Amber Lodge

Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Lodge 1 Amber Lodge Amber Family Limited 45 Part Street, Southport PR8 1HY Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This centre is owned and operated by a private provider.

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Information about this residential family centre

It is registered to provide care for up to four families. No families are currently resident in the centre.

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Information about this residential family centre

The registered manager is suitably experienced and has been in post since 20 December 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account

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good

How well children and parents are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 7 September 2021

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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 residential family centre: Amber Lodge 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The provider has operated a small network of residential family centres for a long time. There have been no families in this centre since November 2024 and the provider intends to de-register the setting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Managers, leaders and staff understand the core purpose of residential family centres and execute it well. Reports and assessments are child-focused and factual with evidence to support the conclusions and recommendations. Assessments undertaken by social workers in the centre are subject to quality assurance by a qualified social work who is external to the organisation. The assessments are fair and well balanced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff supported parents to be actively involved in decisions about their lives. They sensitively supported families to understand the reports and assessments. Parents understood the progress they make, and any further work required They also asked to contribute their views to their reports.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Managers and leaders worked collaboratively with placing authorities to extend assessments when required. Reasons for extending assessments are fair and ensure that families are properly assessed in line with their individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff ensured that families understand the expectations of the centre. Staff conduct wellbeing checks with the parents to ensure that the right level of support is in place. However, the initial information provided too families is not adapted for parents with communication and learning needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents are encouraged to engage in a range of social, educational and recreational opportunities, including activities and groups in the local community. Staff regularly asked parents what they wanted to achieve during their stay in the centre and support them to access the right resources.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents participated in regular house meetings with their co-residents to discuss any issues that may have arisen. Staff capture the life story and journey of children in the centre in a variety of ways. Hand and foot moulds were taken, photo shoots were arranged and albums created, and parents participated in recording the details of early life experiences. Parents and children had detailed records and mementoes to take with them, regardless of the outcome of the assessment.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Managers and leaders carefully assess the needs of families prior to them coming to the centre. This ensures that the staff have the skills and abilities to meet these needs. Risk assessments carefully consider the needs of other families in the centre. Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Lodge 3 Managers and leaders only admit families whose needs can be met alongside other families in the centre and were clear and fair in their refusals to placing authorities.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff worked closely with placing authorities and partner agencies to ensure the safety of children. This enables the staff to be proactive in their protection of children when new information is shared.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding incidents in the centre are rare and most are well-managed. When incidents do occur, staff inform managers and relevant professionals promptly and complete detailed records. Managers have conducted learning exercises with staff to reflect on practice. However, on one occasion, the learning exercise did not identify opportunities for staff to intervene at an earlier stage and potentially prevent an escalation of the concerns.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Complaints and allegations by parents were infrequent. However, they are taken seriously by senior leaders. Immediate actions are taken to safeguard children, their families and staff as enquiries progress. However, on one occasion, the enquiries were not robust and did not prove or disprove the allegation. Managers and leaders did not speak to other staff or families. Therefore, decisions were made based on weak evidence.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff ensured that parents were aware of the CCTV monitoring within the centre and gain their consent either prior to or when they move in. However, the monitoring systems did not allow for privacy in the bedroom, even when there were two parents residing in the centre. One parent complained as they had observed another parent’s bedroom when staff were monitoring the systems in the communal areas using portable devices. The manager took swift action in relation to the use of portable monitoring devices. However, the system remained overly intrusive.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Systems are in place to ensure that medication is appropriately stored. However, staff did not consistently prompt parents to give medication and doses for children were missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager of the centre has worked for the organisation for a long time. They are knowledgeable and committed. The manager is supported by a responsible individual with considerable experience in the sector. The manager and responsible individual have a positive and effective working relationship.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and senior leaders ensure they are up to date with wider sector developments, such as changing health guidance. For example, the managers and leaders considered the updated NHS co-sleeping guidance in the statement of purpose for the centre.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are offered comprehensive training for their roles and complete the training assigned to them in a timely way. Managers and leaders felt that the required qualifications for staff in the centre did not teach them all the skills they should have Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Lodge 4 and designed their own training programme. This training programme has been submitted for accreditation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff from the centre have been dispersed to work at other centres in the organisation. The manager invests in staff development, and several have been supported to gain their social work qualification. Managers and leaders recognise the emotional impact of the work in the centres and offer access to a counselling service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report that managers and leaders are approachable and helpful. Staff have access to regular supervision and timely appraisals. Team meetings are held regularly. The manager ensured that monthly reports were compiled by independent visitor to the centre. The reports are detailed, and the manager responds promptly to recommendations made by the visitor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager completed reviews of the quality of care. However, there was a significant period between two of the reviews, and they were descriptive rather than evaluative. There were no actions identified because of the reviews and therefore they were limited as tools for service improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager usually notified the regulator of serious incidents in the centre. However, one allegation about staff was not notified to the regulator or the local authority designated officer. Two other serious incidents were not notified until seven and nine days after the event. Therefore, the regulator dd not have effective and prompt oversight on these occasions. Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Lodge 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 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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall make arrangements, by training persons working at the residential family centre or by other measures, to prevent residents being harmed or suffering abuse or being placed at risk of harm or abuse.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that enquiries following allegations are thorough and provide enough evidence to make sound decisions. There should be systems in place to ensure the safe administration of medication. 14 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that any use of such devices is subject to the following conditions

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Requirement Due date

its use is no more intrusive than necessary.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that parents’ right to dignity and privacy is provided for when monitoring bedrooms, and that staff viewing of the monitoring systems is not where other families can see it. 14 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

If, in relation to a residential family centre, any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall without delay notify the parent accommodated in the residential family centre with a child of any significant incident affecting the child’s welfare unless 14 May 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Lodge 6 to do so is not reasonably practicable or would place the child’s welfare at risk. (Regulation 26(1)(2)) The registered person shall establish and maintain a system for—

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Requirement Due date

improving, the quality of care provided at the residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (1) shall provide for consultation with residents. (Regulation 23(1)(a)(b)(3)) 20 September 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that placements take into account any disability or special needs. (Residential Family Centres National Minimum Standards, page 10, paragraph 3.1). In particular, where parents have difficulties with communication or reading, that the initial information and consents sought by the centre are provided in a way to ensure that they understand.

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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 Lodge 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: K A Farr & Co Chartered Accountants, 6-8 Botanic Road, Southport PR9 7NG

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Inspectors

Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Andrea Foreman, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Amber Lodge 8 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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