Children's Home run by Berry Gifford Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2541440 1 Registered provider: Berry Gifford Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who have experienced childhood instability which has led to trauma and associated complex behaviours. At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned in December 2022. There is currently no manager appointed to run the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following the monitoring inspection on 27 July 2023, Ofsted imposed a restriction of accommodation and a compliance notice in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard. Inspection report for children’s home: 2541440 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2023 Full Inadequate 14/06/2022 Full Good 29/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 12/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2541440 3

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improvement to be good

One child lives in the home. There is a plan for them to move on. Managers and staff work well with external professionals to help prepare and support the child with their plans. Staff have consulted with the child about the support they want and involved them in planning their leaving party. The child has visited their new home, met the new staff who will be caring for them and stayed in their new bedroom overnight. This practice helps the child to manage a significant change in their life.

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improvement to be good

The child has some positive relationships with managers and staff who care for them regularly. However, one member of staff left without the child having the opportunity to say goodbye, which was upsetting for the child.

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improvement to be good

The child’s attendance at school has improved. However, they are not yet making the expected progress with their learning. A review of the child’s education health and care plan has been carried out but there is no record of the outcome of the review. This does not help staff caring for the child to have a clear understanding of how to support the child to make academic progress.

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improvement to be good

The child is registered with universal health services and is supported to access these when needed. The outcome of the last dental appointment attended by the child is not known, as staff did not keep a record. The child is not regularly wearing their spectacles. The staff verbally encourage them to do so, but they have not explained the importance of wearing them. Staff have supported the child to access emergency healthcare on three separate occasions.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child to keep in touch with people who are important to them. This supports their identity and emotional well-being. The child has developed a friendship with a child who lives locally. They enjoy playing together at home and going on activities together with staff. The child has recently returned from a holiday that they enjoyed.

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improvement to be good

Managers have reviewed the child’s behaviour support plan. It now includes identified risks and behaviours, possible triggers, early warning signs and strategies to reduce and manage risk. However, managers do not ensure that all staff understand these plans. This does not create a safeguarding culture that provides the child with consistent approaches to managing risk.

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improvement to be good

Since the last monitoring inspection, there have been no serious incidents requiring physical intervention and the child has not been reported missing. On one occasion, the child became frustrated and damaged their television when playing an online Inspection report for children’s home: 2541440 4 game. Staff have since completed training in managing online gaming addictions and have spoken with the child about cyber-bullying and how gaming can negatively impact emotions. Staff provide alternative activities that encourage positive interactions and experiences.

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improvement to be good

There has been one incident when the child caused harm to themselves. Staff responded well and sought medical advice and treatment. An effective measure was put in place to prevent further incidents.

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improvement to be good

The child understands expectations of behaviour. Positive behaviours are recognised by managers and staff, using praise and occasional rewards. This helps the child to develop social skills and improve their self-esteem and confidence. On one occasion, the deputy manager used a restorative measure after the child had displayed some unacceptable behaviour. This measure was effective in helping the child understand their behaviour and was reviewed by the responsible individual in the absence of a registered manager.

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improvement to be good

Recruitment practices outlined in the home’s statement of purpose are not implemented in practice. Managers have developed a recruitment monitoring form; however, this is not effective in identifying all safe recruitment checks. As a result, conflicting information in a person’s work history have not been identified and managers are not curious when applicants have not given their most recent employers as referees.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The previous registered manager left in December 2022. Plans to recruit a new manager have not yet been successful. The responsible individual is in day-to-day charge of the home and is supported by the deputy manager, who works part time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are insufficient staff to support the child and the day-to-day running of the home. Staff retention is poor. There is a reliance on agency workers, who do not have the same training opportunities as employed staff. This means children do not always receive care from staff who are qualified, trained and experienced.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

On two occasions, the responsible individual authorised the child being left in the care of two agency workers without adequately assessing their skills and knowledge of the child’s care plans and risks. This practice does not safeguard and protect the child from potential harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Employed staff receive regular supervision and attend team meetings. However, agency staff who work in the home are not supervised by managers and are not included in team meetings. These are missed opportunities for managers to assess the skills and knowledge of all staff who care for the child. It does not support agency staff to understand the child’s experiences and care plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Monitoring systems used by leaders and managers are not effective. Reports do not accurately reflect areas that need to be developed. For example, reports do not Inspection report for children’s home: 2541440 5 capture the training needs of staff. Medication checks are not routinely carried out and monitoring does not identify gaps in information, which has the potential for medication to be administered incorrectly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

On occasions during the inspection, the responsible individual did not present clear and accurate information to the inspector. For example, they included a member of staff who is on a zero-hours contract as part of the contracted staff team. On another occasion, it appeared that amendments to a document requested by the inspector had been amended before being shared.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The provider uses an electronic recording system, however, this is not used effectively. The child’s records are not clearly titled and are stored in different locations, making it difficult for staff to find specific care plans and records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have made some improvements to the home environment; some areas have been redecorated. The living room feels comfortable and inviting, with a new sofa and soft furnishings. Quotes to refurbish and modernise bathrooms have been requested.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There have been improvements in sharing information with the child’s social worker.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The provider has met the steps in the compliance notices and the restriction of accommodation has been lifted following the inspection. However, due to the current staffing arrangements, Ofsted has imposed a condition reducing the number of children who can live in the home to one. Inspection report for children’s home: 2541440 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, The 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 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— that staff—

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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.

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered provider ensuring that staff understand plans for children and potential risk and how to minimise it.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 25 October 2023

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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 promotes their welfare. 25 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2541440 7 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.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home have sufficient staff to provide care for each child.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

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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.

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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)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered provider ensuring that there are effective monitoring and review systems in place to review and improve the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring that they provide care in line with the home’s statement of purpose and that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of children.

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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

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and the registered provider is an organisation or a partnership. does not satisfy regulation 28; or

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. 25 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2541440 8 If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home,

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character.

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that

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Requirement Due date

the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 are incomplete. 25 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2541440 9 full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the circumstances are exceptional; and

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Requirement Due date

the registered person ensures that the individual is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties, pending receipt of any outstanding information on the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2, which is then considered satisfactory by the registered person.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that any individual who is working at the home and who does not fall within paragraph (2)(a) and (b) is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d) (8))

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Requirement Due date

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

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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: 2541440 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Berry Gifford Ltd, Unit 2, Mercury Park, Amber Close, Tamworth B77 4RP

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Inspector

Helen Dunn, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2541440 11 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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