Children's Home run by Pebbles Care Limited in North Yorkshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC481631 1 SC481631 Registered provider: Pebbles Care Limited

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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 operated by an independent provider. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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 outstanding

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 19 December 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC481631 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 The nurturing staff enjoy spending time with young people who build trusting relationships with them.  Young people have bespoke educational packages and staff use everyday opportunities to educate them.  Young people are open and honest with staff about sensitive issues, so they can get prompt health attention.  Staff encourage young people to lead a healthy lifestyle, with improved sleep patterns and improved personal hygiene.  There is effective behaviour management at the home, resulting in a reduction in negative behaviour.  Young people feel safe in the home and there is a strong safeguarding and whistle-blowing culture in the home.  The manager provides effective management of staff and oversight of the home.  The manager and staff are dedicated and create a positive environment for young people.  The manager is forward thinking, has implemented effective monitoring and has systems in place to ensure that young people continue to make progress.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/12/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 29/06/2016 Full Requires improvement 18/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/11/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC481631 3

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Recommendations

 The processes the registered person puts in place to enable such a review to take place should allow for a report to be generated at least once every six months. The generated report should be sent to Ofsted and the placing local authority of all children in the home who are looked-after children. ('Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.3). Specifically, this is in respect of developing a system for collating the views of young people and stakeholders using the service.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are nurturing and enjoy spending time with young people. They have regular informal chats and key-working sessions with young people and consequently young people build trusting relationships with staff. Young people speak of feeling cared for, with one saying, ‘I love it here. Staff are always there to speak to. Staff help me. I am much more confident now.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The new reward system provides the opportunity for staff to share their positive thoughts with young people. Comments include, ‘[Name of young person] was polite and friendly discussing what happens in the evening during the night shift. Brilliant behaviour and very helpful. Polite in public. Helped an old lady to her car with bags.’ Staff encourage and praise young people, providing motivation. This results in an increase in confidence and improved self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use everyday opportunities to educate young people who are struggling to re- engage with education. This includes young people working on the allotment at the home. The work is accredited to enable young people to gain a recognised qualification. Some young people take part in the Prince’s Trust scheme, and consequently have increased confidence and develop new skills. Young people now have aspirations, and one young person spoke of previously struggling to speak to adults. This young person now confidently approaches potential employers and attends job interviews.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people talk about sensitive issues and are open with staff about their health needs. Staff challenge health professionals when there is delay in accessing services, so young people get prompt attention. Staff seek advice about young people self- medicating, particularly if they are misusing substances. This keeps young people safe as staff monitor when young people use both prescription drugs and illegal substances. One young person gradually reduced and stopped his medication alongside attending anger management sessions. He was able to self-regulate his behaviour and take control of his medication, which gave him a sense of ownership over his life. Inspection report children’s home: SC481631 4 Young people lead healthy lifestyles. This is achieved through their engagement in a number of physical activities, including going to the gym. The activities provide new experiences and opportunities for young people to engage with others. Consequently,

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

their social skills improve. Growing their own produce and tending to the home’s chickens provides exercise and promotes an interest in healthy eating. Young people have improved sleep patterns and improved personal hygiene. They go to dental hygiene appointments, despite being anxious about attending. Young people engage with the smoking cessation clinic and are successful in reducing the number of cigarettes they smoke. Consequently, they have improved health and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff teach young people to cook, budget and save money. One young person is learning to drive. This learning provides young people with practical and financial skills so that they can live independently when they leave the home, with increased opportunities to secure employment. Young people have a lasting memory of their experiences and the progress they make at the home in the form of a photo album. Staff offer outreach work at a rate determined by the young person moving out. One young person spoke of needing ongoing support otherwise he would be very isolated. A staff member said, ‘We have been like his family for the last few years so it is only right we keep in contact.’

