Children's home run by Pebbles Care Limited in Leeds

Inspection report for children’s home: SC066458 1 SC066458 Registered provider: Pebbles Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and managed. It provides care for up to three children who have been assessed as having emotional and/or social difficulties and/or mental health disorders. The home offers placements on a short-term, medium-term and long-term basis.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2022.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC066458 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/07/2022 Full Good 12/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC066458 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from living in a home where staff practice is child-centred and personalised to their individual needs. Staff spend time getting to know the children, which enables them to build positive relationships. They make sure that the children are given opportunities to build memories now and for their futures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm, welcoming and homely environment, and children say they feel very comfortable living there. One child said, ‘This is a really good home, and it feels like a home, not a children’s home. I can have friends round for tea, and it just feels right.’ Another child, who recently left the home, said, ‘I really liked living there. The staff are great, and I felt very happy and safe there.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to attend education in line with their agreed education package. However, attendance at education fluctuates, and as a result, this is impacting on children achieving their optimum education outcomes. The manager and staff are working in partnership with schools and virtual headteachers to address this. They have also developed education facilities in the home to further support children to engage with education with varying degrees of success.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make sure that direct work with children is carried out at every opportunity. This has further contributed to staff forming strong and trusting relationships with the children. This enables staff to talk to the children about any negative behaviours or concerns they may have.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s physical and emotional health needs are supported well. The home uses a therapeutic model of care and support. They link with the organisation’s in-house psychologist to further underpin the support provided.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to participate in any hobbies or interests they have. Children have been given the opportunity to go on holiday, attend their prom and make use of local leisure facilities. The staff support children’s friends to take part in activities, and they are welcomed into the home. Staff take time speaking to the parents of the children’s friends, and they support children’s ongoing friendships positively. This enables the children to maintain and develop a circle of friends who are important to them.

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

The staff understand their role and responsibility in keeping children safe. They have regular conversations with children regarding all aspects of safety and well-being. They provide open and clear information to children about action they will take to address any safeguarding issues. This contributes to children feeling that they are cared for. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066458 4 Comprehensive risk management plans, which staff understand and follow, are in place for each child. These plans are kept under review and reflect the children’s changing needs and risks, which demonstrate that the children’s risks are reducing.

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

Behaviour management plans focus on therapeutic care and support. This minimises the need for consequences. When these are used, children understand the reason why. Overall, children say the rules of the home are fair. Since the previous inspection, there have been no occasions when children have had to be physically held. This is due to the effective de-escalation measures staff put in place.

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

Children say they feel safe and happy at the home, and they say the home provides them with a secure base. There have been some occasions when children have been missing from the home. When this happens, staff follow the agreed procedures to support the children’s safe return home. Staff hold discussions with children to understand the push-pull factors the children may be feeling, and they make sure that independent return home interviews are provided. This supports children to share any concerns or worries they may have.

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

There have been occasions when children have misused cannabis. Staff are proactive and complete work with children to explain the concerns and risks associated with substance misuse. Specialist agencies have supported the staff to complete further work with the children to further underpin their knowledge about the associated risks, to promote healthier outcomes.

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

The manager takes any concerns or complaints the children make seriously, and she provides the children with a clear response. This means children feel that they are listened to and their wishes and views are valid. External complaints are responded to in the same manner. This practice demonstrates the manager’s commitment to an open and transparent way of working.

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

Recruitment and selection are in line with safer recruitment guidance to contribute to safeguarding children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager. She has high aspirations and is ambitious for all children. She leads by example and is highly motivated. She is supported by an experienced and qualified deputy manager. The consistent staff team is experienced, and it reflects the manager’s ambitions for the children to deliver high-quality, child-centred care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager advocates for children in a positive and supportive way. She provides effective challenge to other agencies when required to represent the children’s wishes and views. The manager ensures that she is fully accessible to the children and staff, as well as developing strong relationships with other professionals involved in the care and support of the children. One professional said, ‘The manager and staff team are excellent at working in partnership to promote and support effective, nurturing care for children.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC066458 5 Staff benefit from excellent levels of training that is responsive and meets the needs of the children. Team meetings are held monthly. These enable the staff to share and reflect on their practice, as well as providing additional opportunities for further training and discussion with the in-house therapy department. This means that the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

staff’s practice is tailored to meet the needs of the children that they are supporting.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are supported through regular formal and informal supervision sessions. These sessions provide the staff with an opportunity to reflect on their individual practice and discuss any additional training and support they require.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager undertakes high-quality monitoring, which includes the feedback from the independent person’s monthly monitoring visits. The manager understands the strengths of the home and the areas for further development. An example of this is the provider’s recent decision to vary the conditions of its registration from three to two children. This is to enable children who live in the home to receive a higher level of staff support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has ensured that the requirements made at the previous inspection have been addressed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066458 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are in full-time education while they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The manager and staff must aim to support the children’s full-time attendance at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)

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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: SC066458 7

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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

Sarah Oldham, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC066458 8 regulates and 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 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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