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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060554 1 SC060554 Registered provider: Mulberry House Care Homes Limited

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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 three children who have been affected by adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022 and also manages another children’s home in the same company.

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This monitoring visit

On 8 February 2023, an assurance visit was undertaken at the home. Inspectors identified serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children. A notice of restriction of accommodation and compliance notices under regulations 12 and 13 were issued.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review the progress made by managers in meeting the steps of the compliance notice raised under regulation 12.

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This monitoring visit

One child lived at the home at the time of the inspection. Inspectors found that sufficient progress has been made to meet the compliance notice. Managers have acted to review the child’s risk management arrangements with the child and relevant professionals. Staff are familiar with the agreed risk management arrangements and have acted to put these into practice as necessary.

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This monitoring visit

No significant incidents have occurred since 8 February 2023. Managers and staff are in the process of making improvements in response to other shortfalls identified at the previous inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, the notice of restriction of accommodation remains in place. Ofsted will undertake a further visit to review this and the compliance notice that remains in place in respect of regulation 13. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060554 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/04/2021 Full Inadequate 18/12/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060554 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 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; and

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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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)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons must ensure that the home has suitably trained and skilled staff to work with children and protect them from harm.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered persons should ensure that they have effective oversight and monitoring of children’s risks and staff response to significant incidents in the home. It further relates to the manager’s oversight of the quality of care children receive in the home. Managers must also have 26 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060554 4 clear monitoring and review systems in place to improve practice and understand children’s progress and experiences.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that they work effectively with external professionals to put in place measures to keep children safe. Also, the registered persons should ensure that they consistently challenge the relevant professionals’ performance when their response and support does not reflect the level of risk for children. 26 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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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 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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iii)) 26 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060554 5 In particular, the registered persons should ensure that they work effectively with placing authorities to support children to leave the home in a manner which does not impact on children’s emotional well-being.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; and

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(vi)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that staff understand and are equipped with the skills to identify that children’s previous experiences and trauma may be communicated through their behaviour. Also, leaders are to ensure that staff carry out specific and direct work with 26 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060554 6 children in line with their needs to help them learn from their experiences.

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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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; and

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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)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders must ensure that all significant incidents with children and incidents that require police involvement are notified to Ofsted.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 26 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are in full-time education while they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full-time attendance at school, unless the child’s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)

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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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060554 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Mulberry House Care Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Railway Street, Stafford, Staffordshire ST16 2EA

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Inspectors

Alison Cooper, Social Care Compliance Inspector Jackie Line, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC060554 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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