Children's Home run by Pebbles Care Limited in Leeds

Unique reference number SC417795 Inspector Simon Morley Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Pebbles Care Limited Registered person address Rouse House, 2 Wyther Lane Kirkstall Leeds West Yorkshire LS5 3BT Responsible individual Luiz Miguel Guilherme Registered manager Tony Gellen Date of last inspection 12/02/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 23/07/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

Outcomes for children and young people adequate Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe good Leadership and management good

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Overall effectiveness

Young people feel safe and most of them have positive views about their care and relationships with staff. The majority of young people respond to a carefully planned individual and nurturing approach, they thrive from the support they receive compared to their starting points on admission. As a result almost all make good progress in a wide range of outcomes. Not all young people make the same level of progress, limiting outcomes by criminal behaviour and unhealthy choices.

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Overall effectiveness

The quality of care remains high, regardless of young people's needs, backgrounds and experiences. Staff demonstrate a good commitment to diversity providing the same standards of care to all young people. Staff build good relationships with young people and feedback from a variety of professionals and parents is very complimentary about the standards of care.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people have a good say about their care and day-to-day life in the home. Extra staff is provided for young people who need it. This promotes successful individual weekly timetables, helping young people experience a variety of activities, improve their education and stay safe.

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Overall effectiveness

The home is well run and the manager maintains good standards of care. The staff 3 of 11 team are motivated and enthusiastic under strong leadership to promote positive outcomes for young people. There are some weaknesses in evaluating performance and staff training but these do not impact on the welfare of young people. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

This children's home is owned and managed by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for no more than four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/02/2014 Interim good progress 16/09/2013 Full adequate 16/01/2013 Interim good progress 27/09/2012 Full good

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the independent person interviews children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as appears necessary in order to form an opinion as to whether the children are effectively safeguarded and that the home promotes the wellbeing of the children accommodated there (Regulation 33 (8) (a)) 29/08/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the system established under this regulation improves the quality of care (Regulation 34 (1) (a)) * 29/08/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice 5 of 11

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 evaluate the staff learning and development programme for its effectiveness a least annually and if necessary update it (NMS 18.2)  ensure that visits carried out under Regulation 33 include scrutiny of how the home supports children to enjoy and achieve. (Statutory Guidance, volume 5, paragraph 3.12) 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people enjoy a homely environment in which they generally feel happy, safe and enjoy good relationships with staff. Young people benefit as a result and many of them make good progress across a range of different aspects of their welfare, including their self-esteem, social and practical skills, resilience, education and independence.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Most young people benefit from the proactive arrangements to promote their education and are able to re-engage in some form of education whereas before they had not been attending. Young people access vocational courses such as cooking and pottery, undertake life skills work and achieve places at college to further their education. A lack of attendance and commitment does mean that not all young people are able to work towards achieving their potential.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people improve their confidence, emotional health and well-being as a result of one to one time with staff, the praise, rewards and acknowledgement of their achievements. Young people have good access to the general health services as well as local mental health services and therapeutic support from the provider. This helps young people reduce the frequency of threats of and actual self-harming behaviour. Young people benefit from being able to occupy themselves with meaningful activities that improves their sense of self-worth.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people improve their physical health through regular exercise, widening their dietary choices and support to avoid or reduce smoking, alcohol and substance misuse. Young people explore personal and health issues such as diet, relationships and sexual health with staff. They enjoy taking part in themed events using imaginative methods used such as fat suits and quizzes. This helps young people develop a broader knowledge and understanding about healthy lifestyles as they get older. Not all young people take advantage of these opportunities and compromise a healthy lifestyle as a result.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

All young people attend some social and sporting activities, benefitting from the experiences and increased confidence this gives them. For example trips to local museums, art galleries, playing golf, football, going on holidays and to outdoor activity centres. A parent said, 'Young people are encouraged with their individual interests.' However not all young people consistently engage with the range of opportunities offered to them or the chances to enjoy positive engagement with the wider community. Instead criminal activity limits their chances for better outcomes despite staff efforts. A stakeholder said, 'Support in changing behaviour is offered at every opportunity.'

