Amber House

Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber House 1 Amber House Amber Family Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre can accommodate up to four families at any one time. 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 residential family centre was registered with Ofsted in February 2020. This is its first post-registration inspection.

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Information about this residential family centre

There is a suitably qualified registered manager in post.

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Information about this residential family centre

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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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: not applicable

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber House 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Children and parents have positive experiences while they live in this centre. They enjoy good relationships with staff. This is because staff spend time getting to know the families as individuals. They can therefore offer individualised care and attention. There is good evidence to show that the work parents do while at the centre promotes the chance of a positive outcome to their assessment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Social work assessments produced by the manager and social workers are good. There is an abundance of positive feedback from placing authorities. This includes praise for the accuracy and quality of assessments produced for court. Assessments have clear recommendations based on the evidence gathered during the assessment process.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff tackle some difficult topics and areas of parenting shortfalls. While doing so, they continue to maintain positive relationships with parents. This shows they can skilfully support and nurture parents while providing an appropriate level of challenge. The quality of key work is exceptionally detailed. Parents are helped to understand where they are making good progress and where there are some shortfalls, through a clear infographic called a ‘heatmap’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents enjoy many benefits while in the centre. The home environment is well presented. It is very well equipped with play, sensory and craft provisions. Parents enjoy a variety of courses to strengthen their parenting capacity. This includes bonding activities such as baby massage and sensory play.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

One shortfall identified is in the level of detail provided in the child and family placement plan. The plans are not fully compliant with regulation 13. This is because they do not contain information about the intended outcomes of the placement or consider the detailed information provided by the local authority.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The centre promotes and protects the children’s welfare throughout the assessment process. A strong safeguarding thread runs through all records. It is also evident in the assessments produced.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Social workers spoken to have no concerns in relation to the effectiveness of arrangements to safeguard children. They reported that staff identified and addressed issues appropriately. Staff spoken to were clear about the individual risks for families. They knew what their roles and responsibilities were in keeping children safe.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Risk management considerations are part of the matching process. The centre involves social workers in the decision about placement suitability. Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber House 3 Safeguarding action plans clearly identify risks. Families are provided with support to help them to minimise risks. Heatmaps are used to show parents’ progression in respect of their risks. These are a good visual tool showing the family’s progress.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding incidents are rare. There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home, of domestic violence, drug or alcohol misuse, serious child injuries or significant incidents between parents.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

On the rare occasions when incidents have occurred, children have been kept safe. Managers act when staff do not follow safeguarding protocols. Lessons-learned exercises following incidents have been carried out, which is good practice.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Safer recruitment practice is not always followed. No child or parent has been put at risk because of this. However, good practice would be that all safe recruitment checks are returned before any newly recruited staff spend time in the centre. This includes references and Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

There are no agreements or risk assessments in place for parents who administer their child’s medication. Clear direction from the placing authority about medication administration should be sought to ensure that the centre is working in line with placing authority instruction.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The centre is well managed by a permanent and experienced manager. She has good understanding of the service and realistic expectations of what parents can achieve. She understands the centre’s strengths and weaknesses and is aspirational both for residents and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is directly involved in the family assessment process. She therefore knows how well parents are progressing. She also reviews other records compiled by staff. This furthers her understanding of any issues that arise throughout the course of the assessment process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have good opportunities to develop and progress. Staff can enrol on a social work apprenticeship. They can also access training opportunities including mental health first aider, attachment training, five to thrive course, baby massage and baby yoga. Staff can also become champions in certain areas. This enables them to develop competence and confidence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff retention is good, which provides families with continuity of care. Staff report there is a supportive environment where they feel valued for their work. Staff benefit from a thorough induction, regular supervision and yearly appraisal. As a result, there is high morale among staff and they enjoy coming to work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals spoken to as part of this inspection gave glowing feedback. They reported that joined-up working and communication were strengths of the Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber House 4 setting. Social workers also said that weekly reports gave them a good overview of how their families were progressing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring of the service is generally good. However, there have been some months when reports under regulation 25 have not been compiled or submitted to Ofsted. This hinders both the manager’s and the regulator’s ability to continuously monitor the effectiveness of the service. Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber House 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 Centre Regulations 2002 and the national minimum standards. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall make arrangements for the recording, handling, safe keeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the residential family centre. (Regulation 11 (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, when it has been agreed by a child’s placing authority that a parent can administer a child’s medication this agreement should recorded in the child’s records. 29 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall, before providing a family with accommodation in the residential family centre, or if that is not reasonably practicable, as soon as possible thereafter, draw up in consultation with the placing authority a written plan (in these Regulations referred to as "the placement plan") setting out, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

the facilities and services to be provided during the course of the placement;

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Requirement Due date

the objectives and intended outcome of the placement;

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Requirement Due date

an assessment of the risks, if any, which a resident at the residential family centre may present to their own health, safety and welfare or that of other residents or staff at the centre.

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Requirement Due date

In preparing or reviewing the placement plan the registered person shall, so far as practicable—

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Requirement Due date

take account of any relevant assessment or other report relating to any member of the family which may be provided by the placing authority. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(c) (3)(b)) 29 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall not— 29 September Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber House 6 employ a person to work at the residential family centre unless that person is fit to work at a residential family centre; or

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Requirement Due date

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

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to him in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2. (Regulation 16 (1)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular that no person should start work, shadow shifts or induction training in the centre until the organisation is in receipt of all relevant recruitment checks.

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Requirement Due date

Where the registered provider is an organisation or a partnership, the residential family centre shall be visited in accordance with this regulation by—

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual or one of the partners, as the case may be;

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Requirement Due date

another of the directors or other persons responsible for the management of the organisation or partnership; or

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Requirement Due date

an employee of the organisation or partnership who is not directly concerned with the conduct of the residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

Visits under paragraph (1) or (2) shall take place at least once a month and may be unannounced. (Regulation 25 (2)(a)(b)(c) (3)) 29 September

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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 Centre Regulations 2002 and the national minimum standards. Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber House 7

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Amber Family Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: KA Farr & Co Chartered Accountants, 6-8 Botanic Road, Southport, Lancashire PR9 7NG

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Inspectors

Charlie Bamber, Social Care Inspector Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber House 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 4234 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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