Children's Home run by Berry Gifford Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2541440 1 Registered provider: Berry Gifford LTD

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since February 2025 and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home. The child spoke with the inspector during the inspection.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2541440 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/05/2024 Full Inadequate 12/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/06/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: 2541440 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home. The child was present and spoken to. Since the last inspection, one child has moved in, and one child has left the home. This inspection focused on the progress and experiences of both children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have organised moves into the home. Staff work together with family members to learn about children’s needs. A parent spoke positively about the support their child is receiving from the manager and staff team. Also, the manager arranges additional training for staff to support children’s needs before they move into the home. This provides children with bespoke care and support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to have planned moves out of the home. Since the last inspection, one child has moved into supported accommodation. Staff support children to be involved in planning their moves. This enables children to share their views and to understand the arrangements. Staff support children when they have left. For example, staff celebrated one child’s educational achievements after they had moved out.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager is an excellent advocate for children’s education. The manager challenges external professionals when children are not being provided with formal education. For example, the manager advocated for one child to be provided with a tutor. Furthermore, staff support children to explore their personal interests. This helps to develop children’s confidence and independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s equality, diversity and inclusion. Staff help children to learn about different cultural festivals and to celebrate special occasions. This creates an inclusive and nurturing home environment. Staff have supported children to design a multi-faith space in their home. This supports children to feel safe in sharing their views, wishes and feelings about their individual beliefs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home’s environment is comfortable and homely. Staff support children to design their bedrooms. A social worker said that one child had allowed staff to support them to organise their personal belongings, which they had not previously agreed to. However, the manager recognises that there are areas of the home that need to be redecorated, and this is an area of ongoing development.

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

Staff understand children’s needs well. Children’s support plans are thoughtfully prepared with clear guidance for staff to follow. The manager and staff team reflect on children’s needs, ensuring children are provided with individualised support. These plans are reviewed and updated when children’s needs change. This ensures that family members and external professionals understand the support that children require. Inspection report for children's home: 2541440 4 Children are supported to understand risks. For example, staff supported one child to understand the risks of vaping and smoking. Staff follow children’s plans and work together with the police to support children when they go missing from home. In addition, staff encourage children to speak about the reasons for going missing from home. This helps children to reflect on their experiences and to make different choices. For example, one child will ask to go for a walk with staff when feeling unsettled.

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

Staff develop positive relationships with children. This supports children to feel confident in sharing their wishes and feelings. As a result of this nurturing approach, children are settled, and there have been no physical interventions used since the last inspection. Staff are responsive to children’s needs, which enables routines and boundaries to be created. This helps children to feel safer living in their home.

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

Children know how to make complaints. Leaders and managers act promptly to explore any complaints. Children are supported to understand the outcome of their complaint. This helps children to feel they are being listened to and to feel valued.

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

Staff support children when they experience bullying by external peers. Staff liaise with external professionals to reduce these risks, ensuring children feel safer in the community. Staff support children to learn about internet and mobile phone safety. This helps children to understand the risks of social media and to learn about positive role models.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager is highly respected by the staff team for her supportive leadership and advocacy on behalf of children. The manager is proactive in raising concerns with external professionals. For example, the manager challenged education professionals regarding the arrangements for one child’s exams.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is enthusiastic and committed in its support of children living in the home and children who have moved on. Also, leaders strictly follow safe recruitment and understand the importance of having a diverse staff team. This creates an inclusive living environment for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are supported to develop in their roles by a comprehensive training plan, supervision and reflective team meetings. This ensures that staff feel valued and have the necessary skills to support children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Reflective learning for the staff team is supported by a clinical psychologist. This supports staff to explore and understand the lived experiences of children. The new manager has plans to further develop the therapeutic support for staff. This will support leaders, managers and staff to create a consistently safe and nurturing environment for children. Inspection report for children's home: 2541440 5 The new manager has developed effective monitoring and review systems. The manager completes audits of the home’s records, ensuring that any outstanding tasks are completed. The manager acknowledges that the reviews of the home, which take place every six months, should include a development plan. This is an area that is to be addressed by the manager. Inspection report for children's home: 2541440 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets children’s needs. The home must comply with relevant health and safety legislation; however, in doing so, it should seek, as far as possible, to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. This relates to the home’s decoration being maintained and updated as required. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality of standards,’ page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that they produce a quality of care report in line with Regulation 45. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next six months of delivery in the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the

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Recommendation

quality standards,’ page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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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 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Siân Heffey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2541440 8 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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