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

Inspection report children’s home: SC481305 1 SC481305 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 children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager has been registered since January 2018.

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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 good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/06/2017 Full Good 08/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC481305 2 27/07/2016 Full Good 08/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC481305 3

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Recommendations

 There may be circumstances where a child can be prevented from leaving a home – for example, a child who is putting themselves at risk of injury by leaving the home to carry out gang-related activities, use drugs or to meet someone who is sexually exploiting them or intends to do so. Any such measure of restraint must be proportionate and in place for no longer than is necessary to manage the immediate risk (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 48, and paragraph 9.52). Staff should also consider whether it is necessary to seek police assistance when young people barricade themselves into their bedrooms.  The registered person is responsible for deciding what each review should focus on, based on the specific circumstances of the home at that particular time and any areas of high risk to the children that the home is designed to care for, such as missing or exploitation. They will also consider what information or data

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Recommendations

recorded in the home will form part of the evidence base for their analysis and conclusions. There is no expectation that the registered person will review the home against every part of the Quality Standards every six months – registered persons should use their professional judgement to decide which factors to focus on. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next six months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, and paragraph 15.4)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people make good progress across all areas of their development, particularly in respect of their improved emotional well-being. This is due to the good-quality relationships that staff build with the children and young people. The nurturing staff team provides emotional support and guidance and the children and young people respond well to this. They enjoy spending time at the home or going out together on activities with their house peers and staff. One young person recognised the positive changes made from when she moved in, which she attributed to the care provided by the staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is promoted so the children and young people have good attendance and engagement at college or training centres. Those who are new to the home receive Inspection report children’s home: SC481305 4 home tutoring. This keeps them motivated and prepared while they wait for a school placement. The children and young people also have part-time jobs and/or do voluntary work.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff regularly consult with the children and young people to enable them to contribute to the home’s day-to-day operation. This is through a range of mediums, which include group meetings, one-to-one sessions and informal chats. The children and young people use the complaints procedure if they have any grumbles regarding the staff or their peers. The children and young people feel listened to as disagreements are quickly resolved. This contributes to the harmonious living at the home. The personalisation and decoration of bedrooms and communal areas in the home have created an environment which is homely. This promotes a sense of belonging for children and young people, as walls are adorned with their artwork and photographs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people engage well with developing their independent living skills because they each have an individualised workbook that is prepared by their key worker. Young people learn to budget, to prepare and cook healthy meals, and to undertake daily household tasks. This work provides essential information about young people’s skills and abilities, so that effective transitional arrangements can be made. This work can include ongoing emotional outreach support by staff when the young person leaves the home.

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

The staff team follows the clear instructions within children’s and young people’s individualised risk assessments. When necessary, staff restrict children’s and young people’s free time and access to social media. These measures are reviewed to ensure that children and young people are not unnecessarily punished. Staff educate children and young people about keeping themselves safe. This has led to better decision-making and a reduction in risk-taking behaviours. One young person said, ‘Staff go out of their way to keep us safe.’

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

Children and young people are rarely missing from home. Consequently, risks associated with criminal and sexual exploitation are lowered. For one young person there has been a reduction in the number and severity of self-harming incidents due to an improvement in her emotional well-being. Staff respond swiftly and sometimes intervene physically to keep children and young people safe.

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

Staff encourage children and young people to develop positive social skills and behaviour. The home’s incentive scheme is something that children and young people know, understand and engage well with. Staff reward them for their positive behaviour and the children and young people enjoy treats for their efforts.

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

Restorative practices help children and young people to learn about consequences. Formal intervention from the police is rare and this prevents the children and young people from being criminalised. However, on one occasion, the staff contacted the police Inspection report children’s home: SC481305 5 for assistance when a young person barricaded themselves into their bedroom. This situation could have been better managed by the staff. The manager keeps up to date with and is aware of the dangers in the community which could have an impact on the children and young people at the home. She attends regular external safeguarding meetings and the staff team works closely with the police community services officer. His visits to the home have helped to change the children’s and young people’s negative perceptions of the police. These relationships have particularly helped safeguard one young person during her self-harming and missing episodes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has seven years’ experience of working in residential care, and is currently working towards gaining her qualification in leadership and management. She is committed to the children and young people and her previous experience of working at the home as the assistant manager has enabled her to make a smooth transition to the role of manager. Since the last inspection, some new staff members have begun working at the home. They receive a good induction and appropriate training has equipped them for their role. New recruits feel welcomed by the existing staff and together they have gelled well. This provides an eclectic staff team that has a good balance of male and female staff and presents good role models for the children and young people. Staff benefit from regular supervision, training and support which enable their personal and professional development. They spoke of the manager being very approachable and

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

said this offers the chance for regular debrief sessions following incidents. Staff reflect on their practice and these discussions complement the formal supervision sessions and team meetings. The manager and staff are strong advocates for children and young people, such as challenging placing authorities about the lack of planning. They work with other professionals, such as the police, youth offending services and mental health clinical services, which supports effective multi-agency working. The manager completes timely quality of care reviews. However, the last report contains too much personal information about the children and young people, rather than having a focus on evaluating the service and improvements needed.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC481305 6 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: SC481305 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Tina Ruffles: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC481305 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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