Children's Home run by Sankofa Specialist Care Ltd in Oldham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2643338 1 Registered provider: Sankofa Specialist Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately operated children’s home provides care for up to three children. The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides holistic support for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, the home was operating without a registered manager.

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Information about this children’s home

There are currently no children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2643338 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected. Inspection report for children’s home: 2643338 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has lived at the home since it was registered in October 2021. The child moved out of the home in January 2022 because staff were unable to manage the increase in risk-taking behaviours. This inspection focuses on the care provided to the child during their time living in the home and whether the requirements for registration continue to be met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Detailed referral assessments are undertaken to ensure that children are matched in accordance with the skills and experience of the staff working in the home. Placement plans are clear and provide the steps to be taken to address the child’s placement targets.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff work in collaboration with a range of external agencies to support the development and progress of the child. Agencies include psychological support, drug and alcohol services, and safeguarding agencies working directly with the child and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During this short placement, the child did not attend education. The child had no identified education placement. The manager took steps to address this with the placing authority and the child’s social worker, but was unsuccessful. The registered manager and staff supported the child and provided a timetable of work using educational resources. However, delays in securing a suitable educational placement contributed to a lack of suitable structure for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff recognise the importance of quality family contact and work hard to build trusting, professional relationships with family members. Equally, the staff understand the difficulties a child faces being away from their family for the first time, particularly during the festive period. The registered manager and staff created an extra-special Christmas by inviting the child’s whole family to enjoy Christmas at the children’s home. The responsible individual said: ‘It was the child’s first Christmas in a children’s home. We wanted him to have happy memories and make this a very special day.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Systems are in place that provide opportunities for children to voice their views and opinions, for example children’s meetings, key-work sessions and the children’s review questionnaires. Children are also encouraged to identify activities they enjoy and are supported to try out new activities in the community, such as boxing, football and going to the gym.

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

Suitable procedures are in place to assess and respond to risk-taking behaviours. Risk assessments clearly detail the individual risk factors in accordance with the Inspection report for children’s home: 2643338 4 information provided by the placing authority. Strategies to manage and reduce risk help to guide the staff in managing each situation.

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

The child had a significant history of being reported missing from home. The registered manager placed an increased staffing ratio in the home to reduce the risk of the child going missing from home. On the occasions when the child did leave the home, the staff took appropriate action to search the areas known to the child and visit groups that the child may connect with. This reduced the opportunities for the child to become missing and led to fewer incidents of being missing from home.

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

The responsible individual and registered manager are clear about their role and responsibilities for the protection of children. The child left the home after managers assessed that they were unable to respond to the increase in risk-taking behaviour. This was as a result of risks related to other individuals in the surrounding area.

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

The staff are trained in de-escalation strategies and the use of physical intervention. Since the home was registered, there have been two incidents requiring a physical intervention. Records provide clear details of the interventions and illustrate the steps leading to a hold taking place. On each occasion, the child was provided with a debrief and given the opportunity to record his feelings about the intervention.

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

Behaviour management strategies focus on praise and reward for positive behaviour and contribution. Incentives are in place that enable children to earn vouchers for specific items they choose, such as video games or specific additional clothing. The use of vouchers allows children to safely purchase items without the risk of a monetary reward being misused and consequently placing them at further risk.

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

The behaviour management strategies, including the support from the external therapeutic and safeguarding agencies, had begun to have a positive effect on the child’s life. This resulted in the child beginning to recognise areas where additional support, such as anger management, would be helpful for them.

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good

The registered manager resigned from her position in February 2022. The home is currently operating without a registered manager. A decision has been taken by the responsible individual not to admit any children until the acting manager has made an application for registration to Ofsted. However, newly employed staff have received a full induction and attended several training courses.

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good

Since the home was registered, it has experienced difficult periods. This relates to some staff not having the experience required to manage the complexities of the child accommodated, coupled with sickness and subsequent resignation of the registered manager and the resignation of five staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2643338 5 The responsible individual has now successfully recruited to these positions and new staff are currently undertaking an induction to the service and receiving mandatory training.

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good

External monitoring is diligent and provides the managers with a report that assesses the quality of care being provided in the home. Recommendations made from this report are acted on and shared with the staff as part of their ongoing learning and development.

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good

Team meetings, staff training and staff supervision take place on a regular basis. At the time of the inspection, the inspector was introduced to the staff team which presented as extremely enthusiastic and committed to its role. The responsible individual said: ‘We aim to offer care that not only provides a safe and nurturing home for children, but also enriches their lives.’

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good

The responsible individual has a hands-on approach to the overseeing of care provided in the home. She works closely with the acting manager to ensure the ethos, as depicted in the home’s statement of purpose, is threaded through all aspects of care provided in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2643338 6

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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 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 the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(e)(f)(h)) 11 April 2022

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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; 11 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2643338 7 understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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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. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(viii))

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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: 2643338 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sankofa Specialist Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 449 Brook Lane, Birmingham B13 0BT

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Inspector

Maria McGranaghan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2643338 9 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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Inspector

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