Children's Home run by Serenity Specialist Care Ltd in Birmingham

Unique reference number SC471672 Inspector Rebecca Quested Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Serenity Specialist Care Limited Registered person address 82-86 Reynoldstown Road Bromford Birmingham West Midlands B36 8UG Responsible individual Naveed Ahmed Registered manager Jaswant Singh Boora Date of last inspection N/A 2 of 11 Inspection date 15/10/2014

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Previous inspection N/A Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness inadequate

Outcomes for children and young people inadequate Quality of care inadequate Keeping children and young people safe inadequate Leadership and management inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

At this first inspection since registration, 25 significant failures to comply with regulatory requirements were identified. There were no young people living in the home at the time of inspection as placing authorities had removed them. Poor quality care was provided to young people during placements in August and September 2014. As a result, outcomes for young people are inadequate.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are inadequately safeguarded in the home because staff are not trained or competent in providing safe care. Child protection procedures are not followed when there are allegations about staff, or when young people have received injuries. Young people have been cared for by staff who have not been safely recruited, or trained, and this has placed young people at risk of harm. Consequently, young people have neither felt safe, nor been safe.

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Overall effectiveness

The leadership and management of the home is inadequate. The Registered Manager has not ensured that the home operates in accordance with regulatory requirements. The Registered Manager has also failed to ensure the home has been conducted in a manner which is consistent with its Statement of Purpose. Monitoring systems are not in place, so practice has not been reviewed or shortfalls identified. These failings place young people at risk of harm.. Overall, the home inadequately promotes young people’s welfare and fails to safeguard them. 3 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with learning disabilities. It is owned and managed by a private provider.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

9 (2001) ensure the registered provider and the registered manager, having regard to the size of the children's home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children accommodated there, carry on the home with sufficient care, competence and skill (Regulation 9 (1)) * * 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) conduct the home so as to promote and make proper provision for the safeguarding and welfare of children accommodated there (Regulation 11 (1)(a)) * * 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that persons working at the home are of integrity and good character, have the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the work they perform, are physically and mentally fit for the purpose and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to them in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2 (Regulation 26 (3)) * * 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered provider shall appoint, at the registered provider's expense, an independent person to visit and report on the children's home in 14/12/2014 4 of 11 accordance with this regulation (Regulation 33(1)) * *

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered person shall establish and maintain a system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at least once in every 3 months (Regulation 34 (1)) * * 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

4 (2001) ensure that the registered person compiles in relation to the children's home a written statement ( in the Regulations referred to as "the statement of purpose") which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1 (Regulation 4, (1) Schedule 1.20 & 1.21) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

4 (2001) ensure that the children's home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose (Regulation 4(6)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

5 (2001) ensure the registered person shall keep under review and, where appropriate, revise the statement of purpose and the children's guide (Regulation 5) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

8 (2001) ensure only a person of integrity and good character shall manage a children's home (Regulation 8(2)(a)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

8 (2001) ensure the person appointed to manage the children’s home has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for managing the children's home, having regard to the size of the children's home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children accommodated there- (Regulation 8 (2)(b)(i)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

9 (2001) ensure the registered manager shall undertake such training as is appropriate to ensure he has the experience and skills necessary for managing the children's home (Regulation 9(3)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the home is conducted in a manner which respects the privacy and dignity of children accommodated there (Regulation 11(2)(a)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

12A (2001) comply with requests by the child's placing authority to provide it with information relating to the child (Regulation 12A(2)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) implement a written policy which sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of any allegation of abuse or neglect that includes the prompt referral to the local authority in whose area the home is situated (Regulation 16 (2)(b)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

16 provide for written records to be kept of any 14/12/2014 5 of 11 (2001) allegation of abuse or neglect to protect children in the children's home following an allegation of abuse or neglect (Regulation 16 (2)(d)

