Children's Home run by Sankofa Care Ltd in Croydon

Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to nine young people. The home’s statement of purpose states that the home provides therapeutic care for young people who have social and/or emotional difficulties. The accommodation is arranged across two sites and the main home is currently closed for refurbishment.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 28 October 2019

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Requires improvement to be good

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assurance visit report: 1244386 2

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Findings from the visit

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

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The care of children

Overall, young people generally receive a good standard of care. The home benefits from a committed staff team who aim to provide some consistency for young people. Young people living at the home say they have good relationships with the staff team. Staff understand the impact of trauma on young people and they strive to provide effective care to promote positive outcomes for those in their care.

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The care of children

Staff worked hard during the COVID-19 lockdown period to keep young people occupied and engaged in activities. However, young people are reluctant to engage in group activities and generally prefer to engage with staff on a one-to-one basis.

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The care of children

Two young people are engaging in education at the recently registered on-site education facility. Other young people have been more difficult to engage in both formal and informal education.

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The care of children

Staff have made positive use of online technology to support young people to keep in touch with families and friends when face-to-face contact has not been possible. However, ineffective communication between parents and the staff team means that arrangements are not always carried out in accordance with care plans.

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The care of children

Young people’s identity needs are well met by the staff at the home. Staff ensure that any dietary needs due to health or faith practices are adhered to. Young people’s physical health needs are met, and the home’s therapeutic approach supports staff to meet young people’s emotional health needs.

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The safety of children

Young people are generally safe while in the home. However, high levels of incidents of going missing from the home for many young people remain a real cause for concern. Staff are concerned when they are unable to contact young people and have no knowledge of their whereabouts or who they are with. Some young people told the inspector they spend little time in the home and do not give details of their whereabouts as they do not want to get others into trouble. A young person said, ‘I am returning each night this week to sleep at the home only because my social worker has threatened to move me to a placement outside of London.’

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The safety of children

Staff understand young people’s vulnerabilities. However, risk assessments and behaviour support plans do not always accurately reflect this. Multiple errors were identified with these documents and they are not an accurate reflection of young people’s individual needs. The manager is in the process of reviewing documents and providing appropriate training for staff to improve this. Assurance visit report: 1244386 3 Young people’s behaviour is generally well managed and there are now fewer incidents of challenging behaviours. The use of physical intervention and sanctions has decreased with the transition of one young person out of the home.

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The safety of children

All staff have received safeguarding training and say they feel confident in managing any safeguarding incidents.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager acknowledges her team faced significant challenges at the time of the last inspection. Although the permanent staff team do hold the relevant qualifications, not all the temporary agency staff have been able to produce this certificate. This means that the manager has not been able to confirm whether some staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to support challenging young people appropriately. The manager is ensuring that when agency workers are required, she sees copies of their mandatory certificates before they work at the home

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Leaders and managers

Professionals from partner agencies speak highly of the manager and the staff team. They describe good levels of communication. A social worker said, ‘The staff are particularly good at communicating with me daily on any missing behaviours and school attendance for my young person.’ Another social worker was particularly complimentary of how well the staff have worked with a young person in preparing him for independence. This young person has successfully been supported to become a productive and mature member of society.

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Leaders and managers

Staff benefit from good levels of support from the manager and from a psychologist. They said that the training they receive is of a good quality and gives them the necessary skills and knowledge to fulfil their roles. However, staff commented they would like the manager to take a more active role with young people in the home. This would help to createa homelier feeling in the house which is currently lacking.

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Leaders and managers

Staff continue to receive regular reflective supervision and have attended virtual monthly team meetings using a range of technology. This gives the team the opportunity to reflect on their practice and improve their development.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has worked well and guided the team throughout the COVID-19 lockdown to provide young people with the security and safety they need to thrive.

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Leaders and managers

One requirement was made as a result of this assurance visit. This relates to notifying the regulator of serious incidents for young people in a timely manner. Two of the five requirements made at the last inspection have been met. Three requirements and three recommendations have been repeated from the last full inspection as these could not be completed due to the ongoing pandemic. Assurance visit report: 1244386 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, 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 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 22 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; 22 March 2021 Assurance visit report: 1244386 5 help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally; maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or 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, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or 22 March 2021 Assurance visit report: 1244386 6 a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part- time basis. (Regulation 32 (2)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b) (6)(a)(b))

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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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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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 an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 22 March 2021

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Recommendations

Assurance visit report: 1244386 7  Ensure when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the children to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews 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 only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the children’s relevant plan and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56,

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Recommendations

paragraph 11.4)  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, repair and replace damaged and missing bathroom doors. Young people’s bed headboards must be repaired, and the kitchen television aerial must be replaced.

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Olivia Osei-Asibey

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Inspector

Juanita Mayers, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 1244386 8 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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