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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 1 SC481631 Registered provider: Pebbles Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who have social and/or emotional difficulties. There were two children living in the home at the time of this inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2021.

p.1

Inspection date: 30 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Inspection date: 30 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 2

p.1

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has declined in effectiveness.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager does not ensure that all information about children is reviewed and recorded in children’s risk assessments or plans. Ofsted raised this shortfall as a regulatory breach at the last inspection. Leaders and managers have not taken sufficient action to improve this area of practice. For example, significant information relating to the safety and protection of a child, as stated in the local authority documentation relating to that child, had not been read by the manager. As a result, this information was not considered as part of the child’s risk assessment and this places the child at risk of harm.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has failed to ensure that there is adequate monitoring around children’s access to the internet. One child was observed to be accessing inappropriate material online. Staff were not aware of this or what measures should be in place to keep children safe online. There was no risk assessment for the child in relation to safe online access or mobile phone use. Consequently, children are at risk of significant harm.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers do not deliver care as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose. Staff have not been trained to provide a therapeutic environment for children. This is misleading to placing authorities and means that children are admitted to the home when their needs cannot be met.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been some improvements in the standards of cleanliness and decor in communal areas of the home. However, the children’s bedrooms were untidy, in need of cleaning and maintenance. One child has been staying away from the home for a number of days. Their room had not been tidied and their bed was unmade. Another child had a damaged wardrobe and walls, and the room was not clean or tidy. This does not demonstrate to children that they are valued.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not ensure that children’s privacy is protected. A child’s bedroom has been left unlocked despite them staying away from the home. Furthermore, staff have not ensured that personal information about a child has been stored securely. This does not protect the personal belongings and information about children.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not consistently apply rules and boundaries for children. There is a lack of structure and routine in providing children with safe care and consistent expectations. For example, one child was observed to possess large quantities of fizzy drinks and crisps in his room, which he was consuming for breakfast. Staff stated that the child has not established a routine around sleeping. The home’s Inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 3 paperwork demonstrated that appropriate routines are not in place. For one child, their individual needs mean that they require a highly predictable environment. The failure to provide this prevents the child from making progress.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers do not always prioritise the needs of children when planning for children moving in and out of the home. Children are sometimes moving into the home on the same day as another child is leaving. This does not allow children remaining in the home to process the loss of a peer before sharing their home with another child. It also does not give staff the opportunity to prepare themselves and children for these changes. Children moving into the home have done so without visiting the home or meeting staff. This means they are moving into a new environment without any knowledge of who else will be there. This demonstrates a lack of sensitivity in respect of the worries and concerns that children have when faced with life-changing adjustments in their care.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager does not ensure that staff receive supervision or appraisal, and induction planning is poor. This leaves staff without the necessary support to assist them in their role. Staff lack opportunities to reflect on their learning and development, or on the impact that they have on the progress of children they care for. Consequently, there is little oversight of staff performance and this may place children at risk of harm. Inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/01/2019 Full Good 24/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 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, 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

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.5

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii)) 22 May 2022

p.5

Requirement Due date

* The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)) 22 May 2022

p.5

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 22 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 6 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(iii))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, that the statement should be an accurate document which sets out what service the home is able to deliver. 22 May 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected. (Regulation 21 (a)) 22 May 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.6

Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 22 May 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

* This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of their children. Children’s homes will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must Inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 7 comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

p.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

p.7

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 for children’s home: SC481631 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pebbles Care Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Deb Duffy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 9 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.8

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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9