Children's home run by Pebbles Care Limited in Hyndburn

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456271 1 SC456271 Registered provider: Nurture Childcare Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and is registered to provide care for up to four children. The home provides care for children who have experienced social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post. She is yet to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC456271 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/10/2021 Full Good 25/06/2019 Full Good 13/03/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 01/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456271 3

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improvement to be good

There are two children living in the home. Children have made progress in education. One child has completed his exams and has a college place starting in September. Another child attends education part time, although the acting manager and staff team are being proactive in trying to increase the time spent in education.

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improvement to be good

One child is being prepared for independence. Staff are encouraging and supporting him with budgeting, shopping and cooking. These are important skills which will ensure that he is ready for the next stage in his life.

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improvement to be good

Children’s views are gathered through weekly meetings and consultations. The manager responds to these views, which helps children feel valued.

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improvement to be good

Children have individualised care plans. However, not all relevant documents are available, which hinders the acting manager’s ability to demonstrate how the home’s care planning supports children to make progress against the placing authorities’ expectations.

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improvement to be good

The children said that they have good relationships with the permanent staff. However, the use of agency staff means that there are new people in the house and this affects the continuity of care for the children. The children said that they do not like different people coming into their home.

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improvement to be good

The home is in a lovely location but there are some issues with maintenance and decoration. The children’s bedrooms need painting and there is a damp patch in the lounge which needs addressing.

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improvement to be good

Children rarely go missing from this home. The response to children who do go missing from care is good. There are clear protocols in place, and these are followed by staff. Children are offered an independent return home interview. Incidents of going missing from home have significantly reduced for one child since living in the home.

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improvement to be good

Managers recruit new staff safely. Staff are thoroughly vetted and assessed before any appointment is confirmed. These safe recruitment procedures make sure that children are protected by preventing unsuitable adults from working in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff generally understand the children’s risks. Risk assessments are detailed; however, some information is out of date and refers to incidents of which there is no record. One child is subject to a deprivation of liberty order; however, this is not Inspection report for children’s home: SC456271 4 referred to in her risk assessment and the manager and staff team had limited understanding of the order.

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improvement to be good

When allegations are made about staff, swift action is taken to ensure the safety of children. However, the records kept are disorganised and it is unclear if the correct procedures are being followed.

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improvement to be good

Staff manage challenging behaviour effectively. The use of de-escalation techniques has prevented the need for physical intervention. Additionally, rewards are used to promote positive behaviour. However, not all incidents are recorded, and it is not clear when staff and children have been given the opportunity to debrief and reflect. Ofsted is not always notified when significant incidents occur.

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good

There is a manager in post. She has not yet submitted her application to register with Ofsted. Prior to her appointment in May 2022, the home was without a manager from January 2022. A new responsible individual has been in post since May 2022.

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good

Management oversight has been minimal due to the absence of a manager. This has led to gaps in identifying shortfalls and identifying patterns and trends in children’s behaviours. This lack of oversight means that leaders and managers are not able to analyse and evaluate patterns in children’s behaviours and so is a missed opportunity to identify triggers and learn from incidents.

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good

Staff are qualified or are working towards their qualification. However, there are some shortfalls identified in training. Not all staff have up-to-date training, specifically in ligature, which is a significant risk for one of the children.

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good

The home does not have a sufficient permanent staff team. Agency staff are used on a regular basis. This affects children’s ability to make positive relationships and affects their continuity of care. The acting manager is making recruitment of staff a priority.

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good

The home’s statement of purpose has not been updated and sent to Ofsted to reflect the changes in the management and staff team. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456271 5

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(c)(i)) 5 July 2022

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vii)) 5 July 2022

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 5 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456271 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 5 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 5 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456271 7 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,

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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

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)) 5 July 2022

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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: SC456271 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nurture Childcare Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Seighford Hall, Clanford Road, Seighford, Stafford ST18 9NL

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Inspector

Rachael Crook, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456271 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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