Children's Home run by Serenity Care Homes Ltd in Hampshire

Inspection report children‟s home: SC487165 1 SC487165 Registered provider: Serenity Care Homes Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children. A private company owns and operates this home, plus one other nearby. The home is located in a semi-rural location with easy access to local services and the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children‟s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A three-month restriction notice was issued on the 15 March 2018.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Inspection report children‟s home: SC487165 2 08/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 11/07/2017 Full Good 06/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 08/08/2016 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC487165 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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— help each child to achieve the child‟s education and training targets, as recorded in the child‟s relevant plans; support each child‟s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study; understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)) 01/07/2018

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; 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; that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child 01/07/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC487165 4 from avoidable hazards to the child‟s health. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(v)(vi)(b)(d)) The leadership and management standard The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home‟s statement of purpose; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous

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Requirement Due date

improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) 01/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

Statement of purpose The registered person must compile in relation to the children‟s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(1)(3)(a)(b)) 01/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

Continuing professional development: registered person and 01/07/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC487165 5 responsible individual. If the registered provider is an organisation, the organisation must ensure that the responsible individual undertakes such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the responsible individual has the skills needed for supervising the management of the home. (Regulation 29(2)) Employment of staff The registered person must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular— provides for the suspension from work of an employee if necessary in the interests of the safety or welfare of children; For the purposes of this regulation, “the appropriate person” is the registered person, an officer of HMCI, an officer of the local authority in whose area the home is located or a police officer. The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(2)(a)(3)(4)(a)(b)) 01/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

Notification of a serious event The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(b)(e)) 01/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

Independent person: visits and reports The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children‟s home at least once each month. The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person‟s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person‟s opinion as to whether— children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children‟s well-being. (Regulation 44(1)(4)(a)(b)) 01/07/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC487165 6

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Recommendations

 Staff need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home‟s workforce plan, and specifically ensure they maintain their local knowledge of risk. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 43, paragraph 9.12)

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Recommendations

 Homes should develop and maintain effective working relationships with local youth justice and police services where children in their care have targets to achieve in reducing offending or socially unacceptable behaviour. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 38, paragraph 8.5)

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improvement to be good

Children have not yet made good progress, although they have lived in the home for several months. The staff enable young people to feel at ease, relax and be comfortable, and have developed good-quality, positive relationships with them. While children do have some frank and honest conversations with staff, they do not always give information that enables staff to fully support, guide and assist them in making positive choices.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not consistently show ambition for the children. Staff have not established daily routines that engage children in structured activities and education. This impacts negatively on children‟s ability to recognise and achieve their full potential. Staff have been unable to engage the children in their individual education plans.

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improvement to be good

Children develop some positive life skills through the basic household tasks they choose to engage in. They enjoy a variety of physical and creative activities with some success, which promotes their confidence and self-esteem. Staff encourage children to explore employment and training opportunities.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to maintain positive, safe and well-managed contact with family and friends. Children have re-established contact with those they have not seen for a period of time.

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improvement to be good

Care plans reflect need and long-term objectives, but do not provide clarity regarding current targets, to enable staff to identify progress. Staff support children to address emotional and physical health needs. They are persistent and ensure that children attend all health appointments. Inspection report children‟s home: SC487165 7 Staff are not successful in consistently gaining children‟s views and thoughts about their experiences and reasons for specific actions and behaviours. Staff provide practical education and advice through one-to-one conversations that positively promote and influence children to change their behaviours.

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improvement to be good

Since the monitoring visit, which happened after a serious incident in the home, staff have implemented new processes and procedures to avoid, manage and minimise future incidents.

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improvement to be good

Children say that they feel safe and secure at the home; they form relationships of trust with staff, and seek their support and guidance when worried or upset. Staff support them to explore and develop positive strategies for managing emotion and trying new experiences.

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improvement to be good

Managers have not assessed individual staff members‟ knowledge, competency and skills in regard to safeguarding and how to refer incidents. Staff have not consistently followed the home‟s policy and procedure when concerns arise. They have completed investigations before referring concerns and allegations to other agencies. These investigations are not thorough and do not give clarity regarding the outcomes, evaluations and further actions required.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond effectively to situations through practical, creative and influential intervention that supports children to make positive choices. Physical interventions are rarely used. Staff have improved their application of boundaries and rules in the home. Children receive appropriate sanctions and consequences for unacceptable behaviour.

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improvement to be good

Staff formulate and review risk assessments that detail known risk factors and desired responses. The consistency of the staff‟s responses has improved, but this needs to be embedded in practice.

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improvement to be good

Staff effectively and collaboratively manage episodes of missing. There are clear individual plans and approaches in place. Staff in general are proactive; they seek and locate children. On one occasion, a member of staff did not follow a young person and records do not reflect the reasons for this. Staff speak with children on their return to ascertain their welfare and explore their reasons for going missing.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers do not ensure that the environment is safe and well presented. They have not acted swiftly to repair damage in the home. Staff are not vigilant to the risks that damage presents and there is no formal system in place to review or request maintenance. Inspection report children‟s home: SC487165 8

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not have a clear understanding of the home‟s strengths and weaknesses. They lack a thorough approach to the review, monitoring and evaluation of events and incidents. Leaders have not identified learning that would enable them to improve and develop practice. They are ineffective in prioritising developments and challenging weaknesses. Improvements are not always sustained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Senior leaders and managers do not demonstrate a full understanding of the Children‟s Homes (England) Regulations 2015. They have acted on the requirements and recommendations previously set, but as there have been no admissions, new processes are yet to be tested.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not receive regular, effective supervision. Leaders and managers do not hold staff to account through performance management procedures. Managers do not share performance plans or essential information in order to promote and ensure effective management.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Independent visitor‟s reports lack evaluation and analysis of the quality of care provided. The visitor has not identified the shortfalls in relation to safeguarding and staff competence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not notified HMCI of all significant events that have occurred, and have not submitted updated statements of purpose as required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers advocate on behalf of children and secure access to services to which they are entitled. Leaders and managers have developed formal systems and processes for addressing and improving the relationships they have with other agencies.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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 children‟s home: SC487165 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Serenity Care Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Greenacres, Silver Street, Hordle, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 0FN

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Inspectors

Amanda Maxwell: social care inspector Ruth Coler: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC487165 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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