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

Inspection report children's home: 2643338 1 Registered provider: Sankofa Specialist Care Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

This is a private children’s home for up to three children, who may experience social and emotional difficulties. . Two children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 20 September 2023

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

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

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/08/2022 Full Inadequate 09/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 2643338 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home. Since the last inspection, one child has left the home and one child has been welcomed into the home and has settled in well.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health and well-being is promoted. Staff ensure that statutory health assessments are completed for all children and help each child to attend all required medical appointments. Medication is stored safely, and records are maintained on the administration of medication.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Suitable education arrangements are now in place for all the children. These arrangements are tailored to children’s individual needs and consider both their attainment and their progress in relation to their starting points.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is clean and well furnished. There are personalised pictures around the home. Children have personalised their bedrooms with staff support.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help and encourage children to express their views and opinions. Staff talk to children in direct work sessions and house meetings on a regular basis. This gives children a say on how they are cared for and how they can influence decisions about their home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager keeps in regular contact with family members and keeps them updated on their children’s progress. The manager and staff also support family members to visit the children in accordance with the agreed plan. This helps children to maintain these important relationships.

p.3

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

Detailed risk assessments and support plans provide staff with clear strategies and guidance. This helps them keep children safe and well. These assessments are regularly reviewed to make sure that staff have the most up-to-date information about children.

p.3

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

When children have gone missing from home, staff follow the missing protocol and liaise with children’s friends and their parents, as well as search local areas. This helps them to locate children and encourage them to return safely home. Children are provided with an independent person to speak to on their return home.

p.3

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

When it is necessary to physically restrain a child, the manager does not ensure that all relevant information is captured in records that relate to a physical intervention. For example, records do not include correct times of incidents and children are not effectively debriefed and given the opportunity to reflect and explore any learning from Inspection report children's home: 2643338 4 the incident. This is a missed opportunity to listen to the views of children when they are being held.

p.3

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

Children people live in a physically safe environment. Fire safety and health and safety checks are regularly carried out. Records show that children and staff regularly practice fire evacuations of the building, so they know the correct steps to take in the event of an emergency.

p.4

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

When appointing staff, managers follow safer recruitment practice guidelines. This ensures that only suitable adults care for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is committed to ensuring that children receive a good quality of care. She knows the children well and understands their needs. The manager spends time with children talking to them about the care and life experiences.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from a range of training courses to help them to develop their knowledge, skills and professional practice. New staff receive an induction programme, and they are subsequently enrolled on their qualification in residential childcare. As a result, staff are trained to meet the needs of the children in their care and gain the required qualification within timescales.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly and have a focus on staff’s learning and development. Meetings are used to deliver key messages around practice, which promotes consistency in the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff do not receive effective supervision. For example, staff supervision is not reflective, it contains no detail on training or staff performance. This is a missed opportunity to improve standards and develop the knowledge and experience of the staff team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for children. The manager and staff have established good working relationships with other professionals, such as, teachers and social workers. Effective communication ensures that information is shared quickly, which helps to keep children safe. Inspection report children's home: 2643338 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 24 June 2024

p.5

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.5

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.5

Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (2)(2)(3)(a)(iii)(b))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that recording of physical restraints is accurate and any learning from incidents is captured through effective children debriefs. 24 June 2024

p.5

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 children's home: 2643338 6

p.5

Children's home details

Registered provider: Sankofa Specialist Care Limited

p.6

Children's home details

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

p.6

Inspector

Dave Carrigan, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: 2643338 7 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7