Children's home run by Pebbles Care Limited in Leeds

Inspection report children’s home: SC439535 1 SC439535 Registered provider: Pebbles Care Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is approved to provide care and accommodation for a maximum of five children and/or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager is suitably qualified for the position held and has been registered since August 2013.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 4 September 2019

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC439535 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/09/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/07/2018 Full Inadequate 05/03/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC439535 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Children and young people have good relationships with members of staff and are happy in the home. They experience warm and nurturing relationships that enable them to develop trust, which creates a sense of security.

p.3

improvement to be good

The quality of children and young people’s bedrooms varies, with some being found to be dirty and unkempt. There are insufficient measures in place to ensure that staff take responsibility for this, which has resulted in these poor living conditions. This can affect children and young people’s feeling of self-worth.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children and young people who move into the home are warmly welcomed and are helped to understand the rules and boundaries. Staff consult children and young people to obtain their views and preferences and use this information to individualise the care that they receive. This involvement enables children and young people to contribute to and influence their lives, giving them a sense of control.

p.3

improvement to be good

There is one occasion when the manager has failed to ensure that they were provided with all the required case records prior to an admission. This means that staff do not have all the information that they need to ensure that they meet the needs of the child or young person being admitted or those already living in the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

All of the children and young people attend an educational provision and are making progress. Those on a reduced timetable are encouraged by staff to take part in educational activities outside of their scheduled learning. Education is promoted, which helps children and young people to value their learning.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children and young people attend routine medical appointments and are helped to access additional services, such as sexual or mental health clinics to meet their needs. However, those who face issues such as drug misuse receive insufficient advice and support to help them to develop knowledge regarding the risks associated with these choices.

p.3

improvement to be good

Members of staff use physical interventions when necessary to keep children, young people or others safe and they are appropriately trained to do so. However, at times, records show discrepancies between accounts given by staff and highlight that some staff do not fully understand the procedures to protect children and young people. This leaves children and young people at risk of potential harm.

p.3

improvement to be good

When safeguarding concerns have been brought to the manager’s attention, she responds swiftly taking appropriate action to ensure the safety of children and young Inspection report children’s home: SC439535 4 people. There are two occasions when Ofsted has not been notified as required to ensure that safeguarding practice in the home is monitored sufficiently.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children and young people have risk assessments in place that staff follow. There is good evidence that some significant risks are reduced, which demonstrates that children and young people are becoming increasingly safe.

p.4

improvement to be good

It was not possible to view the necessary records for each member of staff that has been recruited since the last inspection. Records that were available showed that safer caring guidelines had been followed. However, it is not possible to establish whether this practice is consistent to ensure that children and young people are protected from potential risk.

p.4

improvement to be good

The manager takes a restorative approach to behaviour management to help children and young people develop awareness of their behaviour. This helps them to develop the skills to keep themselves protected. As a result, children and young people develop confidence to take part in events in the local and wider community. For some, this is significant progress.

p.4

good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced for the position held and is supported by an experienced deputy manager. There has been a high turnover within the wider staff team. The manager collates information that she uses to identify trends in staffing, to help her provide children and young people with a consistent staff team so that they feel secure.

p.4

good

The systems in place to monitor the quality of care provided are not effective. Inconsistencies in case records and the issues found were not identified by the manager’s auditing processes. This means that there is insufficient scrutiny of the care that children and young people receive, limiting the opportunity to drive improvement forward.

p.4

good

Similarly, a biannual report that the manager produces to further quality assure the care that they provide fails to ascertain or consider the views of relevant people, including children and young people. This is a further missed opportunity to make improvements to benefit children and young people.

p.4

good

Staff are provided with regular, in-depth supervision and team meetings to help them reflect on and develop their practice. The manager confidently challenges her team and she also recognises good practice. The staff say that they feel supported and happy in their roles and that morale is good. This creates a positive and relaxed atmosphere for children and young people, which helps them to develop. Inspection report children’s home: SC439535 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d)) In particular, the registered person must ensure that each child has a care plan in place from their placing authority. 30/03/2020

p.5

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff— protect and promote each child’s welfare; and provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(ii)(vii)) 30/03/2020

p.5

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that— the health and well-being needs of children are met; children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff help each child to— take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. 30/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC439535 6 (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) and (2)(a)(iii)) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(v) and (vii)) 30/03/2020

p.6

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(h)) 30/03/2020

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that— full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(d)) 30/03/2020

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; 30/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC439535 7 an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or 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) and (e)) The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). The registered person must— supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and make a copy of the quality of care review report available on

p.7

Requirement Due date

request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home. The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)(b) and (5)) 30/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC439535 8

p.7

Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.4)

p.8

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC439535 9

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.9

Inspector

Paula Kelly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC439535 10 to 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.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10