Children's Home run by Stellakis Miltiadous in Haringey

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC039213 1 SC039213 Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home accommodates up to six young people. In the statement of purpose, the provider states that care is provided for young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since January 2014.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to address specific concerns arising from safeguarding notifications to Ofsted. These included concerns about the risk of young people being criminally exploited and the risks of young people going missing from the home. This was a virtual visit and interviews were conducted with staff through video calls. Telephone conversations were also held with parents and other professionals, including the police and those in education and social care. Although no widespread safeguarding concerns were found, some areas for improvement were identified.

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This monitoring visit

There are currently six young people living in the home, whose time at the home ranges from one month to over one year.

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This monitoring visit

This home has a stable staff team. The registered manager and the quality assurance manager have both been working at the home for six years. The deputy manager has been at the home as a senior member of staff for over 10 years and has recently been promoted. Leaders and managers work well together to provide a stable environment for the young people, with clear and consistent messages.

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This monitoring visit

Staff work well in partnership with social workers, parents and other professionals involved with the young people. Staff participate in online meetings and provide written reports to contribute to discussions about the young people. This ensures that the most current information about the young people is considered in decision- making. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC039213 2 Staff are not sufficiently curious or proactive in their responses to the young people. Professionals said staff need to be ‘persistent’ and ‘clear’ on how they re-evaluate their work depending on young people’s presenting behaviours.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have undertaken training on child criminal exploitation and are able to recognise behaviours that indicate a young person may be at risk. The staff have developed positive relationships with their local police support officer, who visits the home regularly and knows all the young people.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager matches the needs of the current young people living at the home when considering the admission of new young people. However, some risk management practices are not robust, for example, staff’s response to young people’s absence during the day as well as at night. Although episodes of going missing have reduced, it is unclear how much of this is in response to staff engaging young people. Behaviour support plans are not regularly reviewed to reflect young people’s changes in behaviour, wishes and feelings.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not yet plan and develop regular activities for young people in the home or offer motivational rewards, for example, the young person choosing and/or cooking the evening meal.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not offer enough support, to engage young people in discussions about recognising risky and harmful relationships. Key-work sessions are taking place but the documents recording these sessions do not adequately reflect the individual voice or personality of the young person. Staff are not proactive and do not consider the information they have to promote discussion with young people.

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This monitoring visit

Young people’s plans do not mitigate against young people who are seeking to distance themselves from the adults in the home. Staff describe the young people as compliant and stable, however a young person stated that, ‘Staff do not know what I do.’ Young people’s views are not adequately reflected upon to improve the quality of care at the home.

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This monitoring visit

All the young people are currently on roll to attend an educational provision, although their commitment to this is variable. The staff advocate to ensure educational provision is in place. With school being moved to remote learning as a result of the pandemic, more support is needed for young people completing their homework and engaging. A parent stated, ‘I wish staff would check homework is completed.’ On occasion there is a lack of robust challenge to local authorities when they do not arrange educational provision in a timely way. Staff do not always advocate enough to minimise against drift in care plans and do not encourage enough progress for young people. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC039213 3 This visit identified that there have been breaches in regulation and requirements are set out to address these shortfalls. One previous requirement has been complied with in respect of the independent visitor’s monthly reports.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/12/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/07/2019 Full Good 17/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/04/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC039213 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, 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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about—

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Requirement Due date

what advocacy support or services are available to the child, how the child may access that support or those services and any entitlement the child may have to independent advocacy provision.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, in relation to each young person having in their bedroom or personal space access to telephone numbers for independent professionals to whom they can address concerns. 3 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff— 3 May 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC039213 5 help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, in relation to ensuring that young people’s views inform practice and the quality of care offered.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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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

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

This is in relation to supporting young people to have a varied and healthy diet, with takeaway meals as the exception. 3 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires that the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, to ensure young people are given access to individual learning, and opportunities to discuss with 3 May 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC039213 6 experienced professionals such issues as risks from substance misuse and child criminal exploitation.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, in relation to staff understanding that a young person’s absence or lack of accountability during the day is reported as an episode of going missing. Staff need to consider all information in relation to young people’s behaviours and how daily arrangements should be amended, particularly where there are concerns of child criminal exploitation. 3 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. 3 May 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC039213 7 (Regulation 14 (1)(b)(2)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to building on a young person’s skills and using mentoring or access to such things as the Duke of Edinburgh scheme to build up a young person’s social networks and experiences.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stellakis Miltiadous

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Inspector

Tolulope Sawyerr, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC039213 8 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 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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