Children's home run by Aspire Care and Education Services Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 1241263 1 Registered provider: Aspire Care and Education Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to seven children with learning difficulties and speech, language and communication needs. There were five children living in the home at the time of the visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 22 July 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1241263 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/03/2023 Full Outstanding 14/09/2021 Full Outstanding 11/12/2019 Full Outstanding 30/10/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1241263 3

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outstanding

Managers and staff know the children well. The care and support that they provide is exceptional. Because of this, children make excellent progress and have good outcomes.

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outstanding

Children build warm and trusting relationships with staff. Care is individualised to each child’s needs. Staff are skilled and have an in-depth understanding of each of the children in their care. They receive extensive specialised training that prepares them for working with children who have complex needs.

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outstanding

Staff support children to spend time in the community. They work with a range of professionals to ensure that children are not excluded from opportunities that help their continued development and independence. For example, staff worked with one child to develop better personal safety and awareness. Consequently, the child can go out with staff more freely. The trusting relationships that the child has with staff made this possible.

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outstanding

Staff understand the importance of education. They go to great lengths to ensure that children have a positive learning experience. Regular communication between the staff and school staff ensures that the children’s daily experiences are well known. This means that home and school staff are alert and can respond effectively to any issues.

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outstanding

Staff understand children’s likes and dislikes and preferred learning styles. Staff strategically leave creativity activities out for the children. This motivates them to explore and discover on their own. It has also helped staff to better understand how individual children learn and explore the world around them. This strategy was developed through research by a small group of staff and shared with the team. The positive effect on children has been significant.

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outstanding

Staff show a strong commitment to promoting children’s health and well-being. They work with children in a creative way to help them to understand about healthy eating. For example, a family well-being morning was an excellent opportunity for children to learn about different foods and some of their health benefits.

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outstanding

A significant strength of this home is the staff’s ability to promote the voice of the child. Children make choices about their living environment and the design and decoration of their bedrooms. Children have also helped with the design of the new sensory room.

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outstanding

Children have positive experiences of moving in and out of the home. The other children welcome them. When children move on, staff work creatively and effectively with others to ensure the best possible outcome. Moves are carried out at the child’s Inspection report for children’s home: 1241263 4 pace and staff remain in contact. Staff support the child and the staff at the child’s new home to get to know each other.

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outstanding

Children’s safety and well-being are central to all practice in this home. Risk management processes focus on safeguarding each child while finding creative ways that they can explore and learn about their environment safely. This allows the child an appropriate degree of independence. Detailed and individualised risk assessments are in place for each child. Staff know the risks well and are involved in the regular updates of these documents.

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outstanding

Staff work with a range of professionals to ensure that children do not go missing from the home. They have worked exceptionally well with a child who came to the home with a history of going missing from care. Staff made changes to the home environment, and they worked with the child, using social stories to teach them about the dangers and risks of climbing fences and gates. Due to this work, the child is safer.

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outstanding

Clear and consistent boundaries contribute to a feeling of well-being and security for children. Staff develop effective positive behaviour support plans and know these well. Staff support children through one-to-one sessions that include social stories to help children understand what is expected of them.

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outstanding

Staff receive regular specialised training in the management of complex behaviours. Staff know how to use physical interventions when necessary and use these only as a last resort to keep the child or others safe from harm. Following any incident, there is a thorough review of what happened and a detailed process to identify lessons that can be learned.

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outstanding

Staff support children with their health needs. Staff receive training in managing medicine. They do not administer medication until they have been assessed as competent. Medication administration is monitored effectively. There have been no medication errors since the last inspection.

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outstanding

Vigorous safer recruitment procedures are in place. The provider satisfies themself that only staff with suitable skills and qualifications work for the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A strong and effective leadership team is in place. The manager and deputy manager work extremely well together to ensure the best possible care and outcomes for every child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is ambitious for each child. She is committed to the continued growth and development of her staff team, which has a positive effect on the children who Inspection report for children’s home: 1241263 5 live here. Research-based practice is embedded in the service. The manager has supported the introduction of a process of explorative learning for children. This has had a significant and positive effect on how staff work with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular and reflective supervision. Staff induction is strong. Staff only take on complex aspects of the work when they are well prepared and ready. This means that children are cared for by staff who are confident and competent. Staff feel involved and valued. They are well supported and able to approach anyone in the leadership team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager actively maintains positive working relationships with other professionals. She regularly invites the professional network to meet to discuss the children, their care needs and any concerns. One social worker said that, ‘staff are very good at communicating with professionals. They are always involved. They keep me informed.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers show a strong commitment to the promotion of equality, diversity and difference. They support children to practise their religion and express their views and wishes relating to this. Staff also support them to take part in other cultural activities. There is a strong commitment to hearing children’s voices. As a result, children are very much part of the decision-making in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241263 6

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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: 1241263 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspire Care and Education Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rift Accounting House, 160 Eureka Park, Upper Pemberton, Kennington, Ashford, Kent TN25 4AZ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Jonathan Deslandes

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Inspector

Vevene Muhammad, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1241263 8 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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