Amber House

Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 1 SC356604 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 operated by a private company. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Ofsted registered the home in September 2007. The manager was registered in May 2023.

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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: 15 February 2023

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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: SC356604 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/02/2023 Full Good 02/02/2022 Full Outstanding 10/09/2019 Full Outstanding 15/05/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience smooth transitions when they move into this home. The planning around their move starts as soon as the manager agrees to the child joining the home. Children’s likes and dislikes and decoration preferences are used to ensure that they feel at home as soon as they arrive. A welcome basket, filled with things that they like, awaits each child on their bed. The child’s social worker commented on the positive first impression this gave the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is large and well maintained. There is a large chalkboard on the wall in the downstairs hallway. The staff take turns to decorate this and write welcoming, positive messages, sometimes with the help of the children. This contributes to a homely feel.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is prioritised. The manager has high expectations around children attending school and has built up positive links with the local high school. The manager liaises well with the virtual school team to ensure that there is as little disruption to children’s education as possible. If there are delays with education when children move in, the manager addresses these immediately with the virtual school team and the children’s social workers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress that prepares them for their next steps. One child has moved on to live alone successfully after receiving extensive support from the staff with their independence plan. Staff in the home worked collaboratively with the child and their personal advisor to ensure that she was as prepared as possible. Her plan included a holiday abroad, which she was supported to budget for and plan.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are attuned to the children’s needs. Staff spend meaningful time with the children, and they are skilled at having conversations that contribute to the children making positive progress. Children feel listened to, and they are reminded that the boundaries are in place because the staff care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Positive relationships, including friendships outside of the home, are promoted. This enables the children to experience and then navigate repairing their relationships with their peers when there have been disagreements. Staff use therapeutic parenting techniques to support the children to negotiate some of the more difficult elements of maintaining positive relationships and managing difficult emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff celebrate the children’s achievements. This is managed sensitively by the staff so that the children feel special and cared for. This supports their identity and self-esteem. Staff arrange celebrations to recognise children’s achievements and for their birthdays. Photos are taken of these events so that the children have mementos to take with them when the leave the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 4 Children are in good health. They are registered with local health services, and they are supported to access regular appointments to maintain good health. The psychology team produces recommendations for the children. This informs the children’s care, particularly in relation to their emotional well-being and trauma experiences.

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

The child feels safe living in the home. They can name trusted people they would speak to if they felt worried.

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

The manager ensures that the children’s risk assessments are tailored to the children’s needs. These assessments are succinct and easy to understand. There are clear actions for the staff to follow, and important information is included. This ensures that the staff provide an effective safeguarding response to the children when risks are present.

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

Staff build positive and trusting relationships with the children. They use these relationships and de-escalation techniques to support the children effectively when they experience strong emotions. When physical intervention is used, the hold is for the shortest time possible and is for the safety of the children and others. The manager and the staff work hard to understand the driving factors behind the children’s behaviour, and they strive to learn from these incidents to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.

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

Children do not go missing from this home. Plans are prepared and reviewed for the children in case they go missing, so that the staff have a clear understanding of the actions that they must take.

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

Natural consequences are used to help the children to understand the impact of their actions in a restorative way. Positive behaviour is promoted and children have a good understanding of the expectations and boundaries that are maintained in the home.

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

Children are supported to take risks appropriate to their age. This allows them to develop in line with their peers and enjoy their childhood. For one child, this has supported her progression to independence. For another child, this has allowed him to spend time in the community with his friends.

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

Appropriate safer recruitment checks are carried out for staff joining the home. A period of probation supports the new staff to receive their induction training and develop the skills they need to work effectively with the children. These new staff join the experienced staff on the rota to ensure that consistency is maintained for the children.

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

Staff are aware of the whistle-blowing process and know how to respond if children experience physical harm. However, some staff were not able to clearly detail the safe actions that they would take if a member of staff told a child to keep a secret. Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She has good knowledge of the children and their experiences. She takes pride in her work and the work of the staff team. The manager is child-focused, and this ethos is reflected in the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective monitoring systems allow the manager to have good oversight of the operation of the home, the children’s documents and the staff’s development. This ensures that any identified shortfalls are addressed quickly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is properly staffed and resourced to meet the needs of the child. Staff from other homes in the organisation are used if there is a shortfall, such as sickness or annual leave. This supports consistency and minimises the impact on the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by the management team. The staff receive regular, reflective supervision sessions. These are complemented by regular team meetings, which offer reflective space to learn from incidents and each other.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

While the manager has requested a copy of the placement plan and personal education plan for the child living at the home, they have yet to receive these documents from the child’s placing local authority. The manager used the information from the referral documents and planning meetings to develop a detailed care plan for use in the meantime.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some staff have still not completed the required level 3 childcare qualification in the time frame specified in The Children’s Home Regulations, despite this being a requirement at the last inspection. However, the staff are fully up to date with the training that is mandatory in this organisation. The staff speak positively about the recent training that they have received, and they are keen and eager to learn. Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part- time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b)(6)(a)(b)) 1 December 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should challenge any placing authority who asks them to accept a child in the absence of a complete and current relevant plan, including a placement plan. It is essential that the manager and staff understand what will be required of them before they accept responsibility for a child’s placement, to avoid Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 7 disruption and instability for the child in future. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.5)  The registered person should ensure that the staff are able to apply safeguarding knowledge over a range of scenarios and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12)

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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: SC356604 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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Inspector

Joanna Beal, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 9 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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