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

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC481631 1 SC481631

p.1

Registered provider: Pebbles Care Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by an independent provider. It is registered to provide care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties. Three children currently live in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2021.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

p.2

The care of children

Children are well cared for in this home. All children can speak with staff about anything they wish to. Some children have shared significant worries and concerns with staff. This shows that children trust the staff. Interactions between the staff and the children are marked by trust, humour and warmth. Children feel valued and supported by staff. They seek out the registered manager and deputy manager when they return from school and tell them how their day has been.

p.2

The care of children

All children attend and engage with their schooling in settings that meet their needs. The registered manager has pursued local authorities for education and healthcare plans to ensure that children receive the correct levels of support in school. The registered manager speaks with education providers and the headteacher of the virtual school if required. The registered manager is active in ensuring children receive the best education they can.

p.2

The care of children

Staff have been trained in therapeutic parenting approaches and are now beginning to implement this training in their work with the children. Children are supported and encouraged to engage with local mental health services should they require this. The company’s own psychologist visits the home to try and build supportive relationships with the children. They also offer guidance and support to managers and staff. Staff said these visits have helped one child to build relationships, and the child also engages with support services.

p.2

The care of children

Managers and staff respect the views of children. The children’s views are recorded regularly through individual discussions. Day-to-day conversations are captured as learning opportunities. When life decisions are to be made, staff ask for the children’s views, wishes and feelings. They share these with children’s social workers and other important people in the child’s life. Children’s wishes are respected, and staff incorporate these wishes into children’s care plans.

p.2

The safety of children

The registered manager has good oversight of the risks facing children and has improved risk assessments in the home. The level of detail included in risk assessments and missing-from-home guidance clearly instructs staff about known risks in the area and provides staff with strategies to help children stay safe.

p.2

The safety of children

One child has moved on from the home. The transition was well planned and effective. Photos of the child’s new home were sent to the child. Staff were able to work across services to support a positive transition for the child and allow them to Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 3 build relationships with new staff. The child was excited that they were moving nearer to their family.

p.2

The safety of children

The registered manager recently dealt with a potential bullying issue swiftly. It was done in a supportive and educational manner with all involved. Clear messages about bullying not being tolerated in the home were communicated to all involved and affected by this issue. When children struggle in their relationships with each other, this is swiftly addressed. Staff support the children to respect each other.

p.3

The safety of children

The registered manager actively recruits more staff than needed, and this means the home rarely uses agency staff. Staffing levels are good, and it is rare that unfamiliar staff support the children. However, there have been two occasions where this has happened, and the registered manager recognises that this has contributed to incidents involving the children. The registered manager is striving to avoid this happening in the future.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager registered in November 2021, is suitably qualified for the role and oversees the running of the home. They have improved systems in the home since the last inspection. These improvements enhance the experiences of children living in the home.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Requirements and recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed by the registered manager. Action is taken when needed to address and change practice in the home.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff are well trained and receive regular, reflective supervision. They are also supported to implement the training they have received to improve the quality of care experienced by the children.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers are responsive when concerns and issues are raised. The registered manager has established multi-agency planning to try and reduce missing episodes for one of the children. The registered manager and child’s social worker worked together to safeguard the child.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered manager gathers feedback from a range of sources but has not always used it to help shape the service. They understand that the most recent quality of care review has not fully captured the views of children and others. Managers are working together with other managers in their organisation to improve this and ensure that information is evaluated. The report was received late and lacks consultation, reflection and evaluation. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/03/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 11/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 5

p.4

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

p.5

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vi)(b))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that sufficiently trained and familiar staff support the children. 10 March 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 6

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. They should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents, such as learning from disruptions and placement breakdowns. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pebbles Care Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Carol Jagger, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC481631 8 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.7

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 .

p.8

Inspector

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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8