Children's Home run by Serenity Children Services Limited in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2792075 1 Serenity Children’s Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company. It provides care for one child with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since April 2025.

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This monitoring visit

A full inspection of the home took place on 7 May 2025. At that inspection, serious and widespread concerns were identified, and the home was judged inadequate. A restriction of accommodation was put in place.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place on 20 June 2025. The restriction of accommodation was not lifted due to the home not having a manager or any staff.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the restriction notice. The restriction of accommodation notice prevents the provider from moving any children into the home while it is in place. At the time of this visit, the provider has complied with the restriction. No children are living at the home, and no children have moved in or out of the home since the last inspection. The home is clean and nicely decorated.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the home was bought and taken over by a new provider. The provider has appointed a new responsible individual and is in the process of recruiting a new manager. At the time of this visit, staff recruitment is ongoing.

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This monitoring visit

Staff recruitment checks are not yet robust enough. One staff member has been employed despite a missing employment reference. This does not provide enough safeguards to prevent unsuitable people caring for children. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2792075 2 Due to the recent changes in ownership and the management changes, there is still no stable manager. The home is not ready to safely admit children or provide good- quality care for them. The restriction remains in place.

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This monitoring visit

Apart from one recommendation, the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection have not been explored during this inspection and are therefore restated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2792075 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/05/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2792075 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 1 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 1 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2792075 5 within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 1 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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,

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Requirement Due date

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

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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))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 24 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2792075 6 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that regular staff meetings take place to review and evaluate practice, enabling staff to work consistently as a team to reduce risks for children and improve their experiences.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 1 December 2025

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— 1 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2792075 7 feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(a)(b) (2)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that oversight by leaders and managers is effective, all incidents at the home are reviewed to evaluate staff practice and all consequences are reviewed to evaluate their effectiveness and impact on children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

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 has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 1 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

does not satisfy regulation 28; or 24 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2792075 8 is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 1 December 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Information provided by such interviews should be considered when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should ensure that the home has a key role in organising and ensuring each child’s attendance at the necessary primary and secondary health services. Most health services that a child needs to access will be provided by other organisations. In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff seek medical advice from appropriate medical professionals when there are concerns about a child’s health. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations,

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.11)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2792075 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Serenity Children Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 82a James Carter Road, Mildenhall, Bury St. Edmunds IP28 7DE

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Inspector

Anver Rose, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2792075 10 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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