Children's Home run by Stellakis Miltiadous in Haringey

Inspection report children’s home: SC039213 1 SC039213 Registered provider: Stellakis Miltiadous

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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 home provides care for up to six young people. The provider’s statement of purpose states that the home provides care for young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in 2015.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC039213 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/04/2018 Full Inadequate 15/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC039213 3

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Recommendations

 Homes should take account of information provided by independent return home interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The ethos of the home should support each child to learn, emphasising the value of reading for enjoyment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)  The information set out in the Statement of Purpose is an essential part of the process of agreement between the registered person and placing authority that a placement in that home is the right one for that child, and that the home will be able to respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.6)  Staff should have the skills to respond to each child’s individual behaviour (‘Guide

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Recommendations

to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.6). Specifically, refresh the staff’s training to help them to develop resilience when they are personally challenged.  As set out in regulations 31–33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1). Specifically, for each member of staff, confirm that their probation period has been passed (or otherwise) when the period of probation has ended by ensuring that records are updated with this information’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most of the young people have lived in the home for almost a year, and have enjoyed a period of stability during this time. One young person said, ‘Everyone gets listened to. This is a good home.’ Young people said that they like the staff and described having good relationships with their key workers. They are helped to develop confidence and self-worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff’s main focus has been to improve young people’s access to, and engagement in, education. There has been significant improvement for most young people. The majority of the young people have recently taken GCSE or functional skills examinations, which has improved their options. A young person said that they appreciated the help staff gave them in preparing for examinations. Inspection report children’s home: SC039213 4 With the support of staff, young people have identified goals and future career aspirations. Most have successfully applied for college places for September.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people come together for some activities both in and outside of the home and stated that they are looking forward to a summer holiday. They are encouraged to learn skills for when they are living independently, including taking online courses.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use rewards and incentives to encourage young people to meet their behavioural targets. Earlier in the year there were some very challenging incidents, but as young people have settled and experienced firm staff boundaries, these incidents have greatly reduced, and the home is now a calm place.

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

Young people said they are safe in the home and do not experience bullying. Staff have not restrained young people, but have focused instead on using rewards and incentives to encourage positive behaviour. The sanctions used are reasonable. It is good that a police officer visits the home weekly and forms positive, mutually respectful relationships with the young people.

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

One recently placed young person was missing from the home at the time of this inspection. However, most young people have fewer episodes of going missing or have stopped going missing altogether, which improves their safety.

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

Interviews with an independent person are now offered when a young person returns home after being missing. However, any feedback from such interviews is not yet captured in the records to inform staff.

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

The recruitment of staff is sound. Staff receive regular supervision and attend team meetings to support their work. Staff maintain the building, so it is a safe environment for young people. Young people help to keep the garden looking nice.

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

Staff work effectively with other professionals to ensure that young people can access support services which will improve their safety, such as mentors who provide support in relation to child sexual exploitation. They look for alternative approaches to help those young people who are hard to engage. One member of staff said, ‘Everyone wants what is best for the children.’

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

Some young people continue to place their health at risk by misusing illegal substances. However, staff educate them about the impact that this has on their health, and the resources that are available to help them. Staff find that greater progress is made with those young people who have drug counselling as part of a youth justice order.

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

Inspection report children’s home: SC039213 5 The staff receive regular training, and, in addition, professionals visit the home to train them, for example on the risks posed by gangs and criminal exploitation. However, staff would welcome further training in managing the impact of dealing with young people’s negative behaviour, as this has an effect on them personally’.

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

The home benefits from having a stable staff team. One staff member described a ‘helpful induction’ which eased them into the work. It is not clear if some staff have passed their probation, or not. This does not support good employment practice.

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

The statement of purpose does not specify how the staff would meet the needs of young people who have autism spectrum disorder. This limits the amount of information that is being made available to placing authorities and parents.

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

Despite staff encouraging young people to learn and prepare for exams, there is not yet a culture of reading for pleasure in the home. There are only a few books, with the focus mostly on television and electronic media.

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

The appointment of a quality assurance manager has strengthened the leadership and management of the home. The quality of record-keeping, management oversight of the service and support for the staff team is now good. Staff are now clear about the tasks they must complete and are working more effectively as a team.

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

Communication with professional and parents is generally described as being ‘good’ and in the young people’s best interests. A parent said that staff are ‘always respectful and talk to me’. Staff support young people to develop positive relationships with their families wherever possible. They help them to deal with their feelings when arrangements do not work out as planned.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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: SC039213 6 Inspection report children’s home: SC039213 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stellakis Miltiadous

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stellakis Miltiadous

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Inspector

Jacqueline Graves: social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC039213 8 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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