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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC481305 1 SC481305

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Pebbles Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is registered to provide care for up to two children who may have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is owned and operated by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since 10 September 2020. The current manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the two compliance notices that Ofsted issued following a monitoring visit on 25 February 2021. These compliance notices were in relation to the leadership and management of the home and the completion of restraint records. The inspector also considered progress made by the manager to address regulatory shortfalls with regard to admitting children to the home, relationships between children, and staff’s understanding of children’s previous experiences.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices and the regulatory breaches. However, as a result of this monitoring visit Ofsted has made a further three requirements and one recommendation. There is currently one child living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a high level of physical restraints used to safeguard the current child. Staff now complete records of these incidents as required. However, on three occasions staff have used a method of physical restraint which is not in line with the child’s plan or with staff training. Managers have put in place additional training for all staff to improve their skills in this area of practice. This will help to ensure that all physical restraints are necessary and proportionate to safeguard children. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC481305 2 Staff use risk assessments, behaviour support plans and risk management plans to support the child’s progress and development. However, strategies for staff to use to manage and reduce risks to the child’s safety are not consistently recorded. This shortfall means that the child may be at an increased risk of harm because staff are

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This monitoring visit

unclear of what actions to take to keep them safe.

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This monitoring visit

A member of staff did not follow child protection procedures when the child made a disclosure. The manager is addressing this through supervision and staff training. This incident has caused a delay in responding to the concern and could have left the child at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

The child is not supported to access their files or provided with opportunities to understand what is recorded about them. Staff do not make sure that the child’s documents, including their risk assessments, use child-friendly language. Consequently, the child may be confused by the contents of their case files. This does not support their progress or development.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has improved his monitoring and oversight of the home to better identify areas for improvement and evaluate the quality of care for children. However, there have been two occasions where Ofsted has not been notified of a serious incident within appropriate timescales. This impacts on the regulator’s ability to maintain oversight of the safety and well-being of children.

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This monitoring visit

There have been no new admissions or discharges since the last monitoring visit. The manager states that there are no plans for any admissions at this time. This means that the staff are able to focus on meeting the needs of the child currently living in the home. As a result, staff are able to start to build trusting relationships with this child.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 05/12/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 31/07/2019 Full Good 14/05/2019 Full Inadequate 24/10/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC481305 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, 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 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— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(vii)) In particular, that children’s risk assessments and behaviour management plans include clear and consistent information in relation to the strategies staff should use to reduce risks to

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing— injury to any person (including the child); serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home. Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)) 14 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC481305 4 In particular, staff should only use methods of physical restraint that they have been trained to use and that are part of a child’s plan. 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; 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; 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)(e)) 14 May 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Children should be supported to understand the nature of records kept by the home and how to access them. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC481305 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pebbles Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 The Calls, Leeds LS2 7JU

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Inspector

Deb Duffy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC481305 6 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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