Amber Family Limited

Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Family Limited 1 Amber Family Limited 39 Lethbridge Road, Southport, Merseyside PR8 6JA Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is registered to provide care and accommodation for four families. The centre provides residential assessments that assist local authorities and courts in making decisions which promote the welfare of children.

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Information about this residential family centre

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2014.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and parents are helped and protected good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The residential family centre provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of previous inspection: 16 August 2016

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Family Limited 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents and children benefit from an effective assessment process, which places the safety, welfare and development needs of children as the focus. Staff scrutinise initial referral information to ascertain quickly the individual and specific needs of the family. This information reliably informs matching decisions and key-working allocation. On their arrival, families receive a warm, sensitive welcome from staff. The staff team skilfully engages parents quickly and successfully.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The manager and staff concentrate on what is in a child’s best interests and they work hard to help parents to develop a similar focus. The staff are clear about what skills and attitudes parents must demonstrate to show that they have ‘good enough’ parenting skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff listen, advise and reassure parents while explaining clear objectives and expectations, using methods that work for individuals. This is a particular strength of the staff team. A parent confirmed the positive impact of the relationships they make with the staff by stating, ‘They explain things really well and I know what I need to do.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Placement plans take full account of referral information and the expectations of the placement. Furthermore, assessment reports reliably inform the final decisions made by the courts and placing local authorities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff support parents in meeting the additional health needs of their children. One recent example is staff assisting a parent to access medical assistance and support for a baby that was unwell. This resulted in a diagnosis of the baby having an intolerance to the formula milk. Consequently, the milk was changed and the baby is now making progress with feeding.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff thoughtfully support families when they move out. Regardless of their findings, they show compassion and respect for parents and children. They create photo albums of important milestones, which parents can keep. This enables the family to have as positive an ending as possible to their time at the centre. Some parents maintain contact with the centre after they have moved out.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Strong initial assessment processes ensure that the manager and staff scrutinise referral information in order to mitigate potential risks. Professionally curious staff regularly request further information when they identify potential gaps. As the assessment progresses, the staff’s practice of dynamic risk assessment makes necessary changes and amendments to risk management plans, which keeps the child’s safety and welfare at the centre of everyone’s practice. Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Family Limited 3 The centre’s standard practice routinely includes one-to-one supervision during the first two weeks of placement, or longer if required. Additionally, closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance is standard for the duration of the placement. Some parents said that they found this difficult but confirmed that they understood the reasons. This practice has also been challenged by external professionals.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Notwithstanding the potential emotional impact on the parents and children, the rationale of risk management is clearly communicated to all relevant parties prior to the start of the placement.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Individualised risk assessments identify specific vulnerabilities which may have an impact on parenting capacity and the safety and well-being of children. The risk assessments are updated regularly and address all known and emerging risks effectively. Risk assessments contain good guidance for staff about what they should do to minimise risks. The manager and staff share concerns about parents’ capacity to keep their children safe with placing local authorities in a timely manner, to keep children safe and to inform care planning.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding and generally use this knowledge well. They provide a range of activities and opportunities for parents to attend training and support groups to enhance their awareness of issues that have an impact on their parenting and their children, such as domestic abuse and substance misuse. This supports family members to develop their awareness and abilities to keep their child and themselves safe.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Incidents are managed well. Staff identify and address issues of concern with parents respectfully and at the earliest stage possible. They work openly and honestly with parents, delivering information and difficult messages in a sensitive manner and preparing ahead to minimise distress to those involved.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff recruitment is not sufficiently robust. Recruitment files viewed demonstrate that the checks required for new staff are not suitably completed. For example, the two references for one member of staff are from the same previous employer and gaps in employment history have not been fully explored. This does not demonstrate safe recruitment practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children and parents benefit immensely from a leader who inspires her staff team to look to improve the quality of the service continuously. Staff respond well to this motivational ethos to deliver the very best outcomes for children and parents within the aims and objectives of the centre’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All new staff undergo induction to provide them with the knowledge and skills for the role. Additionally, staff undergo a six-month probationary period to ensure that the centre is staffed by suitable staff who are able to provide a good level of care and support to children and their parents. Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Family Limited 4 Staff said that they receive excellent support. They have good training opportunities that help them to develop skills to work with vulnerable families. The manager values the members of the staff team and regularly praises them for good practice. Equally, the manager offers support and guidance for staff who may be struggling and whose performance is being affected as a result. A member of staff said, ‘The manager is brilliant. She has helped my progression in the company and I love coming to work. It is an amazing place.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The frequency of supervision for staff is in line with the supervision policy. Generally, staff receive supervision that enables them to discuss the needs and progress of parents and children and reflect on practice. However, the manager accepts that this is not always demonstrated in supervision records. The provider has now introduced joint team meetings for support staff and key workers, to ensure that the staff team is cohesive and provides a consistent level of care and support to parents and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work extensively with other agencies and professionals, including health professionals, social workers and guardians. A health professional said: ‘I am regularly invited to the centre to offer parents advice and support. I am always impressed with the support parents and children receive and I think this is a wonderful place for parents and children to stay.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The monitoring and review systems have recently been enhanced, with the manager having more oversight of records. This helps the manager to identify the strengths and areas for development of the centre and the staff team. The monitoring of training is not sufficiently robust. However, the provider is awaiting the implementation of a new electronic system to improve the monitoring of training and human resources. Furthermore, an external independent monthly visitor has been appointed to improve the monitoring of the service. Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Family Limited 5

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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, Residential Family Centres Regulations 2002 and the national minimum standards. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

employ a person to work at the residential family centre unless that person is fit to work at a residential family centre; or allow a person to whom paragraph (2) applies, to work at the residential family centre unless that person is fit to work at a residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1), a person is not fit to work at a residential family centre unless—

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Requirement Due date

he is of integrity and good character; he has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the work he is to perform; he is physically and mentally fit for the work he is to perform; and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to him in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2. (Residential Family Centres Regulations 2002, Regulation 16 (1)(3)) 13/03/2020

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Recommendations

 Ensure that there are clear and effective procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the centre. (Residential Family Centres: National Minimum Standards, 19.1, page 29)  Staff should receive regular professional supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced person. Supervision sessions should enable staff to consider the needs and progress of parents and their children and reflect on practice. (Residential Family Centres: National Minimum Standards, 17.4, page 26) Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Family Limited 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and parents 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 Residential Family Centres Regulations 2002 and the national minimum standards. Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Family Limited 7

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: K A Farr & Co Chartered Accountants, 6–8 Botanic Road, Southport, Lancashire PR9 7NG

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Residential family centre details

Email address: carol@ambermotherandbaby.com

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Inspector

Lisa Mulcahy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Family Limited 8 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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