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

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC471672 1 SC471672

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Serenity Specialist Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who have learning disabilities. It is owned and operated by a small private company.

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This monitoring visit

This home was inspected in May 2017, and judged to be good. A monitoring visit took place in October 2017 due to Ofsted receiving concerns about behaviour management. The outcome of that visit was that one requirement and one recommendation were made. Since that time, Ofsted has received further complaints about this home. This monitoring visit took place to review the progress made since the last monitoring visit, and to review these concerns.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last monitoring inspection, there has been insufficient action taken to meet the requirement previously made. This related to young people’s education. Currently, none of the young people in the home are attending school. A new young person arrived in the home in December 2017 and, to date, is not attending school. There has been insufficient challenge to the delay in identifying a school for him. Managers in the home have not taken effective action to ensure that all young people receive appropriate education.

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This monitoring visit

Similarly, there has been insufficient challenge made to placing authorities. Young people do not benefit from a home where there is a drive to resolve problems and raise concerns about education on their behalf. This drift and delay has the potential to significantly impact on the educational outcomes for young people.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s managers have taken action to meet the recommendation from the last monitoring inspection. Where young people express dissatisfaction with any sanctions, this is now followed up in discussions. This exploration by the staff with young people ensures that they are afforded the opportunity to explore incidents and raise concerns with staff, should they so wish. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC471672 2 Ofsted received concerns about recent incidents in the home. All of these incidents have been previously notified to Ofsted and the provider has taken appropriate actions to ensure that young people are safe from harm. Risk assessments for young people are kept under review and staffing levels are consistent. When young people require additional support, for example with their mental health needs, the home’s managers ensure that this is put in place. The home’s managers have recently made

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This monitoring visit

some efforts to liaise with the local community so that if concerns arise, managers can respond.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit found that there have been appropriate actions taken to keep young people safe where incidents have occurred. However, the educational needs of the young people remain unmet. There has been a lack of challenge to placing authorities, and other key professionals, where there have been avoidable delays in resolving issues.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 30/05/2017 Full Good 08/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 05/05/2016 Full Good 25/01/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC471672 3

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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, 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non- attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8(1) and (2)(a)(viii)) * 28/02/2018*

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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 children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC471672 4

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Serenity Specialist Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: First Floor, Dutch Barn, Shadowbrook Court, Shadowbrook Lane, Solihull, West Midlands B92 0DL

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Inspector

Pete Hylton, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC471672 5 to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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