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people benefit from the arrangements for contact with family and friends 7 of 11 meaning they can keep in touch with people important to them. Staff facilitate and encourage communication offering individualised support in order that visits and contact can be successful and positive. This helps young people maintain important family relationships and reinforces their sense of identity.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people acquire skills which will benefit their transition to adult life. Young people become more confident in their skills through the regular opportunities to go shopping and cook meals. They benefit from an individual approach such as use of travel buddies to learn to manager public transport routes. They are assisted to open bank accounts, learn about budgeting and health and safety practice. In some cases young people have made enough progress to independently go out looking for employment.

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Quality of care good

Staff work hard to get to know young people, their experiences, backgrounds and families well. This underpins the personalised care each young person receives needs and leads to building good relationships together. A parent said, 'They always put the young person's needs first.' These relationships provide the basis from which young people make progress in their lives, enjoy their achievements and look towards the future. A stakeholder said, Young people have good and appropriate relationships with the staff.'

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Quality of care good

Staff are sensitive and caring, demonstrating empathy to young people and their feelings so they can feel valued and understood as individuals. Young people say that they feel staff care and want to help them, they enjoy particularly nurturing relationships with their key workers. A stakeholder commented, 'The home is warm and welcoming and staff have young people's welfare at the heart of every decision.'

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Quality of care good

For the majority of the time young people get on well with each other, sometimes going on activities, trips and holidays together. Their individuality is respected and young people also follow their own lifestyles, spending time with friends and family that are important to them. The manager and staff respond to the issues that arise between young people to maintain a relaxed, calm and friendly environment.

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Quality of care good

Staff have a good understanding of young people’s individual needs, personality, circumstances and background. This is based on comprehensive, holistic individual care and behaviour management plans that are complemented by detailed individual risk assessments. Staff ensure that young people’s diverse needs around their disabilities, gender, mental health, individual vulnerabilities and risk taking behaviour are identified in care planning and met in their day-to-day care. Young people have frequent opportunities to contribute to their care plans, records, targets, sanctions, daily routines and expectations of staff. This inclusive care practice gives young people autonomy and promotes their sense of equality and independence. As one 8 of 11 young person said, 'I have learned to take care of myself.'

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Quality of care good

The staff team are ambitious for young people to succeed in all aspects of their lives. Staff use their positive relationships to encourage young people to continue or further their education. A stakeholder commented, 'Staff encourage and support attendance at education in a consistent manner.' Staff have supported young people with different education programmes based on their individual needs. This includes college, short courses, vocational education and mixed timetables combining different provision. Staff take an active parental role and attend meetings to keep up to date with young people's progress and help celebrate their achievements.

