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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC060554 1 SC060554 Registered provider: Mulberry House Care Homes Limited Full inspection 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 July 2024 and hold a relevant qualification.

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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: SC060554 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/08/2023 Full Good 04/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/04/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC060554 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good support when they move into the home, and they are well prepared. They meet the registered manager, staff and children who they will be living with before moving in. When children’s needs can no longer be met safely, moves on from the home are planned with care and consideration. This helps each child’s experience of moving on to be as positive as it can be, even in difficult circumstances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from positive relationships with staff who they trust. One child now shares information with staff about their friendship groups. They seek advice from staff to help them to overcome any conflicts with their friends, and this is giving them confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Individualised care is provided by staff who consider children’s views, wishes and feelings. Children are encouraged to engage in activities they enjoy and spend time with people who are important to them in line with their plans. For example, a child enjoys spending time with their siblings at the home, supported by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are registered with relevant health services and are supported to attend routine health appointments. The registered manager and staff meet monthly with the clinical psychologist commissioned by the provider. Discussions in these meetings help staff to understand and support children’s emotional health and well-being. Children have access to specialist health services when a need is identified.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff work well with professionals and parents when there are barriers to children attending school. Regular meetings are held to review educational targets and attendance. Staff encourage children to engage with learning at home. However, this remains a challenge for children, and despite the good efforts of staff, they are not reaching their learning potential.

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

Clear plans help staff to identify and manage children’s behaviours and risks. Staff speak with children about risks they are vulnerable to and help them to develop skills and knowledge to keep themselves safe. Incentives used by staff encourage children to make progress in areas that they find difficult. Staff recognise and celebrate children’s achievements.

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

All staff undertake safeguarding training. They can recognise signs of exploitation and understand systems for reporting concerns. Staff are aware of whistle-blowing procedures and feel confident in using these should they need to. Managers take appropriate action when there is a concern about a person who works in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC060554 4 There are occasions when children’s whereabouts are unknown. The registered manager and staff work well with the police, social worker and people who are important to the children to help to locate them. Since the last inspection, there has been one serious incident when a child was harmed while away from the home. The registered manager’s and staff’s actions were instrumental in locating the child. They also responded sensitively to the child on their return. Children can speak with an independent person when they come home, and this provides an opportunity to understand the child’s

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

experiences while they are missing and reduce future missing-from-home episodes.

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

Children are encouraged to develop skills to keep themselves safe online. Staff speak with children and are curious about their use of social media and online activity. Children cannot access the home’s internet during the night, and this is helping children to develop and maintain healthy sleep routines. This is having a positive impact on children’s participation in their daily routines.

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

Since the last inspection, two staff members and the former registered manager have resigned. Three new staff members have started working in the home. Safe recruitment systems are in place to reduce the risk of children being cared for by unsuitable individuals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new registered manager has a clear vision for the home. She understands the home’s strengths and areas that she wants to develop. Good progress is being made, and changes are valued by staff because they now feel more empowered to contribute towards children’s plans and the development of the home. Staff also say that they are supported to develop their skills and knowledge in a way that is helpful to them and the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring systems are used effectively by the registered manager. This helps her to have a clear understanding of children’s experiences and progress and areas she and the staff need to focus on.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children benefit from being cared for by a small, consistent team of staff who they know well. Most staff members are experienced and hold a relevant qualification. Two are working towards this qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Reflective practice is promoted by the registered manager. Staff benefit from reflective discussions during monthly team meetings and individual supervision sessions. Staff performance is appraised formally on an annual basis. These meetings provide staff with the opportunity to share practice and learn from experience. In turn, this supports children to make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home environment is warm and homely. It is decorated and furnished well. Regular maintenance helps the children to value their home and develop a sense of ownership of where they live. Inspection report for children’s home: SC060554 5

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This was raised as a recommendation at the last inspection and is now raised as a requirement. 10 February 2025

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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: SC060554 6

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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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Inspector

Helen Dunn, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC060554 7 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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