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 owned by a private provider. It offers care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home and they were spoken with during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is on a period of extended leave. An acting manager is in post and has recently applied to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean the child is not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 15 October 2024

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/10/2024 Full Good 03/10/2023 Full Good 15/02/2023 Full Good 02/02/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The serious shortfalls relating to the help and protection of the child and in leadership and management have negatively affected the child’s overall progress and experiences in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child is registered with appropriate health services and staff generally support them to access these services during routine and emergency situations. However, on one occasion, staff failed to take effective action and ensure that the child received timely medical treatment after suffering a potential head injury. Leaders and managers have since addressed this shortfall in staff practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff experience challenges in providing the child with a consistent and positive care routine. The child has a poor sleep pattern that is further affected by the frequency of them going missing from the home. Despite their efforts, staff struggle to help the child to access education or engage in alternative learning opportunities. The child has been out of formal education for eight months and has recently disengaged from tutoring sessions. Managers work with education professionals to address any delays in securing a suitable provision for the child. However, the child is not making progress with their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The staff spend time with the child and ensure that their voice is heard, and their wishes are sought. The child is aware of their right to access independent advocacy, and they know how to make a complaint if they have concerns about their care or need support to express their views.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff have supported the child in accessing some social opportunities, including a trip to the zoo, a holiday and days out with staff. However, the child’s level of engagement and motivation to take part in leisure activities has declined, and staff are struggling to re- engage them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff help and encourage the child to develop their independence skills, including cooking and tidying their bedroom. This helps to boost the child’s confidence and self- esteem and promotes their social development.

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

The child’s welfare has not been consistently safeguarded due to shortfalls in staff practice. Despite being cared for by two members of staff, the child has accessed the home’s car keys twice without staff knowing and was found sitting in the car. Although the child did not come to harm on either occasion, it is a significant concern that staff do not learn from incidents that happen to prevent reoccurrence. Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 4 Staff have not consistently implemented strategies to promote the child’s welfare. On one occasion, staff were unaware that the child went missing from the home overnight. On two occasions, staff were unaware that other children were staying overnight in the child’s bedroom. Staff failed to fulfil their roles and responsibilities to keep the child safe and assess their welfare.

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

On one occasion, leaders and managers were unable to confirm that staff had appropriately supervised the child and a visitor to the home. A significant incident involving two children occurred during this period. Due to gaps in staff’s recordings, leaders and managers could not be confident that staff intervened promptly to prevent harm to the child.

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

Leaders and managers have raised concerns with the child’s placing authority about an increase in missing-from-home incidents. Staff liaise with the police and the local authorities to support the child’s safe return home. On occasions, leaders and managers have challenged agencies when they have not fulfilled their statutory duties, such as carrying out independent missing-from-home interviews with the child. These interviews allow the child to explain why they went missing and explore how future incidents can be prevented.

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

The child has close and trusted relationships with some staff that they can share their views with. Staff care about the child and celebrate their achievements. During emotionally challenging periods, the staff sensitively support the child and use de- escalation techniques and praise to help the child calm down and prevent harm. On two occasions, staff have physically held the child. This measure has been necessary and proportionate and used as a last resort to keep people safe.

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

Leaders and managers notify the appropriate agencies of any investigations into allegations or suspicions of harm. Leaders and managers have effective links with local authority designated officers and follow due process when concerns are raised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has experienced several changes in management since the last inspection. This instability has negatively impacted the consistency of care the child receives and the overall quality of management oversight regarding the child's safety and welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have auditing systems in place, but gaps in records have not always supported effective management oversight of significant events. This means leaders and managers cannot be confident that staff take the necessary steps to safeguard the child. Managers do not take prompt and effective action to rectify shortfalls in staff practice and recording to bring about improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not ensured that the systems used to review the quality of care consistently include the views of significant others. Additionally, leaders and managers have failed to notify Ofsted of a significant incident. This has prevented independent oversight that helps support the child’s well-being. Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 5 Leaders and managers have not ensured that all staff have the skills and knowledge to meet the child’s needs. Some staff have not accessed training and support to understand the child’s individual needs and risks. This means that leaders and managers have not ensured that all staff are equipped with the knowledge to safely care for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The acting manager knows the child well and recognises that the child is not making good progress and is experiencing some challenges, which staff are struggling to manage at times. They have appropriately escalated concerns about the child with the local authority and have requested an urgent review of the child’s placement plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

With the help of staff from the provider’s sister home, there are sufficient staff to care for the child. Staff feel supported and have positive working relationships with managers. Leaders and managers are aware that the team morale is currently low and have plans to support staff’s well-being. Staff have regular reflective supervision and team meetings. However, learning from this is not always implemented to improve the quality of care the child receives. Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 6

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)) 13 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 24 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 7 that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 24 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 24 August 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the views of others are considered when carrying out independent and internal monitoring and reviewing of the quality of care to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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

Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC356604 9 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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