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure no measure or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph(2) shall be used at any time on children accommodated in a children's home (Regulation17(1)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any control, restraint or discipline in a children's home, a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose (Regulation 17B(3)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that at all times there is a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working at the home (Regulation 25(1)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the employment of any persons on a temporary basis at the children's home will not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs (Regulation 25(2)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure a disciplinary procedure is operated which provides for the suspension of an employee where necessary in the interests of the safety and welfare of children accommodated in the home (Regulation 27(2) (a)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all persons employed shall receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal (Regulation 27(4)(a)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that in the children's home the records specified in Schedule 4 are maintained and kept up to date(Regulation 29(1)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure where the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to a children's home that all requirements of that Order and any regulations under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home (Regulation 32(1A)(b)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure there is a system established and maintained to improve the quality of care provided in the children's home (Regulation 34(1)(b)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the system established to monitor and improve the quality of care provided in the children's home shall provide for consultation with children accommodated in the home, their parents and placing authority.((Regulation 34(3)) 14/12/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice 6 of 11 7 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people inadequate

Young people have not made progress during their short time in placement during August and September 2014. They have not received adequate support to develop a positive self-view, emotional resilience, or understanding of their background. This is because they have not received consistency of care nor had the opportunity to build trusting relationships. They have not had the therapeutic care offered in the home’s Statement of Purpose.

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Outcomes for children and young people inadequate

Young people did not make a positive contribution to the home; receive support to share their wishes and views; or have positive engagement with the wider community. As a result, they did not want to live in the home and refused to return after an incident.

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Quality of care inadequate

Young people have not enjoyed positive or constructive relationships with staff. This is because the staff do not have the qualifications, skills and experience necessary to provide them with the good quality, therapeutic care for children and young people that is promised in the home’s Statement of Purpose. Instead of good daily routines, young people experienced a series of different persons caring for them. For example, a young person experienced being cared for by 12 different adults morning, afternoon and night during his first week in placement. A series of bank, agency and staff from another of the organisation’s homes have fulfilled shifts. As a result, young people do not know who is looking after them; they experience inconsistent care and cannot build up trusting relationships.

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Quality of care inadequate

Young people do not enjoy a range of purposeful and enjoyable activities. Neither are individual needs relating to their emotional and behavioural difficulties and specific diagnoses met. This is because many staff are inexperienced in caring for children and young people. For example, only one member of staff has the required level three qualification in working with children and young people. No staff, including the Registered Manager, has undertaken any training about learning disability, or has up- to-date training in either Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).Consequently, staff are unable to make suitable plans or address young people’s needs adequately.

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Quality of care inadequate

The home is appropriately located and is well designed and maintained. However, inappropriate toddler toys and posters for much younger children are placed in the games room and dining room. The inappropriate décor and furnishings do not meet the needs of young people who were in placement and indicate that staff lack 8 of 11 understanding of child development. In addition, no bathrooms or toilets have any window coverings to protect the privacy and dignity of young people using these rooms when the electric lights are on. These shortfalls compromise the quality of care young people receive.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Young people’s safety is compromised because staff, including the manager, have not undertaken regular safeguarding training. This means that staff do not have an appropriate awareness of child protection issues and do not understand how to refer safeguarding concerns to the appropriate authorities. For example, the Registered Manager took no action about an allegation of harm to a young person by a member of staff. In addition, there are no records in the home of child protection concerns and the actions taken. As a result, young people’s safety is compromised.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Young people do not feel safe and lack confidence in staff. The Registered Manager did not take prompt or appropriate action in line with safeguarding or disciplinary procedures when alerted to by the local authority to allegations about a staff member. and the Manager failed to make any record about the allegation. In addition, information about serious incidents has not been provided to placing authorities in line with safeguarding procedures. Essential information necessary to the conduct of child protection investigations is missing and young people are not safe.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Young people’s behaviour is not safely managed. Staff have failed to engage with young people positively and have initiated physical interventions to force young people’s compliance with instructions. Staff have been unable to de-escalate confrontations and do not recognise triggers to young people’s behaviour. At times staff have lost control of situations and the police have been called. Only one member of staff is trained in physical intervention; few have first aid qualifications and a number have no experience of working with vulnerable children and young people. Young people have not had the skilled, safe care they need.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Staff do not make the necessary, accurate records about how they manage behaviour. For example, there is no central record for recording disciplinary measures of control and existing records on young people’s case records are inadequately completed. They do not record all the necessary details of the restraint, such as: who restrained the young person; what kind of hold was used; or whether the measure has been discussed with them. Records do not provide reliable information to enable a managerial review of incidents or the opportunity to learn from them. This lack of critical information means there is no accountability for staff or protection for children. Young people are placed at risk because there is no fire risk assessment or fire evacuation plan available for staff and young people to follow. In addition, young people have not practised fire drills. Where there are keypads to operate fire exits

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

9 of 11 there has been no test to see that they will actually open without the keypad code when the fire alarm is set off. Managers have not ensured that the advice of the fire safety officer is followed. The dangers of fire are not minimised for young people living in the home.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

The selection and vetting of staff does not protect young people. There is no system to ensure that adults working with children and young people are suitable. For example, staff with criminal convictions are not subject to a risk assessment, specific to their offending histories. A number of agency staff work with young people, but the Registered Manager does not hold a record of their recruitment and vetting checks. They have not established their suitability or checked their identity prior to starting work in the home. This lack of rigor places young people at risk of harm from potentially unsuitable adults.

