Children's home run by Sifaa Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2818864 1 Registered provider: Sifaa Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager were registered with Ofsted in July 2025. One child has lived at the home since it opened, and they contributed to this inspection.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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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: 2818864 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the child well and provide care with warmth and understanding. This helps the child to feel safe and settled in the home. Relationships between the child and staff are trusting, and they feel confident to talk to staff about worries or concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the child is registered with relevant health professionals and is supported to attend appointments. Staff work closely with other professionals to ensure the child has the support they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a structured daily routine that supports stability and progress. The child engages well with tuition four days a week, which includes community-based activities and physical exercise. This has helped the child to build confidence and make good progress. There have been no incidents of concern.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to develop practical skills needed for independence, including grocery shopping, cooking, laundry and managing a budget. Staff work effectively with the child’s family to promote regular and positive family time. The child recently made a tiramisu for their sister’s birthday. Their mother is proud of the progress her child has made. She described staff as caring ‘from their heart’. As a result of this work, and the sustained progress the child has made, planning is underway to support a return to the family home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is placed subject to a deprivation of liberty order. Staff manage this safely. However, care planning has not fully reflected the permissive nature of the order or the progress the child has made. Responsibility for reviewing and reducing restrictions sits across the professional network. However, staff at the home did not always raise or explore opportunities to reduce restrictions. This included opportunities such as unsupervised time in the community and reviewing the continuation of night-time observations. These opportunities were not always considered in line with the child’s sustained progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious, comfortable, and welcoming. There are two large sitting rooms and a separate garden room, which includes beanbags and sensory resources, providing the child with a choice of spaces to relax. Each bedroom has an en-suite bathroom, and staff encourage the child to personalise their bedroom, which helps them to feel a sense of belonging. While the environment is largely homely, the number of posters and stickers detracts slightly from the homely feel that staff otherwise strive to create

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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2818864 3 The registered manager and staff understand the child’s needs, risks, strengths and vulnerabilities. Risk assessments are clear, up to date, and reflect the child’s current circumstances. Staff use regular key-work sessions effectively to talk with the child about risks and to support their understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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

Staff receive appropriate training, including in physical intervention and first aid. There have been no incidents requiring physical restraint, which represents a marked improvement for the child compared with their previous placement. Staff are skilled at de-escalating situations of concern and use proactive strategies to maintain a calm atmosphere in the home.

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

There have been no incidents of the child going missing. Staff have clear policies and procedures for responding to missing episodes, and leaders and managers have liaised with the police to ensure staff understand reporting requirements and local Philomena procedures. This provides clear guidance for staff should concerns arise.

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

The provider follows safe recruitment and employment practices, ensuring that only suitable staff are employed. Staff demonstrate a strong understanding of safeguarding procedures and whistleblowing policies and know how to raise concerns appropriately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A suitably qualified registered manager leads the home and provides consistent oversight of practice, supported by an experienced leadership team. Although there have been some recent changes within the staff team, these have been managed well. While actively recruiting, leaders have not admitted any additional children, which has helped to maintain stability and ensured that staffing arrangements remain focused on meeting the child’s needs. Staff have also prepared the child appropriately for changes within the team, supporting continuity of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An independent visitor completes monthly visits, and the responsible individual maintains regular oversight of practice. The manager uses the feedback from their visits well. These arrangements provide effective monitoring and support ongoing improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel valued and describe a positive culture of teamwork. Regular supervision, a comprehensive induction, and ongoing training support staff development and prioritise the child’s needs. Team meetings provide opportunities for reflection on practice and the child’s needs. Leaders demonstrate a reflective approach and commitment to continuous improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is diverse and demonstrates an awareness of the child’s religious and cultural needs, making consistent efforts to ensure these are respected and met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2818864 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, The 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 care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1)

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Requirement Due date

requires the registered person to ensure— that arrangements are in place to—

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b) (ii) (c) (f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the child clearly understands why any restrictions on their liberty are in place, how they can be reduced and when they will be reviewed. 28 January

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children have access to appropriate advocacy support, and where possible this should be provided by a person that the child chooses. Looked-after children are entitled to an independent advocate to advise them and ensure they have the support needed to express their views, wishes and feelings about their care and lives (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16) Inspection report for children’s home: 2818864 5

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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: 2818864 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Allied Business Centre, Coldharbour Lane, Harpenden AL5 4UT

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Inspector

Matilda Clode, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2818864 7 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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Inspector

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