Amber House

Inspection report children’s home: SC356604 1 SC356604 Registered provider: Pebbles Care Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children or young people who have social, emotional and/or behavioural development difficulties. The home offers medium-term to long-term care. The experienced manager has managed the home since May 2017. She became registered in April 2018. She is currently completing her level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC356604 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/05/2017 Full Outstanding 18/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/07/2016 Full Good 23/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC356604 3

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Recommendations

 The registered manager must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experience professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. It is good practice for a note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions to be kept and to ensure that both the person giving the supervision and staff member have a copy of the record. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraphs 13.2 and 13.4) In particular, ensure that supervision takes place monthly for all staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The young people who live at the home are flourishing; they are receiving dedicated, individualised care from a manager and staff team that clearly understand their needs, vulnerabilities, risks and capabilities. One young person wrote: ‘I have moved around a lot so have never really settled, but finally I have found my home and somewhere I can settle and start to trust people again, because of all of you.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The progress and achievements of all the young people are significant in all aspects of their lives, relative to their starting points. The staff are therapeutic, nurturing and responsive in their approach that has seen the young people develop emotional resilience and trust in the adults who look after them. This enables the young people to focus on their future and move forward in a more healthy and positive way. With the unwavering support from the staff, one young person is on track to achieve good grades in her GCSEs, with the intention of joining the Army.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The young people are consulted with and have a voice in all aspects of their care. The young people have been supported to write their own care plans, to participate in their reviews and are encouraged to give feedback on the quality of care that they receive. This level of involvement has really assisted the young people in taking ownership over decisions made about them. All of the young people feel a sense of belonging. With assistance from the staff, they have decorated their rooms, have built a hutch for the pet rabbit and organised a ‘come dine with me’ event.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Progressing independence for one young person is both innovative and tailored to focus on her specific strengths. This has given the young person the confidence to embark on the more challenging aspects of becoming a young adult. The young person manages her finances, budgets and buys her own food. The manager is determined to ensure that Inspection report children’s home: SC356604 4 the right support is in place regarding the young person’s future and is persistent in her communication with the placing authority.

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

The complex needs and vulnerabilities of the young people are well documented and risk management strategies are of the highest quality. The manager uses research-informed practice to disseminate knowledge to her staff team in such areas as self-injurious behaviours, technology, unhealthy teenage relationships and traditional versus restorative practice. This not only reduces risks for the young people but enhances the skills of the staff in their response to risk-taking behaviours and in the delivery of key- work sessions.

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

The young people very rarely go missing. The use of physical intervention is minimal and only used in exceptional circumstances. This is due to the ability of staff to pre-empt, defuse and de-escalate behaviours that may cause harm to the young person involved and others. One professional enthused: ‘I could not have wished for a healthier, safer or better residential setting for this young person. They have treated safeguarding issues with utmost professionalism.’

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

Interventions are balanced to allow the young people to take measured risks. Work undertaken with all the young people has resulted in an increase of free time, the use of social media, access to the internet and having use of a mobile phone. A professional commented: ‘I have confidence that you handle phone usage brilliantly. I also think you all have done a great job with normalising phone-related conversations.’

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

The well-coordinated and effective partnership working with specialist services has seen a significant improvement in the mental health and emotional well-being of the young people. This was confirmed by two independent professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager leads a strong and motivated staff team. She is recently registered but has been acting manager for almost a year. She is ambitious and has high aspirations for the young people in her care and for the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When young people are admitted to the home, impact assessment and consultation with a range of professionals ensure that risks can be managed effectively. Compatibility with the young people living at the home is given equal priority. A professional recently complimented the manager for the strategies used in managing a young person’s relationships with the other residents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Equally, when the young people are transitioned from the home, this is undertaken thoroughly and sensitively. The manager is adept at recognising when risk cannot be managed safely and for one young person her move back to her home area has facilitated a measured approach to progressing her independence. Inspection report children’s home: SC356604 5 The home has a stable staff team and for some children they have ‘grown up’ in the care of a consistent group of staff. This has considerably helped in both maintaining and re- introducing family contact that also offers, in some circumstances, a high level of supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a clear agenda for the continual improvement of the home. This is aided by regular scrutiny of the home’s performance. A recommendation has been made at this inspection to improve the regularity of supervision. The manager values the importance of reflective practice and continuous professional development.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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 children’s home: SC356604 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Wyther Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS5 3BT

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Inspector

Cath Sikakana: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC356604 7 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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