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 staff at this home care for up to two children who have attachment, behaviour, emotional and social needs because of their childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of inspection, there were two children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 21 February 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

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

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/03/2023 Full Good 30/11/2021 Full Good 08/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/11/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC487165 3

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outstanding

The home environment consists of two separate living quarters, which are both immaculate in presentation, with a homely feel and appearance. The home is well maintained and decorated to a high standard. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and reflect their individuality well.

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outstanding

Children’s views, wishes, and feelings are gained via a number of ways, including at weekly meetings and in everyday practice. Activities are discussed and the children are able to choose what they want to do.

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outstanding

Staff have a clear understanding of each child’s history and current needs. Through getting to know them, they have learned how to support them effectively in times of distress. Plans and risk assessments are comprehensive and give great insight into children’s needs and risks and how these are to be managed to ensure their safety and well-being.

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outstanding

Incidents are well managed. Staff appropriately attempt to de-escalate situations using a patient approach, verbal reassurance, and distraction techniques. Physical intervention is not used. The manager’s review of incident reports is reflective; the manager takes account of potential triggers for children and provides guidance to staff on adapting their approach in line with children’s needs. Reviews with the children post-incident are thorough, reflective, and honest. Staff work hard to support the children to make different decisions to reduce incidents in the future.

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outstanding

Staff exhibit kindness and warmth towards the children and each other. This contributes towards the homely environment and a supportive team culture. There are warm interactions between children and adults, and children are treated with dignity and respect.

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outstanding

Social workers speak very highly of the care and support provided to the children by the staff. In particular, they report that the children are more settled here than ever before, and that communication with the home keeps them well informed. The staff clearly know the individual needs of the children and are happy to work with external agencies to ensure that the children are provided with wraparound care that meets their needs.

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outstanding

Children have made significant progress; a child who had not attended school since primary school is now regularly attending and engaging with bespoke tutoring in the home, which has been arranged by the local authority. Another child is attending full-time education in another county, which has been supported by staff to enable them to travel independently every day. Inspection report for children’s home: SC487165 4 Children have access to a wide range of activities that support their talents and interests. When they are at home, children are encouraged to do as much as they can for themselves. When accessing the community, the children are learning important life skills that will help them to learn how to live as independently as possible, both now and in the future.

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outstanding

Family time is both supported and encouraged. Staff listen to the children and observe their behaviours before and after visits. Family time is structured to include activities after the visit, and to give the children travel breaks and the opportunity to enjoy a meal. Staff strive to ensure that time with family members is positive, with the hope that it can increase over time.

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outstanding

Children’s achievements are celebrated by staff, and this can be seen in young people’s monthly newsletters and memory books.

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outstanding

The registered manager models effective, proactive, and consistent collaboration with professionals. This has resulted in excellent partnership working to provide the best outcomes for children.

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outstanding

Staff understand the risks and vulnerabilities of the children and respond to any concerns swiftly. They follow the safeguarding policies and procedures and work with other professionals, including the police and specialist services, in order to provide children with wraparound care and support.

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outstanding

Strategies to help keep children safe are clearly set out in children’s individual support plans. Children are supported to identify their own behaviours and triggers, and detailed safety plans identify how staff can support the children to feel safe. Door alarms are in use at night. However, there is no written consent from the placing authorities for their use.

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outstanding

Staff are clear about what action to take when a child discloses a concern or allegation. All necessary action and appropriate steps are taken in a child-focused and timely manner. This ensures that the child remains the focus and priority of staff.

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outstanding

When children leave the home without permission or do not return at the agreed time, staff actively communicate with the child and contact relevant agencies, such as the police. These actions ensure that children return to the home at the earliest opportunity.

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outstanding

Accidents and injuries are recorded accurately and in a timely manner. This ensures that the health and safety of staff and children in the home are recorded and acted on, where necessary, without undue delay. Inspection report for children’s home: SC487165 5 Despite each floor providing solo accommodation, the process of matching is still taken into consideration by managers. The risks, vulnerabilities, supervision and support needs, as well as the preferences of children, are all well considered, and any concerns are mitigated as far as is reasonably practicable.

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outstanding

Staff treat the children with respect and understanding according to their individual needs and experiences. Staff provide consistent boundaries and transparency in their practice. This enables the children to feel safe and understand the consequences to their actions.

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outstanding

Regular stability meetings take place when required, with the aim of there being an informed approach to caring for children, to maintain their stability in the home and minimise the risk of a placement breakdown.

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outstanding

The company has robust safer recruiting procedures to help to ensure the safety and protection of the children.

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outstanding

Staff are appropriately trained. Staff are able to incorporate their training and knowledge into daily practice. For example, they use PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy) strategies to support the care that they provide. This ensures that children are cared for consistently by experienced and informed staff.

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outstanding

Health and safety in the home, including fire risk management, is effective. Any maintenance requirements are quickly resolved, and the manager ensures that the home is maintained to a high standard. Children live in a safe environment. Staff and children know what is expected of them in an emergency to keep them and others safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers know the children and staff team very well. The registered manager has a range of monitoring systems that identify strengths and improvements effectively. The monthly review enables the leadership team to implement changes efficiently, and enables comprehensive oversight by the senior leadership team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders have responded to previous requirements made at the last inspection and have successfully addressed those shortfalls. There are transparent and respectful relationships between leaders and managers and with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel very well supported by the manager. A member of staff has been supported to progress to a senior post. The managers ensure that the staff team receives regular supervision and team meetings; these result in a high standard of care being provided to young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager recognises the importance of working in partnership with health, education, and social care professionals and therapists to meet children’s needs in all areas. Professionals, such as social workers, report good relationships with the Inspection report for children’s home: SC487165 6 home. They feel that staff communicate with them regularly and that the team supports children well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team is diverse and there is an openness to discussing equality and diversity in the home to promote children’s understanding.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff have high expectations for the team and are ambitious about children’s futures. The speak passionately about providing good-quality care and working with children to unlock their potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff ensure that children have positive experiences. They provide children with routine, instil boundaries, spend time talking to the children, and show an interest in children’s own interests and hobbies.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Overall, the progress of the children is clear to see, and is testament to the unconditional care, kindness, and ultimate acceptance that the staff offer to the children at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC487165 7

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Recommendation

 Just as in a family home, children should be able to access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. Limits on privacy and access may only be put in place to safeguard each child in the home (regulation 21(c)(i)). Any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, be properly recorded, and be kept under regular review. This is in relation to the door alarms being used at night, and ensuring that each placing authority has given written consent. Additionally, the use of the door alarms should be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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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, 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: Wild at Heart, Forest Road, Thorney Hill, Bransgore, Christchurch BH23 8DZ

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Inspector

Emma Haskell, Social Care Regulatory 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 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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