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

Young people’s behaviour is well managed and understood by staff, resulting in effective behaviour management. There is less aggressive and challenging behaviour. Young people’s contribution to their individualised plans provides information to staff about triggers for their negative behaviour. Staff’s knowledge of young people results in the successful de-escalation of negative behaviour. Regular debriefing sessions with young people inform staff on how effective any intervention was. Staff are beginning to use restorative practice, developing positive management techniques for negative behaviour. A big focus is on reinforcing positive behaviour. Consequently, the last time staff needed to hold a young person to keep them safe was many months ago.

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

Risk management is good. Assessments reflect the vulnerabilities and dangers that each young person faces and how staff can keep them safe. Young people receive ongoing safeguarding advice, with increased time in the community. Staff are effective at identifying new risks and regular management reviews ensure that plans are up to date and relevant. Risk-taking behaviour reduces and young people develop self-management skills.

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

Young people no longer go missing and previously were only absent for a few hours and not overnight. Young people fully engage with youth offending work. Consequently, they are at reduced risk of reoffending. Young people do not have self-harming behaviour. Currently no young people living at the home are at risk of sexual exploitation.

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

Effective links established with safeguarding professionals keep staff updated about any identified risks in the area. The manager also shares information with the police about new young people moving to the home. This offers effective multi-agency working and Inspection report children’s home: SC481631 5 offers further protection to young people. One safeguarding professional said, ‘I have a good relationship with [name of manager] and the home. This has developed over the last couple of years.’

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

The manager recognises when a young person needs alternative accommodation to keep them safe. Any moves are done in a planned way. During the transition, no new young people move into the home. This ensures stability for the young person moving out. They are prepared for their move, and have a goodbye party. Consequently, young people benefit from a positive end to their placement and remain in contact with staff.

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

There is a strong safeguarding and whistle-blowing culture in the home. As a result, the manager can take immediate and thorough action in response to any concerns about the conduct of staff. He seeks advice and guidance from the designated officer. This means that there are timely outcomes and quick resolutions to any concerns. Young people are protected from any unsafe staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has extensive experience of working with young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. He has the skills and experience to undertake the role, and is currently working towards obtaining the appropriate management qualification. He is also a qualified physical interventions tutor, so he monitors, assesses and trains staff at his own home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is passionate about providing the best possible care for young people. He has a natural talent for passing on his knowledge to staff, who are enthusiastic to learn new skills. The manager is embedding the regulations within staff practice to help them better understand their roles. An example of this is the preparation of an activity board highlighting the benefits of hobbies and activities in all areas of a young person’s development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff respond well to the manager’s approach and management style. He delegates tasks effectively to his management team, whose members speak of feeling empowered, with one saying, ‘[Name of manager] likes to have staff’s side of things, even when they are new.’ The team comprises a mixture of new and experienced staff. They speak of feeling supported by the manager and each other. One staff member said, ‘The staff team is great and very understanding of the young people. I feel really supported by all staff, as well as the manager.’ Staff also benefit from regular supervision and reflective team meetings. Professional development is encouraged, with staff having access to a comprehensive training package.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff know and care about the young people. They are dedicated, creating a positive and purposeful environment for young people. The introduction of a detailed environmental and furnishings audit tells the manager when repairs or purchases are needed. This makes sure that repairs are promptly completed, and the rooms are personalised and improved to keep the home welcoming and comfortable for young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC481631 6 The manager is forward-thinking and keeps up to date with new guidelines and current issues, and is proactive in implementing new systems and structures. This includes the new instant token reward system. The detailed monitoring systems allow targets to be set, strategies to be put in place and their effectiveness to be reviewed by staff. This ensures that young people continue to make progress and flourish. The manager has a clear vision for the home. An evaluative six-monthly review sets targets for the future

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

development of the service. This will be enhanced through developing a system for collating the views of young people and stakeholders.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has implemented the recommendations made at the last inspection. The home now has sufficient staff, with a significant decrease in staff turnover. This offers continuity of care for young people. A new system ensures that staff are promptly informed of any changes to young people’s needs.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

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 children’s home: SC481631 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pebbles Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rouse House, 2 Wyther Lane, Kirkstall, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS5 3BT

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Inspector

Tina Ruffles, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC481631 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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