Children's home run by Serenity Housing Service Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 1 Registered provider: Serenity Housing Service Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. Two children were living in the home at the time of this inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager has been vacant since February 2024.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 10 January 2024

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 10 January 2024. A notice restricting accommodation was issued, which prevented the provider from admitting any further children to the home. A monitoring visit was carried out on 28 February 2024. The provider had made sufficient progress to address the concerns set out in the notice restricting accommodation. Consequently, the notice was lifted. Inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/01/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they are happy living in the home and take part in activities that they enjoy. One child has recently moved into the home. The child who was already living in the home was consulted about the new arrival. This enabled the child to be involved in the process and aware of who they would be living with. Both children have enjoyed recent individual trips to a theme park. The children interact positively with staff and each other. They sit together at mealtimes and get involved in beauty treatments, such as doing gel nails and eyelashes.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders ensure that there are good plans in place when children move into the home. Children in the home are consulted and effort is made to understand the needs and wants of the children moving in. The potential impact of risks is assessed when considering children’s suitability to the home. Leaders were able to accommodate a child’s wish to move into the home on the day they visited. This resulted in a positive move into the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress in different areas, such as education, school attendance, daily routines and engagement in appointments. One child is taking their GCSEs this summer and aspires to go to sixth-form college and then on to university. Children’s engagement in daily routines has improved, as has the uptake of attending dental appointments.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have contact with people who are important to them, and this is promoted and supported by staff. One parent said, ‘Staff are welcoming during visits, my child is more settled here and the home is absolutely lovely.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms are personalised and reflect their personal interests and identity. They live in a comfortable environment, where games, playing instruments and pampering activities can be enjoyed.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are listened to, and their views are valued. Weekly children’s meetings provide a space for children to choose activities and daily meals. For example, their request to be taken to a theme park was granted and both children speak positively about their day out. Children are comfortable to communicate with staff about what they feel, need and want.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are being prepared for independence and are actively working on their cooking and budgeting skills. They are also involved in cleaning and doing their own laundry. This enables children to prepare for their future and develop a sense of autonomy.

p.3

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

Staff know and understand the processes for identifying and reporting safeguarding concerns. Staff respond well to children when they need support, and incidents are Inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 4 managed effectively. External professionals comment positively on how staff are alert to concerns and involve other agencies when needed.

p.3

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

Children’s risk assessments are held in their care records and are up to date. Risks are well known and understood by staff and good plans are in place to keep children safe.

p.4

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

Staff take a proactive approach when children go missing from the home. Appropriate professionals are contacted and return home interviews are requested and carried out. Staff have conversations with children when they return home, to explore what prompted them to leave. This has enabled staff to understand the child’s views and advocate for any necessary changes with professionals about their care plan. This ensures that children’s wishes are considered in matters that affect their care.

p.4

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

Complaints raised by children are managed well. They are promptly investigated, and conclusions are shared with children. Children have opportunities to discuss the outcome of their complaints. This ensures that their complaints are taken seriously and that their voices are heard.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager resigned from their position in February 2024 and there is no permanent manager in post. All efforts have been made by leaders to recruit but they have been unsuccessful. Consequently, the responsible individual for the home has taken on the day-to-day managerial duties in addition to overseeing the safe operation of the home. The home is receiving additional interim independent support from a consultant responsible individual. These changes have created vulnerabilities due to the lack of clear leadership in the organisation in addition to not having an appointed manager in the home. Recruitment of a registered manager is ongoing.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The responsible individual is committed to the home and strives to do the best for the children who live there. She is child-centred and works effectively with the staff in the home. Leaders have a good working relationship with professionals, and feedback from social workers and parents is positive. One social worker said, ‘Leaders work well with the family and other professionals, including me. They are prompt in responding and updating on what is going on with [name of child].’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff say that they feel supported and give positive feedback about the responsible individual. Children are cared for consistently and in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Staff are supported by a linked therapist to help them in caring for the children in line with the home’s ethos. This ensures that staff understand and support children appropriately with their behaviours.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Safer recruitment arrangements are inconsistent. This is because there are occasions when Disclosure and Barring Service checks have not been carried out by leaders before a new staff member starts to work in the home. While this has not impacted on the care provided to children, it has the potential to do so. Inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 5 Staff are not provided with supervision in line with the provider’s policy. This is because some newer staff have only had one or two supervision sessions despite working at the home for several months. Induction arrangements for new staff are also not clear. This is because staff do not know when they are due an overall appraisal, how their performance is evaluated and assessed or whether they are progressing as expected. Furthermore, staff are not provided with an induction plan when they start working in the home. This means that new staff are not provided with consistent opportunities to

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

reflect and improve their practice or fully understand the expectations of their roles.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Although there are staff rotas in place, they do not always reflect the staff who have been or who are on a specific shift. This is because there are inconsistencies between staff rotas and the staff sign-in book. Therefore, it is not always clear who has worked in the home each day, which results in an unclear audit trail should a safeguarding concern be raised.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The statement of purpose for the home has not been regularly reviewed, updated or shared with the regulator. The reviewing and monitoring systems in place have not identified the shortfalls found at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 6

p.5

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.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d)(e)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 30 June 2024

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation. 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 7 The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(b) (4)(a))

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that a copy of the staff duty rota of persons working at the home and a record of the actual hours worked is kept. 30 June 2024

p.7

Requirement Due date

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.

p.7

Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

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)) 30 June 2024

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

p.7

Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

p.7

Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)) 30 June 2024

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. 30 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 8 The registered person may only—

p.7

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

p.8

Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

p.8

Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.8

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

p.8

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: 2734050 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Serenity Housing Service Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 320 City Road, London EC1V 2NZ

p.9

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Keneisha Foreman

p.9

Inspector

Karen Flanagan de Martinez, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10