​Mulberry Foster Care, which serves as a lifeline for children who are unable to remain in their own homes, was inspected in November 2025 and received a glowing review. “Children make exceptional progress from their starting points because of the nurturing and consistent care they receive from their foster carers,” inspectors found. “For example, children with complex needs have made significant and sustained improvement in meeting speech and mobility milestones.” Foster carers were praised for their diligence in understanding children’s health and developmental needs. One child has made “life-changing improvement in their overall health, from a very fragile starting point” and other children “have made vast progress with their emotional well-being”. Additionally, the report praised the “lovely relationships” between children and their foster carers. For example, one child had “written songs expressing their love and gratitude for their foster family, with truly heartwarming lyrics”. The inspectors highlighted the agency’s comprehensive grasp of a therapeutic approach, which is implemented across the board. The agency is proactive in funding and arranging necessary interventions for the children, such as play therapy, mentoring, creative counselling, and systemic consultations. This support significantly contributes to the children’s development, the stability of placements, and the well-being of caregivers. “The therapeutic support gives us optimism for the children in our care to have necessary therapy for their trauma,” one foster carer told inspectors. The ‘swift’ and ‘substantial’ support from agency staff equips foster carers to manage risk, and contributes to safety and placement stability for children. The effectiveness of leadership and management at the agency was also rated as “outstanding.” A foster carer described their supervising social worker as “amazing, always on hand 24/7 with advice, help and support; nothing is ever a problem or too much trouble.” Matthew Smith, director of Mulberry Foster Care, said: “We are incredibly proud to have been rated outstanding again. “This judgement reflects the dedication of our foster carers, staff and children, and the strong relationships at the heart of everything we do. “At the same time, we know there are more children who need the kind of safe, nurturing homes our carers provide. “We would love to hear from anyone who is thinking about fostering and wants to make a genuine difference to a child’s life.”