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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last full inspection, Ofsted judged this home for children with learning disabilities to be good. Leadership and management required improvement. This remains the case. Senior personnel continue to make improvements to the service and maintain good links with a wide range of other professionals. This contributes to young people’s welfare and safety. Staff undertake much effective direct work with the young people. However, weaknesses exist in staffing the home at night and in taking suitable admissions.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The outcomes for young people are good for some and less clear for others. Young people enjoy the stability offered by a consistent team of staff and benefit from input by specialist agencies. Since the last inspection, several professionals have complemented the team. One social worker said, ‘I am pleased with the support that staff are offering my young person and they appear to be making a positive impact on him.’ The staff themselves enjoy regular support from a psychologist, who helps direct their work. Consequently, through regular key working sessions, staff help young people understand and address their difficulties. Some young people do remarkably well in their education and most of those who have left the home reflect fondly on their experiences.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In the light of her analysis of negative incidents, the manager decided to cease taking young people in an emergency and only admit young people of the same sex as existing residents. This helped her address a requirement made at the last inspection. The most recent resident met the new criteria. The young man enjoyed meeting the other young person before moving in and feels positive about the home. The written assessment of the locality now refers to nearby children’s homes. This is an important improvement and the manager intends to make contact with the closest homes. One young person left abruptly because of a series of serious incidents. Staff had not received full information prior to his arrival and they could not meet his needs. Therefore, the reluctant decision to serve notice was correct.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff team has faced a range of challenging incidents, which they have addressed satisfactorily. Each incident has led to substantial reflection and revision of procedures. The manager wants the team to implement preventative strategies based on their substantial training. A key factor is the continuity of staffing. The daytime team is largely unchanged since the last inspection. It is robust and effective. However, there is not a consistent team of waking night staff, which reflects a pattern of negative incidents. Some night staff do not have the robust relationships with the young people required to prevent and deescalate difficult situations.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

When young people go missing, staff undertake reasonable checks and liaise well with other professionals. However, in some cases, social workers have not arranged interviews when the young people have returned home. This increases the risk of staff misunderstanding incidents. The staff use two different templates to assess the level of risk to young people. One is adequate and the other is good. The manager is considering streamlining the risk assessment procedure accordingly.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, two new managers have covered the registered manager’s maternity leave. This has reduced the effectiveness of the decision- making process. However, a competent deputy manager is in post and the registered manager has now returned to work. This means there is the potential for consolidation that has been lacking since before the last inspection. The management team have considered the requirements and recommendations arising from the last inspection. Consequently, regular checks of the company vehicle address the safety of staff and young people. However, the records do not verify that remedial action has taken place. This indicates a shortfall in the monitoring of records. Unsuitable adults are less likely to work in the home now because of improvements to the recruitment procedures. This is particularly significant at night when fewer staff are on duty and there is a lower level of supervision. The

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

manager is considering ways of monitoring night-time activity.

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Information about this children's home

A private company owns this home. Ofsted has registered it for up to four children who have learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 05/05/2016 Full Good 25/01/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 07/07/2015 Full Requires improvement 16/12/2014 Interim Not judged

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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

Ensure that the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children’s home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs. This is with particular regard to the waking night staff. (Regulation 31(1)) 17/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

Help the independent person to inspect such of the home’s records as the independent person requires. This is with regard to confirming that vehicle safety checks are satisfactory. (Regulation 44(2)b) 20/03/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This 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 Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. 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

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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