Children's home run by Pebbles Care Limited in Leeds

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people make significant progress as a result of the nurturing care and support that they receive from the managers and staff at this home. Their school attendance increases, they reduce their risk-taking behaviours, their self- confidence and self-esteem increase, and they begin to form positive attachments with the adults who care for them. One young person summed this up by saying: ‘I am loving it here. I am loving the house and I am loving the staff. There is nothing that I want to change.’ Young people recognise the change in themselves. One young person said: ‘I have improved a lot’, and another said, ‘I am doing fantastically.’ They acknowledge that this is because of the support that staff provide. One young person commented: ‘The staff are lovely. They are always looking for ways to help you. They have given me light at the end of the tunnel.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Social workers also recognise the progress that young people are making. One said: ‘He is doing great. He is making very good progress.’ Another said: ‘She is doing really really well. She has changed dramatically.’ Social workers attribute this to the commitment of staff, the time that they give to the young people, and the nurturing care. One social worker said: ‘The success is down to the staff, the relationships and the consistency.’ Social workers also comment on the staff’s proactivity in seeking support and their responsiveness to act on any advice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are very committed to the young people and very accepting of difference. A member of staff said of the young people: ‘They are free to be what they want to be.’ Two stakeholders confirmed this approach by saying: ‘Staff embrace how the young person wants to be,’ and, ‘I am impressed with the concern staff show and the lengths they go to, to support a young person.’ Young people are offered a range of support to meet their varied and complex needs. This includes specialist support to address substance misuse, gender identity and sexuality, and psychological input to address issues such as self-harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is very settled at the moment. Since the last inspection only one young person has left and another young person has moved in. Both of these were planned moves. A social worker commented about the tea visit prior to the planned move into the home by saying: ‘Staff were very child focused and really wanted to get to know her. She was really excited about moving in.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people feel safe and are safe in this home. Young people’s risk-taking behaviour, including self-harm and substance misuse, has significantly reduced and there is now no-one deemed at risk of sexual exploitation or going missing from home. Risk is thoroughly assessed and documented so that there is clear guidance for staff about how to act in the event of any situations of concern. Behaviour is well managed. There have been no physical interventions and only one consequence since the last inspection. Young people are encouraged to behave well through rewards, and key-worker sessions are used effectively to enable young people to consider how to manage their anger and deal with situations differently. There are good examples of child-focused work. One young person said: ‘I am able to take it now when I am told off’, thereby recognising the progress he has made in managing his anger and aggressive outbursts of the past.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager demonstrates significant commitment to continually improve the home for the benefit of young people. This is underpinned by regular monitoring of all aspects of practice as well as young people’s outcomes. She has concentrated on staff development in the last few months, ensuring that new members of staff understand the ethos, and work consistently with young people. To this end, she has altered the induction to make it more child-focused and practical. She has also improved staff supervision by the addition of a training element as well as a time for reflection. There is now more information for staff and good resources for working with young people in a child-appropriate way. Staff comment that one improvement since the last inspection is the consistency of the staff team, which demonstrates that the manager has effected positive change. The manager and deputy manager are very well thought of by staff, young people and stakeholders

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

alike. A member of staff said, ‘they are the best bosses,’ and a young person said, ’Kimberley is the best manager I have known.’ Two social workers also commented, saying: ‘I am impressed with the managers,’ and, ‘the managers know everything about the young people.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Partnership working is effective, based on good information sharing and excellent communication. Specialist support, such as the child and adolescent mental health service, agencies which deal with substance misuse, and agencies with expertise in identity and sexuality are used effectively to provide additional information and guidance about young people’s identified or emerging needs. The home can also access the company’s psychologist for advice and consultation if they need additional support with strategies. A social worker said: ‘Communication is really good. They tell me everything I need to know.’ The manager also challenges partners when necessary. For example, she has contacted the independent reviewing officer for a young person when there were shortfalls in social work practice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Seven recommendations were made at the last inspection. These related, in the main, to minor improvements in documentation. All the recommendations have been satisfactorily addressed, resulting in documentation which gives better information about accountability, such as staff meeting minutes with actions allocated to named individuals, a more detailed workforce plan and more precise end dates for consequences. Additionally, young people have information about the local children in care council and are regularly offered the opportunity to attend, to give them a chance to have a greater influence in the provision of care more generally. All documentation, including risk assessments, is shared with children’s social workers to enable them to comment on any changes in proposed actions.

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 27/09/2016 Full Good 26/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/12/2015 Full Good 10/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference that adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This 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 Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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