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Leadership and management inadequate

Leaders and managers have not ensured that the home is run consistently with its Statement of Purpose. Instead, they have admitted young people without regard to their overarching emotional and behavioural difficulties and have not delivered the therapeutic care that the Statement of Purpose promises. Furthermore, leaders and managers have not reviewed the Statement of Purpose to ensure that it contains all the information required and is up to date. For example, the experience and qualifications of staff; the current management structure; and the actual arrangements for the supervision of staff and the manager are not stated or up to date. The regulator, Ofsted, has not been sent any update to the Statement of Purpose since the home registered. These shortfalls demonstrate inadequate management and the inability to provide an adequate quality of care to young people.

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Leadership and management inadequate

The actions of the Registered Manager have not demonstrated integrity and good character. There has been inexplicable delay in providing information to placing authorities and to Ofsted about significant issues. The account of young people’s injuries following restraint is inconsistent with that of the local authority, and there is no proper record. Their understanding of the monitoring of the quality of care in the children’s home is different from that presented to Ofsted in the formal report. Furthermore, there was no evidence of the Manager’s safe recruitment by the organisation. This evidence of poor management does not promote and safeguard young people’s welfare.

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Leadership and management inadequate

The Registered Manager does not have the necessary qualifications, skills and experience to operate a children’s home. For example, they do not have the relevant qualification for the care of children and young people. Despite assuring Ofsted at the point of registration that they had enrolled on a course for this, they have not done so. They have been unable to demonstrate skills and experience in the care of children with learning disabilities or of training staff as described on his application 10 of 11 for registration as a manager..The responsible individual has failed to adequately supervise the Registered Manager or check that they have fulfilled the basic requirements of management and core training given to them during his most recent supervision in July 2014. As a result, young people have received inadequate care.

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Leadership and management inadequate

There are not a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working in the home. Only one member of staff working with young people possesses the required level three equivalent qualification and only one member of staff has received appropriate restraint training. No staff are trained in safeguarding and two members of staff were appointed earlier this year with no experience of working with children. Four of the agency staff had no experience of working with children. This lack of care has meant that children have not been safeguarded.

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Leadership and management inadequate

Legally required records have not been made, or kept up to date. For example, staff records are not available in the home and there are no central complaints, notifications or child protection records. The register of children accommodated is incomplete. Leaders and managers do not understand the importance of keeping child and staff records to ensure children’s safety and welfare. They have failed to record essential information as required. This is a fundamental failure to grasp their responsibility to operate a children’s home in accordance within the regulatory framework and to provide accountable, safe care to vulnerable children.

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Leadership and management inadequate

There is inadequate monitoring and independent review of the home. Leaders and managers have not devised an effective system for monitoring and improving the quality of care provided. They have not consulted with young people, their parents or placing authorities in order to gain their views. Consequently, young people do not have an influence on the care provided. The review of the quality of care is unreliable. One monitoring report provided to Ofsted is in conflict with the home's operation and the Registered Manager does not know its contents. Leaders and managers have inadequate oversight of the functioning of the home.

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Leadership and management inadequate

Leaders and managers have not ensured that there are monthly visits to the home by an independent person and do not understand the importance of external scrutiny of child protection. Only one independent visit is recorded as having taken place, but no report is available for inspection or to the manager. The Registered Manager is vague about the visit and said: 'the visitor made a few points about Team Teach physical intervention training, recording accurately etc. He seemed fine with the way we are working.’ No visitor reports have been received by Ofsted since the home’s registration. This means that the regulator has been unable to review the quality of care provided in the home and the Registered Manager has not been able to receive feedback about the quality of the home from an independent party. As a result, failings to promote and safeguard the welfare of young people have gone unchecked. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management inadequate

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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