Children's Home run by Yorkshire Serenity Care Ltd in Bradford

Inspection report for children’s home: 2736509 1 Registered provider: Yorkshire Serenity Care 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 managed by a private provider. The home provides care for one child with social and/or emotional difficulties. There is currently one child living in the home, who has lived at the home since it opened.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been registered with Ofsted since 28 September 2023. The registered manager resigned from their role before the inspection. A new manager has yet to be appointed. The responsible individual is also the acting manager.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2736509 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has developed trust with the adults who care for them. The staff’s patient approach has helped the child to feel accepted and begin to develop confidence in the team. The child said, ‘It’s relaxed here. There have been some ups and downs, but these have been sorted out by [name of responsible individual].’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

High importance is given to ensuring that the child’s voice is listened to and influences the care and support that they receive. The responsible individual has been significant in helping the child feel listened to. This has been a contributing factor in helping the child to settle into life at their new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s education is provided through a home tutoring programme organised by the virtual school. The child’s learning is demonstrated through their progressive engagement with their daily online lessons. The encouragement and celebration of the child’s achievements are helping to develop the child’s confidence towards learning as they consider the next step of returning to a school setting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is registered with healthcare services and is having their health needs met. Staff are also sensitively developing the child’s awareness about the benefits of a nutritional diet and exercise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s parent, social worker and independent reviewing officer (IRO) value the quality and frequency of communication from the staff. Regular updates about the child’s progress ensure that the most relevant people in the child’s life are kept well informed about the child’s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff support the child to have meaningful family time. They have developed a close working relationship with the child’s parent. The parent said, ‘Communication is great, and they listen when I have things to say. They treat [name of child] like family.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff show a genuine interest in the child’s culture and individual identity. Reciprocal conversations occur about the staff’s own diverse cultural needs. Staff ensure that the child takes part in cooking and enjoying meals that connect them with their cultural heritage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys a variety of activities in the community, such as bowling, laser tag and countryside drives in the home’s vehicle. A balanced approach to daily activities enables the child to have fun or simply stay at home relaxing with staff. These enjoyable experiences and the staff’s positive recognition of the child’s achievements help to develop the child’s self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is modern, comfortable and welcoming. Staff involve the child when considering how to improve the quality of the environment. This empowers the child Inspection report for children’s home: 2736509 3 to take ownership of their home and feel comfortable when living so far away from their family home.

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

The child feels safe living at this home. Staff have helped the child to feel comfortable. This has led to the child reflecting on the unsafe situations that have occurred previously.

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

There have been no incidents of the child being missing from home. This is extensive progress from the child’s starting point and is reflected in the court- imposed restrictions being lifted. The associated dangers of children going missing from home have reduced. However, there is a lack of clarity on who is accountable for completing return home interviews should the need arise.

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

Restraint is not commonly used to manage children’s behaviour. Staff use simple strategies that reduce the risk of children’s behaviours escalating and becoming unsafe. Strong scrutiny of staff’s practice has assisted them to reflect and learn from incidents that could have been better managed. Staff accept when they have got it wrong and apologise to the child to maintain good relationships.

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

The child has developed better coping strategies during times of crisis. The child’s IRO said, ‘[Name of child] is more able to manage their emotions due to the connections made with the adults.’

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

Current risk management arrangements prevent the child from using the internet unsupervised. However, staff educate the child to develop their online safety and understanding about the associated risks.

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

Staff learn from concerns raised by the child’s parent and the scrutiny provided by the independent person. As a result, there is now more structure and boundaries to help keep the child focused.

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

Managers do not attend local multi-agency forums that share safeguarding information, as described in the home’s statement of purpose. This is misleading to social workers when looking to place a child and considering the team’s ability to keep the child safe.

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

The child’s risk assessment describes their needs and associated risks. However, it lacks guidance to help the staff support the child at times of crisis. The use of stock phrases and words means the guidance is not personalised to the child.

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good

The home’s registered manager resigned from their role two months after the child moved in. The responsible individual’s oversight and relationship with the child have helped to maintain the placement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2736509 4 The responsible individual has stepped in to manage the home in the absence of the manager. The provider has not appointed a replacement responsible individual to oversee the management of the home while the temporary arrangements are in place.

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good

Not all staff were clear about the role of the local authority designated officer. Essential training described in the home’s statement of purpose has not been made available to staff. Staff have practice-related supervision, but new starters do not have it at the frequency required. Some new staff are also feeling overwhelmed with the level of training. This is impacting on their ability to recall the details.

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good

Staff feel well supported under the new management arrangements. They are clearer about what is expected of them in relation to the child’s day-to-day care. Team meetings provide staff with a forum for reflection about the child’s care needs. This has helped the team to gel together and keep the child safe.

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good

The responsible individual’s management oversight has led to the child making progress. He has good oversight of the child’s care plan. He is aspirational for the child’s future and ensures that the team’s relaxed, positive and nurturing culture helps the child to thrive.

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good

Complaints are taken seriously at this home. Staff breaching the no-smoking policy are subject to a thorough investigation. This process promotes accountability and a culture of learning from mistakes.

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good

The quality of staff practice and their record-keeping has improved following the responsible individual commissioning external input. Audits through an independent consultant demonstrate the responsible individual’s commitment to the child.

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good

When the independent person has not been able to speak with the child, sufficient action has not been taken to speak with others to support their evaluation of the child’s safety and welfare. This includes consultation with the child’s social worker or the home’s staff about the child’s care. This lack of scrutiny does not provide assurances of the quality of care and management arrangements.

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good

The provider does not have a strong system for monitoring the hours that staff work. On one occasion, a staff member worked during the day and night. This could compromise their ability to conduct their duties effectively.

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good

The former registered manager is alleged to have destroyed personnel files for those members of staff who have left their position at the home. This is not in keeping with the expectations set out in the Children’s Homes Regulations. Inspection report for children’s home: 2736509 5

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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, The 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home —

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(e)(g)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

 there are sufficient management arrangements to oversee the care and management of the home in the absence of the registered manager;  the managers attend local forums and meetings designed to support staff’s ability to safeguard children, as described in the home’s statement of purpose;  staff have the essential training they need to be able to meet the children’s emotional and physical needs, as described in the home’s statement of purpose. 12 May 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— 12 May 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2736509 6 receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the frequency of supervision for new staff is in line with the supervision policy and statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff records are not destroyed and are kept for the required time as stipulated in the regulations. 12 May 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must take the necessary steps to support the independent person to speak with the child’s social worker and relevant others.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the independent person completes interviews with staff and relevant others, particularly when speaking with the child is not possible. 12 May 2024

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Recommendations

Inspection report for children’s home: 2736509 7  The registered person should ensure that the child’s behaviour plans include guidance and direction that are personalised to the children’s needs for staff to follow when helping the child cope with difficult emotions. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10)  The registered person should ensure that there is clarity at the planning stage of a child’s admission to the home about who is responsible for completing return home interviews should there be a missing-from-home incident for the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should ensure that they review the training strategy for new members of staff to enhance their ability to retain information from their training throughout the induction period. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure that staff are not working excessive hours that may impact on their welfare and subsequently the well-being of the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.15)

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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: 2736509 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Yorkshire Serenity Care Ltd

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Inspector

Aaron Mcloughlin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2736509 9 regulates and inspects 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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