Children's Home run by Sankofa Care Ltd in Croydon

Inspection report for children’s home: 1244386 1 Registered provider: Sankofa Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to five children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted on 11 July 2017. The manager is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there were two children living in the home.

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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: 1244386 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2022 Full Good 28/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1244386 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children living in this home are making good progress. The effective contact between staff and school is helping to improve the children’s school attendance. Staff support children to learn and have future aspirations, which has resulted in children becoming more interested in their education and motivated to learn.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and staff form positive relationships. A schoolteacher said:

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

‘Our student was very unsettled in their previous temporary foster home. As soon as the child moved into this home, they were able to build trusted/secure relationships and seemed much happier there.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s records are comprehensive and reflect their needs. Children’s care plans are child focused, which makes them more meaningful for each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities in the community and in the home. As well as going out with their friends, the children participate in various activities in the home, such as hair braiding, cooking and baking.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know how to make a complaint. Their complaints are swiftly managed, which makes the children feel valued and listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm and nurturing environment for the children. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and suitably furnished. However, the use of monitoring and surveillance devices detracts from a homely environment.

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

Staff know and understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities and implement effective strategies to mitigate risk. Children’s safety is enhanced through effective communication with the child’s professional network and external agencies about safeguarding issues. The manager and staff are proactive in ensuring that independent return home interviews take place when children return from being missing from home.

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

Staff are proactive in helping and protecting children. They have a clear understanding of safeguarding practices and the whistle-blowing policy. Their ability to keep children safe is enhanced through meaningful discussions with children about issues such as substance misuse, missing-from-home incidents and their emotional and physical well-being.

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

The stable, skilled and consistent staff team enhances children’s safety and well- being. Staff recruitment processes are thorough, which ensures that the staff are suitable to care for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1244386 4 Room searches are carried out when necessary to help to keep children safe. Room search records demonstrate that staff follow the correct procedures, and the rationale for room searches is justified and clear.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have high aspirations for children and high expectations for the home. The manager regularly reviews children’s progress through staff supervision, team meetings and discussions with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

If children are not settling into the home, the manager takes action to ensure that there is a prompt review of children’s plans. The manager and staff work proactively with other professionals to support children to settle in the home. If children are unable to settle and it is in their best interests to move from the home, plans to move them on are sensitively managed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children live in a supportive environment. The manager and staff benefit from the support of a psychologist, who helps them to understand the children’s behaviour and needs. This helps staff to improve the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and effective supervision. Supervision focuses on children’s needs, experiences and plans. Safeguarding issues are discussed, as well as staff development needs. This ensures that managers have effective oversight of the progress children make and staff practice. However, supervision records are not available for all staff. This limits the manager’s oversight of staff development and practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 1244386 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, 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 may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(d)) 14 May 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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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: 1244386 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sankofa Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 15 Station Road, London SE25 5AH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Olivia Osei-Asibey

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Inspector

Melvin Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1244386 7 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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