Children's home run by Serenity Care Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2738013 1 Registered provider: Serenity Care Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2025

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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 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: 28 January 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2738013 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/01/2025 Full Good 09/10/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2738013 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views influence the day to day running of the home. Their wishes, likes and beliefs are taken into account when planning for the week ahead and when making decisions about the home . For example, a trampoline has recently been purchased for the garden at one child’s request.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are effective in building rapport and forming positive relationships with children. They understand their vulnerabilities and show genuine interest in their lives. As a result, children can explore their thoughts and feelings openly with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is well promoted in the home. When children are not in full time education, staff work closely with education professionals to arrange provision which meets their individual needs. For example, when one child’s education provision ended abruptly, staff worked quickly to find a new provider minimising disruption to the child’s education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s relationships with their families and other important people are improving because of the advocacy of staff and managers. One child now receives more frequent visits with their family, helping to build better relationships with siblings and parents. Staff are helping another child to reestablish a previously important relationship with a family friend.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience well planned moves into the home. A thorough admissions process means that staff have the information they need to understand children’s needs at the point they move in. Children receive information about the home and have opportunities to meet key people before moving in and staff check in with them regularly afterwards. This means children are able to settle quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms are highly personalised, and they are involved in choosing the decor. However, there has been no assessment for the suitability of audible sensors on children’s bedroom doors to monitor children’s movements. Additionally, there is no clear plan for when these should be used. As a result, some children may be monitored disproportionately.

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

Staff recognise children’s achievements and promote positive behaviour through spontaneous rewards and personalised incentives. The use of consequences is minimal, and when they are applied, are designed to help children to understand the effect of their behaviour on themselves and others.

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

The use of restraint is rare. When it has been necessary, it has been used to keep children and staff safe in the circumstances. Managers review every incident of restraint Inspection report for children’s home: 2738013 4 and seek enhanced scrutiny to ensure each use is proportionate and to identify opportunities for learning.

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

Staff help children to stay safe online. When concerns arise, staff educate children about the risks and benefits of the internet rather than simply restricting their access. There are suitable measures in place for monitoring children’s online activity.

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

Staff manage missing from home episodes well, children are followed and reported missing promptly when needed. When they are located, children are comfortable to return home with staff. One child came to the home having previously had a high frequency of missing episodes. Since arriving at the home, the child has not been missing, demonstrating the investment the child has in the home.

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

Managers collaborate with placing authorities to agree the measures required to keep children safe. For one child this included the use of temporary restrictions to their ability to leave the home without staff support. However, there is no clear procedure for how managers will review the need for the ongoing use of these measures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is an excellent role model for staff and has high standards for the quality of care delivered in the home. The manager uses an effective range of monitoring systems which give them a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the operation of home, as well as the progress children are making. When shortfalls are identified, learning is shared with the wider team in a constructive manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff wellbeing is important to leaders. Staff feel well supported, listened too and know how to raise concerns. They receive regular professional supervision and make good use of team meetings which focus on reflective practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training opportunities for staff are good. Induction for new staff is comprehensive and provides training relevant to the role and the needs of the children. Managers respond promptly to arrange enhanced training when children’s needs change.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children receive a personalised children’s guide which ensures they have all the information about the home in a format which is interesting and accessible. Staff talk to children about this document, ensuring they understand their rights.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Systems to ensure that notifications made to the regulator in the manager’s absence have not always been effective. During one period, several serious incidents were not notified in the required timescales and did not contain sufficient information about the details of the events or the actions taken in response. Inspection report for children’s home: 2738013 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that there are appropriate systems in place so that notifications are made when required in the managers absence. 30 March 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that in circumstances when a child is being prevented from leaving the home due to identified risks, any such measure of restriction must be proportionate and in place for no longer than is necessary to manage the immediate risk. Additionally, there should be a clear plan for how the manager plans to review and remove the use of the measures. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 48, paragraph 9.52)  The registered person should ensure that any modifications to the environment of the home are made only where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All Inspection report for children’s home: 2738013 6 decisions should be informed by a rigorous individual assessment of each child’s needs, be properly recorded with clear arrangements for how the use will be regularly reviewed. This is specific to the use of door sensors currently used on children’s

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Recommendations

bedroom doors. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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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: 2738013 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Serenity Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 124 City Road, London EC1V 2NX

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Inspectors

Glen Strowbridge, Social Care Inspector Emma Blake, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2738013 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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