong relationships between staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings and supervision sessions are held regularly and are used effectively to promote reflection, learning and professional development. Inspection report for children’s home: 2832967 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

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)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that records in respect of incidents in the home evidence the safeguarding actions taken by staff. 24 October 2026

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(iv)) 24 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2832967 6

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Recommendations

 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, ensure that all records are clear and detail the information in a concise and factual way. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should only accept placements for children when they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans, and have fully considered the impact that the placement may have on the children already living in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that records are kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused.

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Recommendations

Regulation 23 requires the registered person to ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of medication. These are fundamentally the same sorts of arrangements as a good parent would make but are subject to additional safeguards. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature and help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them, and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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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: 2832967 7

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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

Naomi Starbuck, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2832967 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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