Children's home run by Serenity Housing Service Ltd

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 1 Registered provider: Serenity Housing Service LTD

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Inspection date: 15 September 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 2

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Findings from the inspection

This inspection was carried out following escalated safeguarding concerns relating to children going missing from the home.

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff talk kindly about the children in their care. They are aware of children’s care plans and know how to support children should they go missing from the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Two children have moved into the home since the full inspection was carried out in April 2025. This was in quick succession of each other. The first of these children moved into the home in a planned way. The second child moved in as an emergency arrangement.

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Findings from the inspection

The child placed as an emergency, is having challenges establishing trusting relationships with staff. This has impacted on them frequently going missing from the home. This child was missing at the time of the inspection. The provider did not ensure that they had the current information regarding this child, prior to them moving into the home. Leaders and managers have subsequently given notice to the placing authority and are working actively to find a more suitable home for this child.

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Findings from the inspection

There are clear and detailed protocols for each child should they go missing. There are detailed recordings for each of the missing-from-home incidents that have occurred. When children go missing, staff report this to police when they are unable to locate them. They maintain contact with the child and communicate with the relevant professionals to share concerns. Staff are working at improving relationships through continued engagement with children.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders, managers and staff work closely with external professionals to support children to understand risks. For example, co-ordinators for criminal exploitation and missing from home. Individual risks for children are identified, and leaders and managers work with the wider network to try and minimise risks of one child who goes missing from the home to ensure her safety.

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Findings from the inspection

One child has moved on from the home in a planned way since the last inspection. This was in response to the child’s wishes to live nearer to their family. This resulted in a positive outcome for this child. The relationships between staff and child were observed to be warm and nurturing.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has been a stable and consistent figure in the home for children and staff. Staff value the support that they are given by managers and reflect on how this helps them both personally and professionally. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 3 The recommendations made at the full inspection were not fully considered at this inspection and are therefore, restated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/04/2025 Full Good 16/04/2024 Full Good 10/01/2024 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 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 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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(iii)(c)) 31 October 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the recruitment process for employees includes capturing and reviewing the reasons for leaving previous positions. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that all serious incidents are notified to Ofsted within 24 hours. The notification should be accurate and include details of the action taken in response to the incident. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Serenity Housing Service LTD

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Hannah Cox, Social Care Compliance Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2734050 7 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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