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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC487165 1 SC487165 Registered provider: Serenity Care Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a private organisation. The home’s statement of purpose states that ‘the home has been founded with the aim of providing children with a safe, nurturing and caring environment where they can build purposeful relationships’. The staff at this home care for children who may have experienced trauma within their family environment and may have difficulty regulating their emotions and behaviours. The home has been without a registered manager since August 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 12 October 2021 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC487165 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/11/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/04/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC487165 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build trusting and secure relationships with the children. The relationship focus that the staff strives to forge with the children, and, where possible, with their families, is central to this home. One child said, ‘Staff are here because they genuinely care.’ Consequently, the children experience a sense of belonging and acceptance. This provides the foundations for the children to heal and grow.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a range of recreational pursuits. Staff make considerable efforts to help the children to progress and enjoy positive experiences. The manager uses local connections to help create opportunities for the children, for example by securing a work experience placement for one child. Staff recognise that work opportunities develop the children’s confidence and that this helps to prepare them for adult life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff interact respectfully and proactively with the children’s families. Children receive purposeful support to rebuild family relationships. One parent said she would give the home a 10-star rating. Family members spoken to said that the children receive high levels of care and support. The positive role modelling by the staff in building relationships helps the children to develop skills to have positive relationships with others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children experience living in a warm and nurturing environment. Praise and encouragement underpin the staff practice. One child said, ‘When I come back from work or being out with friends, it feels like I’m coming home. I’ve never had that before.’ Managers and the staff celebrate the children’s strengths and achievements, no matter how small. This sends a powerful affirmation to the children of the value that the staff place on them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff pay particular attention to the children’s emotional health and well-being. Close monitoring ensures that the staff understand the children’s specific needs. Staff support and advocate for the children to access appropriate health services when these are needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are mindful in using caring and non-stigmatising language in the children’s daily records. Special moments are captured, for example of how a child and staff member watched a musical together and sang throughout it. Staff recognise that these records contribute to an important part of the children’s life story, and that they may wish to read them when they are older.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff follow procedures for responding to concerns about the children by reporting to appropriate safeguarding agencies. Records of child protection referrals form part of a well-set-out chronology of the actions taken. The manager follows up quickly on Inspection report for children’s home: SC487165 4 the outcome of referrals and ensures appropriate actions to ensure the safety and well-being of the children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff form part of a multi-agency network around the children who are at risk from exploitation, and risks associated with offending. Proactive working relationships with the police provide the necessary balance to protect children from involvement with the criminal justice system.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff help the children to develop independent living skills at a pace and level that is appropriate to their age and individual needs. Discriminatory behaviours are challenged, and help and support is given to the children about how to treat others with respect. This helps to develop the children’s sense of personal responsibility.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff support the children to participate in decisions that affect their lives. One child is an ambassador for his local authority and has been actively involved in an interview selection panel, both for the local authority and in the children’s home. Staff empower and encourage the children to have a voice and to be counted.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The recruitment processes are generally good. However, on two recruitment files sampled, managers had not effectively checked the applicant’s work history alongside other information provided. Lapses in due diligence to safer recruitment have the potential for unsafe staff to be recruited to the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

In-house risk assessments about what to do in an incident involving a hazardous substance have not been completed by managers. This does not meet the requirements of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. This was addressed on inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is in the process of applying to be registered with Ofsted and is supported well by her deputy manager and the leadership team. Staffing stability has significantly improved since the last inspection. There is good morale in the home. Staff speak of feeling well supported by each other and the managers, specifically with the uncertainties of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is well furnished, warm and welcoming. The responsible individual and managers ensure that any damage that occurs is quickly rectified. The investment in, and the care of, the home provides a strong message to the children that they matter, and that they are valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a range of mandatory and child-specific training to ensure that they are equipped with the right skills to meet the needs of the children. However, some of the staff are overdue for first aid and behaviour management refresher training. In part, this is because of the difficulty in accessing face-to-face training because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the manager has good oversight of the staff training needs, and training places have been booked for the staff concerned. Inspection report for children’s home: SC487165 5 The management team is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home, and implements plans to continue to improve the quality of care and respond to the children’s individual needs. The management team has responded to the requirements and recommendations made from the previous inspection, such that these have been met. Inspection report for children’s home: SC487165 6

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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—

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to the registered person ensuring the premises are safe from avoidable hazards, and that there is suitable guidance for staff to follow which meets the requirements of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. 15 February 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person must maintain good employment practice. In particular, they must ensure sufficient scrutiny to new applicants’ work histories. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. This relates to the registered person ensuring that all staff complete mandatory first aid and behaviour management refresher training within the required time frames. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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, Inspection report for children’s home: SC487165 7 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 for children’s home: SC487165 8

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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: Conkers Cottage, Brockhills Farm, Sway Road, Tiptoe, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 6FQ

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Inspector

Anne-Marie Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC487165 9 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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