Children's home run by Amber Care Group UK Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2783212 1 Registered provider: Amber Care Group (UK) Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for one child who may experience social, emotional and mental health difficulties and have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the first inspection of the home since registration in March 2024.

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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: 2783212 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are welcomed into their new home after careful introductions. Staff take time to get to know the child before they move in and visit them at their current home to better understand their needs and routines. This means that when the child moves in, familiar staff can provide care to them while they get to know the other adults in the home. This approach provides continuity of care for the child during an emotionally difficult time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work to build positive relationships with the child. The child communicates using their own mix of sign-language and pictures that staff have learned to understand. Staff work in line with agreed plans that create a sense of stability and allow the child to make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use encouragement and praise to engage the child in developing their own self- care skills. Small changes to the child’s routine are helping to reduce the need for staff to perform personal care. As a result, the child feels a sense of dignity and a greater degree of independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is cared for by staff who understand and promote their cultural and religious identity. The home reflects the child’s individuality with pictures and acknowledgements throughout the home. The child attends their local mosque and cultural events and is supported to practice their faith as part of their daily routine.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with those who are important to the child and arrange for them to spend time together. When there are difficulties, the staff act quickly to support the child and help them to engage in activities they enjoy. This supports the child’s positive experience of family time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys regular activities and new experiences. The manager and staff have purchased travel aids that allow the child to travel in the car, walk in the community and experience bus travel for the first time. The child enjoys daily activities as part of their normal routine and has experienced trips to theme parks and cultural celebrations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have created communal areas of the home that reflect the child’s culture and interests. The walls are painted professionally with murals rather than picture frames to reduce potential damage and maintain a homely feel. The child’s items of interest are placed around the home to so that their personal space is not limited to their bedroom.

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

Staff are vigilant and act to keep the child safe when they are experiencing difficult emotions. Children can express their feelings and receive support from staff they trust. Staff make prompt referrals to child and adolescent mental health services and the Inspection report for children’s home: 2783212 3 child’s doctor to promote their engagement with specialist services. The child’s plans are updated to instruct staff to provide additional care and monitoring at times when the child is at greater risk of harm.

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

Physical intervention is only used as a last resort to prevent harm to the child, staff and their environment. The child’s voice is considered in behaviour management plans, and staff take part in debriefs following any holds. The manager reviews each incident and reflects on practice to improve care for the child. This allows the manager to identify where additional training for staff will enable them to better meet the needs of the child.

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

The manager responds appropriately to safeguarding concerns involving staff. The manager acts quickly to establish facts and inform relevant agencies. Procedures are followed in line with the home’s polices, children are protected and staff are supported through HR processes. This helps to ensure that children are safeguarded effectively.

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

There are some issues that need to be addressed. The bathroom has standing water and mould forming where the child washes and brushes their teeth. There are pipes from a damaged radiator capped off at floor level, which are hazardous to the child and staff. This is the only space for bathing and washing and is used regularly in line with the child’s religious practices. The bathroom is in need of repair to avoid injury or health issues.

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

Safer recruitment practices are not adhered to in full. The manager has completed Disclosure and Barring Service checks and gained references for staff but did not complete overseas checks for staff who have lived and worked abroad. This does not provide assurances that adults who are employed are suitably vetted before working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses the information from her own audits, and that of external monitoring, to improve the quality of care that children receive. When shortfalls are identified, these are addressed quickly. The manager identified issues with the quality of the independent visitor reports and sought to change the provider. As a result, the reports are now identifying shortfalls and making recommendations. This assists the manager in making improvements to the quality of care the child receives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers use reflective practice to support the staff’s understanding of their own impact on the care that they provide. Senior leaders complete monthly observations of staff to assess their use of trauma-informed practice. Group reflection takes place to discuss any lessons that could be learned from incidents in the home, and practice issues are discussed openly. This helps to progress the learning and development of the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision and annual appraisals of their practice. Important information is discussed to ensure a consistent response when Inspection report for children’s home: 2783212 4 safeguarding children. The focus on the development of staff is evident throughout supervision records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and manager have not made staff aware of the ‘Family and Close Relationships’ policy. Two of the home’s staff are related and staff are aware of the family connection. However, they are not clear on how any concerns about those staff would be raised or managed given their respective roles in the organisation. Inspection report for children’s home: 2783212 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, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vii)(d)) 1 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(a)(b)(d)) 1 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2783212 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are made familiar with the home’s internal whistle-blowing procedures. In particular, those concerned with when staff are related. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, Page 53, paragraph 10.9)

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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: 2783212 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Amber Care Group (UK) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Boho Zero, 21 Gosford Street, Middlesbrough TS2 1BB

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Inspectors

Lee Riley, Social Care Inspector Laura Roberts, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2783212 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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