Children's Home run by The Serendipity Centre Limited in Hampshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC478315 1 SC478315 Registered provider: The Serendipity Centre Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home which is registered to care for up to four children who have complex behavioural difficulties. The organisation which owns the home also has sister homes in the local area and a therapeutic education setting. The home specialises in caring for girls who have experienced physical and/or emotional trauma in their past. This home does not have a registered manager. The post has been vacant since 1 November 2018.

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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: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Yes

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requires improvement to be good

Ofsted have issued a condition on the home to care for no more than two children from 21 November 2019 to 12 February 2020. Inspection report children’s home: SC478315 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/08/2019 Full Inadequate 21/02/2019 Full Good 13/12/2017 Full Good 18/01/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC478315 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to ensuring that decision-making safeguards children. 28/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care for each child; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to ensuring that risk assessments include all risks and risk assessments are reviewed to ensure that they remain relevant, all incidents are monitored and actions taken without delay and staffing issues are addressed to ensure continuity of care. 28/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)) 31/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC478315 4

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Recommendations

 Children should be able to maintain and develop their cultural or religious beliefs as far as practicable and where appropriate, through participation and instruction, and by observing religious requirements including dress and diet. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.22) In particular, to respond more quickly to requests from a child in relation to cultural issues.  The home should work in partnership with relevant people as appropriate to ensure that the child is provided with support (appropriate to their age and understanding) to communicate their views, wishes and feelings and participate as fully as possible in all aspects of their care planning and daily care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.6) In particular, to review which decisions a child can make with the placing

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Recommendations

authority.  Under Regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risk and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) In particular, ensure that consultation takes place with relevant agencies when identifying potential risks in the locality of the home.

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improvement to be good

Although some aspects of the direct care provided are good, shortfalls in leadership and management undermine the ability to provide the quality of care which the managers aspire to.

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improvement to be good

There was an occasion when staff did not follow a young person’s care plan. They failed to keep to agreed hourly telephone call checks on a young person and as a result emerging risks were not identified.

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improvement to be good

The staff listen to the young people and encourage them to express their views. Regular house meetings cover a wide range of topics, using research material and exercises to make learning fun. However, a young person’s request to follow an aspect of her culture has not been actioned. This is a missed opportunity to fully engage with her wishes. Inspection report children’s home: SC478315 5 An agreement made with the placing authority specifying who can make day-to-day decisions for one young person has not been reviewed. This does not reflect the young person’s increased maturity and ability to become more independent.

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improvement to be good

The staff encourage young people to attend college. They liaise closely with professionals to achieve this. They supported one young person to attend college by attending the college during breaks to help her settle. They work closely with education staff and professionals to identify suitable further education opportunities.

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improvement to be good

The staff ensure that young people gain the necessary skills to increase their independence in preparation for when they leave the home. The use of a reward system helps young people to work on the areas needed to assist them in developing these skills. One young person has successfully moved to semi-independent accommodation.

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improvement to be good

Generally, risk assessments for young people are appropriately updated. However, they include information which is no longer relevant. In addition, the length of the document risks information being missed.

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improvement to be good

The staff’s practice is not of a consistently high standard. Two incidents occurred where decisions made were reactive and not all potential risks to a young person were identified. On another occasion, staff failed to seek medical support for a young person who was presenting as intoxicated. In addition, checks made during the night were not recorded. This does not promote keeping young people as safe as possible. However, there have been some incidents where the staff have managed young people’s behaviour effectively and recording of this has been of a good standard.

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improvement to be good

Physical interventions are rare and when they do occur the intervention is minimal and safely applied. The staff and young people are given the opportunity to express their views. This enables leaders and managers to analyse incidents to inform practice.

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improvement to be good

Online training regarding safeguarding issues is completed by young people. This equips them with the knowledge they need to keep themselves safe. As a result, one young person has reported safeguarding concerns relating to herself and a peer.

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improvement to be good

The young people are encouraged to share worries and complaints with staff. A complaint made by one young person was appropriately responded to. The young person reported being satisfied with the outcome. This increases the likelihood that she will express any dissatisfactions in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The absence of a registered manager has had a negative impact on the care provided to the young people. The failures in safe practice were not identified during monitoring Inspection report children’s home: SC478315 6 processes. This has led to delays in investigations and learning from the outcome. Senior leaders are now employing an external professional to undertake the investigation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been a change of staff, with key staff being transferred to another service. Arrangements for the staff to remain in contact with a young person living here have been ad hoc and unreliable. In addition, the staff team has not been consistent. This does not show concern for the young people’s sense of stability and emotional well- being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is a review of premises for the home, which identifies some of the risks that young people could be exposed to in their local community. However, managers have not consulted widely with other agencies or considered all available information pertaining to the locality.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers are aware of staff’s skills, experience and any areas that need improvement. A training programme addresses any shortfalls. The staff’s knowledge is tested out in supervisions and team meetings. However, the workforce plan has not been updated and does not include the plan to recruit and retain staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers meet with senior staff to review safeguarding and practice issues. Leaders and managers are committed to improving the service and providing the best outcomes for the young people.

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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: SC478315 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Serendipity Centre Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1st Floor, Goodlands House, St Lukes Close, Hedge End, Southampton SO30 2US

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC478315 8 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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