Children's Home run by Berry Gifford Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2541440 1

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Berry Gifford Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home offers care and accommodation for up to three children who have experienced childhood instability which has resulted in trauma and associated complex behaviours. The home registered with Ofsted in February 2020 and is owned by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is applying to become registered with Ofsted and is currently completing the level 5 qualification in leadership and management for care services.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to follow up on concerns raised with Ofsted about the quality of care provided to children. At the time of the visit, one child lived at the home.

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This monitoring visit

On one occasion, staff did not show the ability to assess a situation appropriately and they did not respond to risk to a child promptly. Delays in returning a vulnerable child from the community late at night left the child at potential risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Fire safety measures are not effective. The manager has not ensured that there are suitable arrangements for staff and children to be able evacuate the building quickly in the event of a fire. Two fire escape doors situated at the rear of the property are kept locked and staff do not have easy access to keys to be able to open these doors without delay. One vacant child’s bedroom door does not close independently. This places individuals in the home at greater risk of harm if a fire started. These shortfalls have the potential to compromise the safety of children, staff and visitors.

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This monitoring visit

Staffing levels at the home are insufficient. As a result, three care staff and the home’s manager are working additional hours. The home relies on two agency workers to complete the waking night shifts. It is positive that staff are trying to Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2541440 2 provide consistency for children, but staff continually working additional hours is not sustainable. One member of staff said, ‘I understand why we have to work more hours, it’s right for [child’s name] and provides him with consistency. It would just be nice to see a light at the end of the tunnel.’

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This monitoring visit

The manager and staff are still in their probation period. The staff are unqualified and inexperienced. Staff are aware of a conflict between the manager and a member of staff who no longer works at the home. As a result, staff are anxious to raise issues with the manager. This has an impact on the quality of care children receive and does not promote a good safeguarding culture.

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This monitoring visit

One child was discharged from the home shortly before his birthday. The manager did not make satisfactory arrangements for the young person to receive a leaving gift or birthday present. This lack of thought and care does not support children’s emotional health and well-being and did not help this child to mark an important life event.

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This monitoring visit

The child living at the home was admitted in an emergency. The operations manager discussed managing the child’s risks with representatives from the child’s placing authority before making the decision to admit the child. Managers are in the process of requesting relevant care plans for the child from the child’s placing authority to ensure that staff receive key information to help them care for the child.

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This monitoring visit

The manager does not implement effective systems and processes for managing finances. Children can only access their allowances when the manager is in the home or if requested in advance. The manager does not ensure that staff have access to money when he is not in the home. This compromises the quality of care that children receive, their experiences and the smooth running of the home.

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This monitoring visit

On one occasion, the manager did not inform Ofsted about an incident that was considered to be serious. This reduces the regulator’s ability to check safeguarding practices in the home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/07/2020 Monitoring visit No judgement 06/08/2020 Monitoring visit No judgement 23/09/2020 Assurance visit No judgement Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2541440 3

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vii)) 13 December 2020

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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—

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)) 13 December 2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2541440 4 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)(h)) 3 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(b)) 13 December 2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 13 December 2020

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s staff recognise and celebrate the achievements of their children. In particular, children’s milestones such as birthdays and moving home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31 paragraph 6.7) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2541440 5

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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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Information about this inspection

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 (coronavirus) is currently posing to those we inspect. During this visit, the inspector took into consideration the impact of any measures being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 by the home. This has included the effect these have had on staffing arrangements.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Berry Gifford Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Berry Gifford Limited, Branston Court, Branston Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B18 6BA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Misheck Hakulandaba

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Inspector

Helen Malanaphy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2541440 6 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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