Children's home run by Pebbles Care Limited in Leeds

Inspection report children’s home: SC066458 1 SC066458 Registered provider: Pebbles Care

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately operated. The home is registered for up to three children or young people who have been assessed as having emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or mental health disorders. Careful referral and placement planning and risk assessing will be undertaken before any child or young person is admitted to the home. This process will examine closely any behaviour that would negatively impact on their well-being or that of other residents. The home offers placements on a short-term, medium-term and long-term basis. The home has appointed a manager, but she is not yet registered with Ofsted. The manager is currently completing her level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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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: 5 December 2017

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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

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Inspection report children’s home: SC066458 2 05/12/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/11/2016 Full Good 25/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC066458 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the Children’s homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 27/07/2018

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Recommendations

 Regulation 40(4) requires the registered person to notify Ofsted and other relevant persons if one of the situations specified in regulations 40(4)(a)–(d) occurs, or if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home which the registered person considers to be serious (40(4)(e)). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63 paragraph 14.10)  Once in post, a manager of an adoption support agency, children’s home, independent fostering agency, residential family centre or holiday scheme must apply to Ofsted for registration as soon as possible but at a maximum of six weeks from the first date of their employment. This is to minimise the risk that unsuitable people manage these types of establishment or agency. (‘Changes to Inspection report children’s home: SC066458 4 children’s care services that are registered and/or inspected by Ofsted’, page 10

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people live in a warm, nurturing environment where the staff and the manager are responsive to their individual needs. Young people have established strong and trusting relationships with the staff. The quality of the relationships has enabled the young people to share their feelings, worries and anxieties.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the young people are engaging in education which is tailored to their specific needs and abilities. Staff promote a positive attitude to learning and encourage the young people to do well. One young person has successfully transitioned back into mainstream school following a prolonged period of disengagement. An education colleague said: ‘[Name] is very popular and has done incredibly well, he just needs to work on his attendance.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team is proactive in facilitating and supervising contact with family and friends. This enables the young people to maintain links with their local community. Parents continue to feel part of their children’s lives, and are regularly updated on their progress. A parent said: ‘The staff that work with [Name] are a lovely group of people that work well with my son’s needs. They are loving and caring in every way. It is a lovely environment that cares for young people emotionally, physically and intellectually.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are exposed to a range of recreational and educational activities in the home and in the local community. One young person loves playing board games with the staff, others enjoy going to the cinema and trampolining and another attends cadets. All the young people will be going on a summer holiday. These activities help the young people to experience a sense of belonging and inclusion.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people can, and do, complain. The manager and staff see this as healthy, as it demonstrates that the young people have the confidence to voice their opinions openly. All complaints are treated seriously and responded to. The young people have a range of opportunities to participate in day-to-day decisions about their care and in more complex decisions about their futures.

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

The risks and vulnerabilities of the young people are clearly understood and well documented. Staff are proactive in their response to potentially harmful situations within a culture of openness and transparency. The manager will challenge the placing authority and escalate her concerns if plans for the young people are not in their best interests. Inspection report children’s home: SC066458 5 All the young people have made progress. The young people are supported to take age- appropriate risks through having unsupervised free time in the community and using the internet and social media. The young people increasingly understand the impact of the choices they make. This understanding helps them in their transitions to independence. One young person said: ‘I am proud that I have been sober for eight months and not engaged in drugs.’

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

The young people can trust and confide in staff and benefit from key-work sessions that help them to manage their behaviours and keep themselves safe.

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

Missing-from-home incidents are few and far between. When a missing-from-home incident has occurred, there is a well-coordinated multi-agency response and staff are proactive in their efforts to locate the young person. The manager has immediately addressed and investigated any safeguarding concerns or shortfalls in staff practice.

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

Staff regularly praise and encourage positive behaviours. The staff understand the triggers for negative behaviour, and are effective in de-escalating potentially volatile situations without using any form of physical restraint.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is not yet registered and there has been a delay in the submission of her application to Ofsted. The manager has given assurances that her application will be submitted imminently so that her suitability for the position can be assessed. A recommendation has been made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has only recently been appointed. However, she is ambitious and forward- thinking in her vision of providing a service to ensure that children and young people receive high standards of individualised care. In addition to the regulatory requirements, the manager has implemented additional tools for monitoring and auditing the quality of care and recording activity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has evidenced her ability to act on and address all issues of concern relating to the young people in her care. She has challenged decisions and escalated concerns with the placing authority through appropriate channels of communication.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There has been a recent recruitment drive and new staff have been appointed. They bring with them a mixture of skills and experience. As with any new appointments, the manager has ensured that staff have had the time to complete their inductions and probationary periods with appropriate support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff clearly know the young people very well and provide consistency of care underpinned by a good understanding of their care plans. The manager continues to have a very hands-on approach and engages with the young people daily. One young person said: ‘I like going out for coffee and cake with [Name of manager].’ Inspection report children’s home: SC066458 6 The manager has not routinely notified Ofsted and the local authority’s designated officer when there has been a serious safeguarding issue relating to a member of staff. The immediate action of the manager and the responsible individual during the inspection has ensured the safety and well-being of the young people. Action has been taken to address this concern, demonstrating the manager’s continued journey of improvement. A requirement and a recommendation have been made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Action taken following the last inspection has meant that all the requirements and recommendations made previously have been met.

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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 differences 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 whom 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: SC066458 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Cath Sikakana: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC066458 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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