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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2819791 1 Registered provider: Pebbles Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home. Both children were seen and spoken with during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There are two managers registered with Ofsted. One registered in April 2025 and is currently not working at the home. The other manager registered in May 2025.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2819791 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children build trusting relationships with managers and staff. This is a notable strength in staff’s practice. Children tell their social workers that they like living in the home, and the children are relaxed and happy when they visit. They settle into the home quickly and staff speak warmly about the children and have individualised, positive relationships with each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to manage their own health, engage with the health services that they need and encourage children to take an interest in their health and fitness. The manager ensures that children who have moved into the home have their specialist health care transferred to a local hospital. Additionally, staff help children to engage with interventions for their emotional and mental health. The manager has supported one child to successfully request a change in their medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff work closely with professionals to ensure that the children have regular, supported time with the people who are important to them. One child has regular overnights with their father, and another is supported by staff to maintain relationships in their hometown safely. This helps to maintain the children’s identity and sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to move towards independence with structured workbooks and encouragement to undertake tasks in the home. Both children do their own laundry and can cook and clean up after themselves independently. They take pride in being independent.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children express their wishes and feelings in ways that influence their day-to-day experiences in the home. Staff listen to what the children say and act on this. For example, one child identified and reported a minor repair, then assisted staff with the repair. Another child negotiated with staff to make changes to the food menu, following a trip to the dentist which identified that a change was needed. Children feel confident that their wishes and opinions are valued and acted on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been challenges in securing appropriate educational placements for the children, leaving both children without a school. This has been appropriately escalated by the manager. However, delays in arranging placements are impacting on progress in other areas, including children’s routines, and building friendships outside the home.

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

The manager and staff know the children well and their risks are well understood. They make effective plans that help keep children safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2819791 3 The manager and staff respond robustly when children go missing from home. The staff have a clear understanding of the actions they need to take. They go to great lengths to locate children and have a grab pack that contains details of friends, family, and possible locations for that child. The staff record in detail and ensure that the information is up to date. This informs the response to missing-from-home incidents for the child. The staff welcome children home with kindness and empathy. They reflect with children after an incident so children can share any concerns they may have.

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

Children are encouraged to share their views on how they like to be helped and what works best to keep them safe. The manager and the staff have listened to the feedback of one child to develop a plan for regular time with family and friends, supported and overseen by staff. This has stopped a pattern of lengthy high-risk missing-from-home incidents for this child.

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

Staff use praise and incentives to promote positive behaviour. The members of the team do not need to hold children for their safety. Staff give consequences that are linked to the issue and help children to understand the outcome of their actions. Staff are predictable in their responses to children and set clear and fair expectations about acceptable forms of behaviours.

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

Staff respond appropriately to incidents of self-injurious behaviour. They show empathy and care when a child is distressed and adapt when a more direct approach is needed to keep children safe. Children have access to a psychologist for support with any struggles they have.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The current registered manager was appointed in preparation for the initial registered manager being away from the home for a period. The current manager has demonstrated the knowledge and skills to effectively manage the home during the permanent manager’s period of leave. She has a clear vision for the home and is developing a team culture with a family feel, which helps the children feel safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has extensive monitoring and review systems that provide effective oversight of every aspect of the functioning of the home. Monthly action plans developed from the manager’s audit and the feedback received from the independent person’s visits are contributing to continuous development at the home. The manager seeks feedback from a variety of sources using a range of methods. The manager has worked with the children to identify their preferred methods of giving feedback. Both children prefer to talk with staff about their wishes and feelings and can influence their plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they enjoy working at the home and they value the support of the managers. They remark on how close knit the members of the team are and how they support each other in their roles. Staff are confident in the processes that support them to fulfil their roles and feel able to ask for support from colleagues and the managers. Inspection report for children’s home: 2819791 4 There is a well-managed process that enables the manager to have all the information they need to assess whether they can meet a child’s needs, prior to them moving to the home. The manager considers the children’s views when planning a move. The manager also ensures that staff have any extra training needed that helps them to immediately provide the right support to the new child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have a well-planned induction, including a detailed training programme. Practice- related supervision sessions are regular and structured. Staff contribute to the agenda. Managers lead reflective discussions about the children and the well-being of the member of staff. Staff report that they find the supervision helpful and supportive. Additionally, team meetings are regular and child focused. The members of the team discuss the progress of the children at every meeting. Inspection report for children’s home: 2819791 5

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Recommendation

 The registered persons should work closely with the placing authority when children placed in a home are not participating in education, so that the child can resume full- time education as soon as possible. If no education place is identified by the placing authority, the registered person must challenge them to meet the child’s needs under regulation 5. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2819791 6

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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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Children’s home details

Registered managers: Katie McCosh Jamie-Lee Birchall

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Inspector

Kirstie Sutherland, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2819791 7 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 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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