Children's home run by Pebbles Care Limited in Leeds

Inspection report for children’s home: SC379274 1 SC379274 Registered provider: Pebbles Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children who have social and emotional difficulties. The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2022. She is currently not working at the home. An interim manager is in post and has made an application to register with Ofsted. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 20 February 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC379274 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/01/2022 Full Good 08/04/2019 Full Good 29/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC379274 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say they are happy living at this home. They have good relationships with staff who really care about them. They describe how staff help them to influence decisions that are made about them and help them understand plans that affect them. One child said they know what needs to happen if they are to achieve their goal of moving nearer to family because staff have explained this to them well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a psychologist who works closely with the manager and staff. They visit the home, spend time with children and hold meetings for the staff team. The therapist has supported staff to better understand the children’s needs and past trauma. The therapeutic model of the home is embedded. The way children are cared for is improving.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children are now engaged in learning. One child has made good progress and is now receiving a full-time education. One child is not currently accessing full-time education. Staff are creative and provide the child opportunities to learn. For example, there are visits to museums and aquariums, in addition to daily online learning. The manager has worked well with the virtual school to ensure that the child’s education is prioritised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are taking part in a range of activities, including outdoor swimming, trampolining and trips to the seaside. The children have also recently completed a charity fun run. Children are encouraged to have regular hobbies and try new things.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are being supported to be healthy. However, their attendance at health appointments is inconsistent. Staff talk to children and encourage them to see the importance of being healthy and encourage them to access medical support when needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to see the people that are important to them. Staff take children to see family who live at a distance and help children to start relationships with family members who are new to them. Children are encouraged to display photos of family in their room. When talking about the staff and manager, one relative said, ‘They are amazing, [name of child] looks to staff for reassurance and safety. They feel reassured by the care the staff provide’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home offers a family-style environment. The building is well presented. Children’s belongings can be found around the home, such as musical instruments in the lounge area. Photos of the children are on display throughout the home. This is clearly a home where teenagers live. The back garden is not a child-friendly or inviting space. There are broken items stored behind a garage within the garden. Inspection report for children’s home: SC379274 4

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The relationships children have with staff are improving. Staff are using their relationships with children to influence their behaviours. Children are consistently receiving the message that staff care about them. Staff were observed showing high levels of empathy and understanding towards children. Children are starting to talk to staff about their wishes and worries. Children said they felt they could tell staff if something was worrying them.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children’s risks are understood by staff. Children’s risk assessments are clear and consider risk effectively. Although the risk remains high, children’s involvement in crime and antisocial behaviour has started to decrease. Staff understand how to minimise risk to individual children. For example, they use their knowledge of the local area, liaise with local businesses and talk with the children’s friends to disrupt unwanted behaviour. Where risk to children remains too high, the manager works closely with the local authority to consider next steps.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children have been supported to have freedoms that are in line with their age, understanding and any known risks. When incidents occur, plans are reviewed. When children are having free time, staff ensure they complete checks in line with the children’s plans. Children have made progress in that they are now responding to these checks. Staff have increased awareness of where the children are and who they are with when they are not at home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

When children are missing from home, staff take immediate action and follow agreed protocols. Staff actively search for children and are persistent in their attempts to follow and locate them. The staff work closely with the police, family and the local authority and share information that is relevant. Where other professionals disagree about the level of risk to a child, the manager is tenacious in her response and is not afraid to challenge. She is clear about what the risks to children are and understands the importance of a joined-up approach to keep them safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The risk to children from the internet is reducing. Children are kept safe because there are effective measures in place. For example, the children’s phones have applications on them that manage their access to the internet, including when they are away from the home. The home’s internet restrictions have also been strengthened. Staff have greater control over what children can do and see online. Children’s phones are being checked routinely by staff. Staff talk to children about the risks and help them to understand how to keep themselves safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is currently not working in the home. The interim manager has been in post since May 2023. Before this, she was the deputy manager. She spent several weeks shadowing the registered manager to better understand the role. She continues to have support from management peers within the organisation and from the responsible individual. Inspection report for children’s home: SC379274 5 The manager is clear about her drive to improve outcomes for children. She knows the strengths of the home and the areas for improvement. She has already started to bring in new ideas and put her ‘stamp’ on the home. She has a positive attitude and leads staff by example. Staff have confidence in the manager’s ability to lead the home. One staff member said, ‘She is doing an amazing job’ and ‘You feel safer under her guidance’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s children’s guide has now been amended and is a useful and informative booklet that will help children to understand about the home and what they can expect. Photos, pictures and child-friendly language mean that children with a range of literacy skills will find the booklet accessible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are trained to meet the individual needs of the children. When new needs are identified, the manager ensures staff gain the knowledge they need to help children. Staff have a positive view of the training on offer and can see how training relates to improving outcomes and experiences for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff and managers receive regular supervision. It is a forum for staff and managers to reflect on the children, practice and personal matters. The manager is proactive in identifying and addressing concerns in relation to staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s statement of purpose is not being routinely updated when changes in the home occur. It does not reflect the current management and staffing situation in the home. Social workers considering the home for a child will not have the most up-to-date information on which to base their decision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s records capture their experiences and are written in a child-friendly language that does not place blame or stigmatise them. Some records are confusing to read because they are not written chronologically or there are gaps in information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has strong oversight of the home and evaluates information from a wide range of sources, including children’s records. Children’s experiences of living at the home are improving because the manager uses the findings to help her understand the functioning of the home, staff practice and children’s experiences and make changes. However, the manager’s quality of care review continues not to show how consultation is informing practice. This was a requirement made at the last inspection and remains unmet. Inspection report for children’s home: SC379274 6

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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 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.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

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) (5)) 13 September

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the statement of purpose reflects the current staffing arrangements in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.5)  The registered person should ensure that the outdoor space of the home is both safe and fully functional. The space behind the garage needs to be cleared of rubbish. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that case records, relating to incidents, are clearly recorded. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home: SC379274 7

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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: SC379274 8

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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

Rachel Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC379274 9 inspects 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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