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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2605336 1 Registered provider: The Serendipity Centre Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. The home is owned by a private organisation that also operates two other children’s homes and a registered school in the local area. Two children were living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 26 February 2024

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: In February 2024, the home was judged to be inadequate when a full inspection was carried out at the home. Following the inspection, the provider was issued a compliance notice to address significant concerns in relation to how children are helped to keep safe online. On 23 April 2024, a monitoring visit was carried out to consider the provider’s response to the compliance notice. It was found that the provider had responded positively to the compliance notice and had taken appropriate steps to help children to be safe when online. Inspection report for children’s home: 2605336 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/02/2024 Full Inadequate 01/12/2022 Full Good 15/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2605336 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a nurturing and homely environment. Their artwork and craftwork are proudly displayed along with their photos. This helps to promote children’s identities and talents and personalises the home to their taste. Children have a say in how their home looks as they were involved in choosing soft furnishing for several rooms.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms are personalised. For example, one child has three-dimensional planes hanging from their ceiling, and the other child has a wardrobe painted with chalkboard paint to use for expressing their thoughts and feelings. Photos of family and friends are displayed on children’s bedroom walls. This gives children a sense of comfort as their personal spaces are arranged to their preference.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Positive interactions are consistently had between children and staff. Both children experience everyday activities that bring a sense of normality and routine to their lives. For instance, the children enjoy sitting down with staff and each other at mealtimes. Children are at ease to show their feelings and seek out nurture. Children spontaneously initiate hugs and playfulness. For example, staff and children naturally engaged in a stacking-cup game challenge. This enabled all involved to have a fun and positive experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are rewarded in their preferred ways for their achievements. One child likes to choose a reward from a reward box, whereas the other child prefers to be taken out for a drink and cake, or have their nails manicured. This individualised approach is meaningful and motivates each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children attend school full time and are doing well with their educational targets. They are both on track to take their GCSE exams in the coming years. This ensures that children are supported in reaching their potentials.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are offered a good selection of opportunities to go to places that they enjoy. One child said that she likes to go to the beach and watch the sunset. Both children enjoy horse-riding lessons and have been taken to events and days out of their choice, such as going to the theatre, playing mini-golf, and visiting parks. In-house activities are also enjoyed by children, such as baking, cooking, and gardening. These shared moments help to enhance the relationships between staff and children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s wishes and views are discussed regularly with staff during house meetings and regular conversations. Generally, staff act on children’s requests. However, there has been a delayed response in completing a child’s outstanding bike repair. Although some efforts have been made, it has not been fully resolved. Inspection report for children’s home: 2605336 4 The home has been settled since the last visit to the home. No children have moved in or on from the home since the last inspection. This means that the systems in place for new children moving into the home remain untested.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s individual needs. When incidents occur, children are well supported. Staff are curious to explore children’s emotional well-being and carry out regular checks to monitor their moods. These responses by staff are effective in helping to build supportive relationships with children, as children are often willing to share their thoughts and feelings.

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

Staff know children’s risks well and staff’s practice is good in managing these. However, children’s risk assessments had not been updated to reflect the current practice with weekly phone checks. This has the potential to negatively impact children, as these actions are no longer relevant.

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home. This means that the children feel settled and safe and respond well to the care that staff provide.

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

When incidents happen, staff are quick to update the relevant professionals around the child to ensure that they have oversight of children’s behaviour and the actions that staff have taken.

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

Staff provide appropriate day-to-day care in attending to children’s well-being. For example, both children returned home early from school as they were not feeling well. Staff responded to the children in a nurturing and caring way. They offered the children icepacks, pain relief medication, throat soothers, and drinks to ease their discomforts. Children were given the appropriate attention and hugs to ensure that they would feel better.

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

Managers ensure that safer recruitment practices are followed. This ensures that only suitable adults work with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a considerate approach with children and has made good progress with the plan from the previous inspection. The registered manager and staff are provided with good support from senior leaders to make necessary improvements. There is a focus on embedding therapeutic language into children’s records and building on existing relationships in the home between staff and children. The registered manager works hard to upskill staff and has provided workshops and training to further enhance their knowledge and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is some inconsistency in the reviewing and monitoring systems that are in place. The registered manager is clear on the developments needed in the home and regularly discusses and monitors these with senior leaders. However, the fire risk assessment had Inspection report for children’s home: 2605336 5 not been updated and one member of staff’s refresher training for medication had lapsed. Furthermore, the issue regarding children’s risk assessments not being updated had not been identified by the registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff understand children’s needs well. They engage with the wider network when they notice changes in children’s behaviours, and explore these with the home’s connected therapist and school. For example, one child expressed their discomfort with attending one class in school. Staff spoke to the school about the child’s feelings around certain topics. Their learning needs are now met in a smaller group, and they are content with this outcome. This means that the child can fully engage in education and is not distressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff work effectively and in partnership with external professionals. Feedback from children’s families is positive. One parent said that they receive a monthly email update about their child and they use a communication app to keep in contact with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. Managers and team leaders have reverted to using a more structured approach to carry these out with staff. Each staff member has their own development plan, and probation reviews are completed. This means that staff are clear about their set targets and managers can track what progress has been made. Team leaders who supervise staff receive mentoring and guidance from managers, and ongoing discussions take place to enable them to further develop in this area. Inspection report for children’s home: 2605336 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, 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 that—

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the registered manager has oversight of children’s risk assessments and staff training needs, and that the fire risk assessment is carried out without delay. 30 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and 30 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2605336 7 plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff ensure that children’s equipment is repaired when required. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 22, paragraph 4.10)

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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: 2605336 8

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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

Karen Flanagan de Martinez, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2605336 9 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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