About Us

How we started

Amber Family was opened in 2014 after discussions about available options for families who wanted to prove their parenting capacity. 

 It was disappointing when parents and children were separated during assessments in supervised contact sessions. This separation didn’t offer an opportunity for parents to bond with their newborn baby and fully demonstrate their parenting skills. Contact was often time-limited and in an unfamiliar setting, which presented limited opportunities to produce a holistic, fair, and robust assessment based on observations and commitment to change.
 
Another option for the Local Authority was to try to manage the family in the community using Universal Services. However, the success of this was largely dependent on the parent's ability to work openly and honestly with multiple agencies; again, the quality of the assessments that were produced was less evidence-based and led by assumptions. 
 
Some families were placed in a parent and child foster placement, and whilst there were successful placements, this was largely dependent on the compatibility of the parent with a host family. There were often challenges around the relationships in these settings and the vulnerability of all the adults, including the foster family. Often, parents feel under pressure when living in another family home and cannot demonstrate their independent parenting style and self-care skills. While foster carers were making observations, no formal assessment was produced.
 
It was felt that a residential family centre would bridge the gap between Local Authorities and parents, and the ethos of Amber Family was developed. Fairness, honesty, respect, support, and openness are at the core of the service provided by Amber Family.

Amber Family provides a combination of a homely setting with close monitoring and support where safeguarding remains paramount.  This allows parents to develop their own parenting style whilst being guided and supported by staff. Additionally, parents are encouraged to treat Amber Family as their own home in order to demonstrate their independent living skills and ability to juggle a home and a baby.

A Placement Plan developed between the Local Authority, parent(s), and Amber Family ensures that targeted work is completed and the placement meets the needs of all parties concerned. At the conclusion of the 13-week placement, a clear, honest recommendation will be produced as part of the assessment that summarises the parent’s ability and commitment to effect a long-term positive change for their family.