Children's Home run by Mulberry House Care Homes Limited in Staffordshire

Unique reference number SC060554 Inspector Julian Mason Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Mulberry House Care Homes Limited Registered person address Tollgate Business Centre Tollgate Drive Stafford Staffordshire ST16 3HS Responsible individual Karen Elizabeth Ingley Registered manager Nicola Sheena Greenfield Date of last inspection 24/10/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 12/03/2015

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Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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This inspection

The home’s staff team continue to provide a very stable and consistent living environment where young people can make good progress in their lives. The Registered Manager and staff team make considerable efforts to ensure the care and support provided is matched to each young person’s needs. Overall, young people are responding positively to staff whose patient and consistent approach helps them to build strong and effective relationships. Young people sometimes have very difficult and challenging behaviours that can affect their relationships. This does not discourage staff from providing good quality care with clear boundaries. The Registered Manager promotes and encourages positive relationships as a key practice area for all staff. Staff and young people negotiate and compromise to reach agreement and these skills are valued and promoted as an important way of working together.

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This inspection

Regular discussions and consultation with young people supports their growing independence and personal responsibility. Plans for greater independence are progressing according to each young person’s needs and circumstances. This means that young people are given the time and support needed to learn how to become more self-sufficient, responsible and independent. Young people are learning to express themselves in safer ways rather than resorting to behaviours that are more risky or damaging. For example, anti-social behaviour has decreased, engagement and progress in further education is positive and overall risk taking behaviours such as being missing from care have reduced considerably.

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This inspection

Partnership working is good. There is regular contact with community police, who visit the home informally to talk to both staff and young people. There are regular meetings and discussions with education providers about young people’s engagement and progress at college. Also, frequent contact with family members and social workers continue in support of young people’s day-to-day care as well as 3 of 5 planning for their futures.

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This inspection

Young people’s views, wishes and feelings are actively and regularly sought by the Registered Manager and staff team. Each young person has an allocated key worker who is tasked with ensuring young people can regularly discuss in private their needs and forthcoming arrangements. Managers and staff listen to what young people have to say and this helps them shape the home’s routines in line with the feedback they receive.

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This inspection

Young people are provided with safe and comfortable accommodation. Generally, the home’s environment is clean and tidy apart from an area at the back of the house, which is littered with rubbish and makes the space unsightly. The home’s interior has benefited from some recent improvements in its décor and furnishings but some parts of the house are still shabby and in a worn condition such as the kitchen and some external walls. Although the home has an on-going plan of maintenance and upgrades it is not clear when these matters will be addressed. Currently, young people’s comfort is not being fully promoted through the overall standards of accommodation provided. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children's home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is one of four children's homes owned by the provider organisation.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/10/2014 Full good 26/03/2014 Interim good progress 28/05/2013 Full adequate 28/01/2013 Interim good progress

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure all parts of the children’s home are kept clean, in good structural repair internally and externally and reasonably decorated and maintained throughout. (Regulation 31(2)(d)(e)) 24/05/2015 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Reg. Requirement Due date

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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