Children's home run by Pebbles Care Limited in Leeds

Inspection report for children’s home: SC056259 1 SC056259 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 owned and managed by a private provider. It offers care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home. The manage registered at the home in December 2021.

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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: SC056259 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2024 Full Good 29/06/2023 Full Good 24/01/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC056259 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel happy living at the home. They have trusting relationships with staff and feel supported by them. They can talk to staff if they have any worries or concerns. This helps children to feel safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The individual needs of children and their suitability to live together are fully considered before admitting new children to the home. The manager is robust in their approach, ensuring that only children who appear to be well matched are placed together. This helps them to settle into the home and have a positive start to their time there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to attend school, and their attendance has increased significantly. One child has sat all their GCSEs, and their pride in doing so is celebrated by staff. The child’s teacher described the child’s achievements as a ‘real success story’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proactive in ensuring that the children spend good-quality time with their families. In one case, the manager made significant efforts to help a child to rebuild their relationship with their father, and they are now having successful overnight stays together. This helps children to maintain their identity and remain connected with those most important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Families and professionals alike speak positively about staff, describing communication as ‘good’ and staff as ‘friendly’ and ‘responsive’. This helps children to see adults involved in their lives working together in their best interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to develop independence skills at an individual pace, which helps them increase in confidence. For example, tasks such as using public transport are broken down into stages so that children can begin to develop this skill with staff support until they are confident enough to do this independently. This is replicated in other areas of independence so that children can increase their skills and confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children participate in enjoyable activities that help broaden their social experiences. If they request an activity, this is arranged. If staff choose an activity that children do not want to do, children feel confident enough to change it. This helps children to know that their views are important.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some areas of the home have been improved, such as the dining room and living room. However, there are still areas that have not been updated. Paint is peeling, and some areas of the home are not adequately cleaned. This affects the overall feel of the home. The manager is planning for further work to be carried out to improve the environment. Inspection report for children’s home: SC056259 4

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

When a child is new to the home, the manager works with the psychology team to develop a care plan. This considers the individual background of the child, triggers for any behaviours and how the child is best supported. This ensures that all staff clearly understand each child’s needs and how to best support them.

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

Staff are all trained to use a therapeutic approach. They identify potentially difficult situations before they occur and plan activities in a way that avoids conflict or challenge. There has only been one physical intervention since the last inspection. Staff use therapeutic approaches in all aspects of their work, which develops a sense of security for the children. Staff provide clear and consistent boundaries for children, which enables them to feel safe.

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

Children's files contain information about missing-from-home incidents and physical interventions. Risk assessments and care plans are used to support staff responses to incidents. Incidents of children being missing are very rare, demonstrating that children feel safe and secure in the home.

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

When children raise concerns about one another, safeguarding procedures are not always followed. On one occasion, the staff response to an incident was not proportionate, leading to an unnecessary escalation. The manager found it challenging to review this incident because records were unclear about what action was taken and by whom.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager advocates for the children, ensuring that they can access the services and support they are entitled to. For example, the manager ensured that one of the children secured a school place within a short period after moving into the home. This promotes continuity for children and limits the disruption that moving to a new home can bring.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has oversight of all aspects of practice in the home. She regularly monitors the quality of care provided. The manager reviews all records to ensure that a therapeutic approach is used consistently. She identifies examples of good practice and supports staff in developing and enhancing their skills if any shortfalls are observed. This helps children to have a consistent level of care, which increases their feelings of safety and ability to trust the staff caring for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular, good-quality supervision where they are encouraged to reflect on practice. Team meetings are focused and consider risks and safeguarding issues. Meetings are linked to any issues that may have happened in the home and enable staff to reflect as a team and collectively develop their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager handles concerns raised about staff’s practice effectively. She promptly acts to safeguard children, carrying out swift and sensitive investigations while Inspection report for children’s home: SC056259 5 considering the well-being of the staff involved to ensure their support. This helps to maintain a supportive environment and strong safeguarding culture.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most members of staff have the required qualifications. However, not all staff have attained the necessary qualification within the appropriate time frame. This issue is currently being addressed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC056259 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, The 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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 31 August 2025

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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

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

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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)(vi)(vii)) 31 August 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home environment is maintained and decorated to a good standard and that all outstanding disrepair is addressed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: SC056259 7  The registered person should ensure that records can be easily located and accessed by staff and those with a legitimate need to view them by reviewing and streamlining where these records are kept. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 14.2)

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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: SC056259 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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Inspectors

Karen Karlsson, Social Care Inspector Lisa Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC056259 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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