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

This monitoring visit

The home was subject to a full inspection on 08 July 2015 and judged to require improvement. An interim inspection took place on 25 January 2016 and the home was judged to have declined in effectiveness. There were significant and wide- ranging concerns noted at that time, and 13 requirements were identified. These included failures to provide young people with personalised care, insufficient staff, a dependency on the use of temporary and agency staff, poor management oversight and monitoring, and ineffectual risk assessments. The service failed to address seven of the requirements raised at the July inspection.

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This monitoring visit

A compliance notice was issued on 29 January 2016 in respect of the providers continued failure to ensure that young people’s case files include all necessary information and documentation. In order to evaluate if the home has taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notice, a monitoring visit took place on 31 March 2016.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager liaised with the placing authorities and allocated social workers to ensure that statutory care plans and placement plans were available. Plans are now retained on case files in the home, and young people have easy access to these records. The availability of these documents means that staff are aware of the aims and objectives of young people’s placements. This information shapes young people’s internal support plans. Furthermore, minutes of statutory review meetings are available in the home. This ensure that changes to young people’s care plans are acknowledged and actioned immediately.

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This monitoring visit

Case files now contain all necessary health information, including statutory health assessment reports, immunisation records and medication reviews. Staff are better able to meet young people’s bespoke and often complex health needs because they are able to access the documents they require.

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This monitoring visit

Educational information, including education, heath and care plans, personal education plans, and statements of educational needs, where applicable are now available on case files. As a result, young people’s educational progress is better supported. This is because staff are now aware of young people’s ambitions and achievements, and are able to work in in partnership with learning providers and allocated schools. This supports young people’s development and helps them to understand the importance of education.

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This monitoring visit

Young people’s contact arrangements with their friends and families are detailed within internal and statutory care plans. This means that any contract restrictions, additional visits, overnight stays and ‘free-time’ provisions are known. This promotes young people’s safety.

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This monitoring visit

The service has taken sufficient actions to meet the compliance notice. The remaining requirements will be monitored at the next inspection.

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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 operated 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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

No new requirements were identified at this monitoring visit.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the home since their last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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,

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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