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Quality of care good

Staff ensure there are good arrangements for young people to access routine and specialist health care including counselling and therapeutic support. They engage young people in a variety of themed events to promote their personal, social and physical health. Staff also work well with partner organisations and stakeholders to ensure young people receive the support they need. Working closely with health professionals, education services, placing authorities and youth justice helps develop multi-agency strategies to promote young people's welfare.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people say that they feel safe in the home and community. Young people say there is no bullying and one commented, 'If I saw anything I would tell staff.' Young people are confident in speaking up and know how to complain. There has been one complaint related to issues of theft between young people. This has been addressed and is no longer a problem.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people's individual vulnerabilities are identified and planned for, through effective work with other agencies such as placing authorities, health and youth offending services. Staff recognise young people's diverse backgrounds and provide them with different levels of support tailored to meet their needs. This includes one to one staffing, providing travel buddies and individual strategies to reduce self-harming behaviour.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff protect young people in line with detailed individual risk assessments which include risks of being missing from the home. The staff team work closely with partner agencies, including the missing person’s police officer, local and placing authorities to prevent missing episodes. When young people are absent, staff persistently follow a range of measures to ensure they return safely. There is frequent communication with young people, their family, friends, police and local authority of their whereabouts. Staff go out and look for anyone who is missing and keep following agreed strategies until they are safe. A parent said, 'Staff always make sure they know where young people are.' When young people do not reduce the frequency they are missing the manager is proactive at working with other 9 of 11 agencies and reviewing the appropriateness of the placement. This ensures all possible action is taken to safeguard young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Positive behaviour management strategies provide an effective way of managing young people’s behaviour, without the use of physical intervention. Staff are good role models using de-escalation skills to help young people make appropriate choices. Staff's respectful and caring approach towards young people and each other encourages young people to respond in the same way. This helps young people build good, sustainable relationships with adults and appreciate the positive consequences of behaving well. Young people recognise that staff care about them, feel valued and can benefit in the longer term as they manage their feelings more appropriately.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are further protected by the safe physical environment of the home which is in a pleasant area and is secure to meet their needs. Regular health and safety checks, including fire drills are part of the daily life in the home. In addition young people are protected with established recruitment processes that ensure only appropriate adults are employed to work there.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager has been in post for nearly four months since the home opened. He is appropriately qualified and has additional management experience prior to taking up post here. He is supported by a deputy manager and the provider in providing good standards of care to young people.

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Leadership and management good

The manager demonstrates capacity for improvement having addressed all the shortfalls at the last full inspection. He has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Administration systems are under review to improve efficiency and provide more staff time for young people. A new incentive system is being set up to reinforce positive consequences. This is also to encourage young people to contribute more to the day to life in the home for example cooking meals for others. There are plans for a greenhouse to support young people's wishes to grow things to eat.

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Leadership and management good

The manager and provider undertake regular monitoring of the standards of care. However, quality reports do not evaluate the quality of care robustly. This compromises the ability to measure the impact of care practice on the lives of young people and promote rigorous continuous improvement. The manager is committed to improvement and is taking steps to make this more robust. Monitoring reports do not always consider the views of young people, parents and social workers in measuring how well the service is performing. This is offset by regular meetings with other professionals about young people's needs and day-to-day inclusion of young people about their care. For example, after listening to young people the manager has taken steps to alter care practice to respect individual wishes about how staff support their needs. 10 of 11 There is a new Statement of Purpose, providing interested parties detailed

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Leadership and management good

information about the home and the intended aims and objectives for young people. A separate child-friendly guide is given to young people, letting them know what to expect, how to complain and contact external advocacy if they wish to do so.

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Leadership and management good

New staff undertake the provider's programme of induction training and then develop their competence through achieving the required qualification for working with children and young people. In addition there are core mandatory training subjects undertaken by all staff covering areas such as safeguarding, physical intervention, first aid and health and safety. There are opportunities for some additional training for example, self-harm, which ensures staff have the skills and knowledge to meet all young people's individual needs. While staff have an annual appraisal of their performance there is no overall evaluation of the provider's training programme. Although this is not currently effecting outcomes for young people it does not help the manager to demonstrate the effectiveness of staff as a team and on each individual shift.

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Leadership and management good

There is low staff turnover which provides young people with consistency and stability, which they have not previously benefitted from. Stakeholders said, 'Staff provide a consistent approach', and 'Input and support are offered on an individual basis.' Staff understand the aims and objectives of the home in providing young people with a safe, secure environment and promoting positive outcomes. The staff group are experienced in working with young people and are confident in carrying out their role.

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Leadership and management good

There are good staffing levels that are altered to reflect young people's individual needs and keep them safe. There are enough staff on duty at any one time to support young people with their education, family contact, meetings, appointments and activities. The manager and staff receive good individual support to carry out their role, including regular formal supervision, appraisals and team meetings. This in turn enables them to fully support young people. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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