Children's Home run by Serenity Care Children's Homes in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2807363 1 Registered provider: SERENITY CARE CHILDREN’S HOMES LTD

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in December 2024 and is privately owned. It provides care for up to 2 children who experience social and emotional difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2026. She is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living in the home. The inspector spent time with both children.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2807363 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/07/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2807363 3

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Summary of findings

Children are treated with dignity and respect and develop trusting, secure relationships with the adults who care for them. Staff understand children well and provide care that is tailored to their individual needs. Children are encouraged to express their views, personalise their bedrooms, maintain important relationships and take part in everyday family life in the home. As a result, children feel safe, valued and understood, which helps them to develop a strong sense of belonging and permanence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a welcoming and beautifully decorated home. The home is personalised and comfortably furnished, reflecting their individual identities and preferences. The nurturing environment also provides children with safe spaces to regulate their emotions when they are upset. This helps children to feel safe, secure and comfortable in their surroundings, promoting their emotional wellbeing and sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are welcomed into the home with warmth and sensitivity. One child has moved into the home; this move was planned. The child already living in the home was supported to understand and prepare for changes, and staff provided reassurance throughout the process. Children experience well-planned moves that provide reassurance, promote stability and help them to build positive relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children moving on from the home are supported in a planned and child-centred way. One child moved on in line with their care plan, while another moved due to concerns for their safety. In both cases, staff ensured that the moves were managed sensitively and that children were supported to settle into their new homes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s complex needs. Research and specialist training equip staff to meet children’s individual needs effectively. This enables them to provide appropriate care and adapt the home environment, including the use of sensory resources. As a result, children receive individualised support and are making progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are treated with dignity and respect. They build trusting and secure relationships with the adults who care for them and are understood and cared for in a way that meets their individual needs. Staff encourage children to spend time together and develop positive relationships, helping to create a supportive and inclusive home environment. As a result, children feel valued, accepted and safe, which supports a strong sense of belonging and permanence within the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s preferred methods of communication and take the time to listen to and support them to express themselves. For one child, visual communication aids, including a ‘now and next’ board, help them understand routines and communicate Inspection report for children’s home: 2807363 4 their needs more effectively. For another child, feelings charts support them to identify and express their emotions and worries. As a result, children are settled and better able to communicate their needs and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in education. Staff are ambitious for children and work closely with education professionals to ensure their learning needs are understood and met. For one child, targets from their education plan have been incorporated into daily routines and support in the home, helping to reinforce learning and provide consistency. As a result, children are achieving positive educational outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met. One child had not received dental treatment for a significant period. Staff worked closely with the child and dental professionals to reduce their anxieties and prepare them for appointments. This included visits to the dental practice and opportunities to become familiar with the environment, such as sitting in the dentist’s chair. As a result, the child was able to access the necessary dental treatment and has made progress in managing their health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proactive in supporting children to maintain positive relationships with their families. They work closely with families to promote meaningful time together with those who are important to them. For one child, a family member visits regularly and shares meals with the child and staff in the home. As a result of staff support, children maintain important family connections, which supports their emotional wellbeing and sense of identity.

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

Children are safe. Their risks and vulnerabilities are understood, and staff know how to provide safe care to children. Children’s plans clearly detail the measures in place to safeguard them. Plans are reviewed regularly to incorporate new information and reflect children’s individual needs. Staff have received training in a range of safeguarding topics and understand their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe.

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

Staff have implemented clear routines and boundaries, helping children to understand what is expected of them. Through consistent reassurance and guidance, staff provide children with stability and reduce their anxiety. As a result, there have been no incidents of concern for the 2 children currently living in the home.

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

There has been one incident of physical intervention involving a child who previously lived in the home. The intervention was necessary and proportionate, and the child’s views and feelings were explored and recorded. However, one staff member involved in the incident did not receive a debrief. This was a missed opportunity for reflection and learning. The new manager has since identified shortcomings in oversight and taken action to strengthen management monitoring.

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

When children have gone missing from home, staff have followed the home’s missing- from-care protocols and ensured that relevant professionals are notified. Incidents are subject to management oversight and review. However, on one occasion, staff went to Inspection report for children’s home: 2807363 5 bed while a child remained missing from the home. Although the child returned safely, management oversight did not identify or address this shortfall in staff practice. This represented a missed opportunity to review staff actions and strengthen safeguarding practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring and oversight of the home have been effective since the new registered manager was appointed. She has identified shortfalls and taken appropriate action to strengthen monitoring systems and improve oversight. As a result, areas for development are addressed promptly, supporting continuous improvement and positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a strong commitment to the home. She has high expectations for staff to improve the lives of children. She has implemented positive changes that have increased stability for children and staff, for example modelling positive parenting and making changes to handovers to ensure staff communication is effective. This evidences a child-focused approach and increases the quality of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager uses research to develop the staff team. Discussions in team meetings help staff to collectively think about how research can be used to improve the care for the children. For example, alongside regular discussions with the in-house clinician, reflection on research has increased the staff’s understanding of sensory processing issues. Time used to focus on practice enhances the quality of care the children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable and permanent staff team, which provides children with consistency and continuity of care. The home has not needed to use agency staff, enabling children to build and maintain trusting relationships with familiar adults. Staff are safely recruited; as a result, children benefit from stable relationships and consistent care that promotes their safety and wellbeing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they enjoy working at the home and feel well supported by the registered manager. They receive regular and effective supervision, providing opportunities to reflect on practice and consider the needs and experiences of the children. Staff are supported to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence, enabling them to progress in their roles. This promotes a positive culture of learning and development, which enhances the quality of care and support children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from a professional and a family member was positive. They praised the quality of communication from staff, the trusting relationships developed with children and the standard of care provided. They reported that the use of clear and consistent boundaries has helped children to make meaningful progress, increase their stability and achieve positive outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2807363 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should keep records detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home. Evaluation of missing-from-home incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.32)

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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: 2807363 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SERENITY CARE CHILDREN’S HOMES LTD

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Tick Hill Farm, Caverswall Common, Caverswall, Stoke- on-Trent ST11 9EX

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Kelly Rushton-Martin

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Inspector

Julia Tompson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2807363 8 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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