Children's Home run by Stellakis Miltiadous in Haringey

Inspection report for children’s home: SC039213 1 SC039213 Registered provider: Stellakis Miltiadous Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home that provides care for up to six children aged 11 to 18 years who may experience social and emotional difficulties. Young people over 18 years old may remain in the home in some circumstances based on their needs and risk assessment.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in July 2003. The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2014.

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Information about this children’s home

There were six children living in the home at the time of 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

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

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/08/2021 Full Good 20/12/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/07/2019 Full Good 17/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC039213 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well supported to form close and trusting relationships with staff, who they feel they can talk to about important things in their lives. Children feel valued and secure. They are settled and enjoy positive experiences with those who are caring for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff work hard to promote children’s education and encourage their attendance at school. Children are rewarded for attending school. When children are excluded, staff work well with educational professionals to support children’s return to education, attending meetings and advocating on children’s behalf. Children are supported by staff to develop valuable independence skills, such as cooking and budgeting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to live healthy lifestyles. Staff encourage children to attend health appointments. When additional support is needed to promote children’s health, staff ensure that referrals are made to relevant services. Children are also supported to have a healthy diet and participate in physical activities, such as going to the gym. Key-work sessions are carried out to support children in understanding the importance of looking after their own health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have opportunities to share their views during key-work sessions and meetings or directly to staff, who take time to listen to them. Children contribute to the decisions that are made about them, and they also contribute to staff appraisals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand that it is important for children to maintain relationships with the people who are special to them. Staff support children to repair fractured relationships with their families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms are personalised to their taste. The home is comfortably furnished and maintained. There is a small gym in the garden.

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

Children say that they feel safe at the home, and they know there are trusted adults who they can talk to if they have any worries or concerns. Staff work with children to explore risks and vulnerabilities and to help them learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, children receive key-work sessions on issues such as substance misuse, the dangers of being missing from home and involvement in offending behaviour.

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

Children’s individual risk assessments and positive behaviour support plans are regularly reviewed and updated. Staff set consistent boundaries and routines for children. There is a clear reward system that promotes and encourages positive behaviour. All staff are suitably trained to safely restrain children when required. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039213 4 When children are missing from home, staff try to maintain contact with them and work with other agencies to ensure that children are safe. However, missing-from- home records do not demonstrate effective management oversight. This is a missed opportunity to identify any gaps in staff’s knowledge, skills and reflection on what worked well to reduce the risks to children. On one occasion, Ofsted was not notified when a child had been away from the home for a prolonged period of time. This compromised the regulator’s external oversight of the home.

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

Staff have undertaken safeguarding training and demonstrate a good understanding of the policies and procedures to follow if allegations are made against staff.

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

Staff carry out room searches when necessary to safeguard children. However, room search records do not include the child’s views and consent for the measure or management oversight. This compromises the management oversight of practice and the effectiveness of this measure.

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

Since the last inspection, only one new member of staff has been recruited. On this occasion, discrepancies between the employment history provided by the member of staff and the referees were not explored.

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

Leaders and managers have failed to follow the recommended actions that are identified in the fire risk assessment. For example, the recommended frequency for fire drills and fire training for staff is not being followed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership and management structure of the home is strong. The home has a suitably qualified and registered manager, who is supported by a deputy manager and a quality assurance manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have high aspirations for children and are proud of their achievements. They advocate for children and challenge placing authorities when children’s plans do not meet their needs. This ensures that children receive individualised care and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work well with children’s professional networks. Feedback from professionals is positive regarding the quality of care that is provided and the communication from staff. This shared approach ensures that children are provided with good-quality care and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale is high. The feedback provided by staff about the leadership of the home is, without exception, positive. Staff report that their views are valued and appreciated. Staff benefit from induction, regular supervision and appraisals. However, a new staff member has not completed training that is relevant to the needs of the children in their care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039213 5 Reports that are completed by the independent person do not always include feedback from parents and children. This is a missed opportunity and potentially limits the opportunities for independent scrutiny and challenge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose is kept under review and clearly sets out the ethos and objectives of the home. However, the updated copy has not been shared with Ofsted. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039213 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, 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that new staff are provided with appropriate training during their induction. 31 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 28 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— 31 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC039213 7 if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records of room searches reflect whether, when possible, the child was informed and asked for their permission. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)  The registered person should ensure that incidents of children going missing from home are evaluated to identify any gaps in staff’s training, skills or knowledge, and to record and retain evidence of what worked well. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31)  The registered person should ensure that they maintain good employment practice, as set out in regulations 31 to 33. In particular, this relates to ensuring that any discrepancies in staff’s work history are explored. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should give more consideration to what constitutes a

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Recommendations

serious incident and should be notified to Ofsted. In particular, this relates to incidents when children have been missing from home for a considerable period of time and their whereabouts have been unknown. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.11)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. In particular, this relates to leaders and managers ensuring that the fire risk assessment’s recommendations are being followed up. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: SC039213 8

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stellakis Miltiadous

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Inspector

Aneta Wasilewska, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC039213 9 regulates 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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