Children's Home run by ANKH-A Ltd in Luton

Inspection report for children’s home: 2784900 1 Registered provider: ANKH-A Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in July 2024 and is privately operated. It provides care for up to 3 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left in May 2025. A manager has been in post since January 2026 and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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: inadequate

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: At the full inspection in April 2025, the home was judged inadequate. Compliance notices were served under Regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and Regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). At the monitoring visit in June 2025, the compliance notices were found to be unmet. Following this visit, Ofsted suspended the home’s registration. Two further monitoring visits took place, during which it was identified that leaders and managers had made some progress; however, management arrangements were not satisfactory, and the registration remained suspended. In December 2025, a new manager was recruited, and the suspension was lifted. Inspection report for children’s home: 2784900 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/04/2025 Full Inadequate 10/03/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2784900 3

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Summary of findings

The child moved in on a short-term basis. Staff have provided consistent care and developed trusting relationships. These have helped the child to feel safe and settled. Staff advocate and work well with partner agencies to support the child’s education, independence and family relationships. The staff do not have a full overview of the child’s health needs, which limits their ability to fully understand and respond to all aspects of the child’s health and wellbeing. Creative and individualised approaches support the child’s understanding of risk. The manager provides effective leadership through role modelling and supporting staff development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, 2 children have moved out of the home, and one child has moved in. The child spoke with the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child moved into the home on an emergency basis while a specialist provision was identified. The arrangement was intended to be short term but has since been extended. Staff have supported the child to have stability and consistency during this period of uncertainty. The child has developed positive relationships with staff, who respond to their individual needs. This has helped to strengthen the child’s engagement with other professionals, including their social worker.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has settled well and appears relaxed and comfortable. Staff keep the child informed about their plans for the future. They provide regular updates in a format that the child can understand. Staff produce child-friendly information sheets that explain any changes. This helps the child to understand what is happening and prepares them for their next steps, reducing uncertainty.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place a high priority on the child’s education. Since moving into the home, the child has engaged in online learning to maintain their education. Staff have advocated for a suitable school placement and worked effectively with education professionals to achieve this. They have prepared the child for school by visiting the setting and providing reassurance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to spend time with parents and family members. Staff recognise the importance of maintaining meaningful family relationships. They support opportunities for the child to safely spend time with those who are important to them. Staff support with transport and supervise the arrangements when required. They work closely with family members. A parent reported having no worries for their child since they moved into the home. They were complimentary of the staff and said that they can see positive progress for their child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2784900 4 Staff have supported the child in registering with a GP, dentist and optician. They ensure that the child attends routine health appointments and accompany them when required. However, the child’s health plan is not on file. Staff have not sought additional guidance or support in relation to sexual health. This limits their ability to have a full

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

understanding of the child’s health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean, tidy and well maintained. Some areas would benefit from redecoration due to a leak. In addition, some safeguarding and systems information is displayed on the walls. This detracts from the otherwise homely and welcoming feel.

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

Staff have regular one-to-one sessions with the child. They use creative approaches to help the child understand risk, including watching documentaries. These provide a basis for discussion and reflection. Staff use art and craft activities to explore the child’s thoughts, feelings and experiences in a way that is meaningful for them. These approaches encourage open conversation, and this helps staff understand the child’s views and identify any emerging support needs.

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

Staff use practical opportunities to support the child to develop independence in the community. They encourage the child to use public transport safely and provide guidance to build their confidence. Staff use these opportunities to have conversations about keeping safe, making informed decisions and developing everyday life skills.

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

Staff use positive reinforcement to recognise and celebrate the child’s achievements. They write daily messages of praise, acknowledging the child’s progress and positive choices. This helps build the child’s confidence and self-esteem. The child responds by writing messages of praise to staff in return. This demonstrates that the child feels valued and respected and has developed trusting relationships with staff.

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

Behaviour management plans are individualised and reflect the child’s specific needs and presentation. They include information about the child’s usual presentation and identify early indicators of changes. The guidance enables staff to understand the risks and respond promptly and consistently.

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

Staff maintain regular communication with the child’s social worker and other professionals involved in their care. Staff have made additional referrals for specialist services with the child’s consent. This helps to ensure that the child receives the support that they need.

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

Managers have failed to ensure that all recruitment procedures are followed. Full employment histories, including explanations about gaps, have not been captured in records. This does not ensure that the suitability of staff is fully explored. Inspection report for children’s home: 2784900 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager maintains good oversight of the home and has applied to register with Ofsted. There has been a significant period without a registered manager. This has limited the judgement for the leadership and management of the home to requires improvement to be good.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is actively working to further develop staff practice. The manager role models good practice by routinely working alongside staff to support them and provide guidance in the day-to-day care. They recognise and highlight positive practice and encourage staff to reflect on their work. This creates a positive learning culture and helps staff to provide consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff supervision sessions take place regularly and in line with policy. These include reflective discussions, providing staff with opportunities to express concerns and receive feedback on their performance. Safeguarding scenarios are used during supervision sessions to assess staff’s understanding and their ability to respond appropriately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Team meetings are well attended and provide staff with regular updates. They are used to check staff understanding and reinforce expectations. Several staff members have provided feedback. The responses are consistent in theme. Staff are happy in their roles and feel they all work together well. This indicates a stable and supportive team, which promotes consistency of care and positive outcomes for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2784900 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, 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 registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated. 1 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 1 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2784900 7 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

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,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that full employment histories for staff are obtained and that any gaps are explored. 1 September 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing, homely, domestic and supportive environment that meets children’s needs. The home must comply with relevant health and safety legislation; however, in doing so, it should seek, as far as possible, to maintain a domestic rather than institutional impression. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2784900 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: C/o GP Accountancy & Taxation Solutions Ltd, 77 Butler Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 4DS

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Inspector

Harkerat Lidhar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2784900 9 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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