Children's Home run by Aspire Care and Education Services Ltd in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2654906 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 privately owned home provides care for up to nine children with learning difficulties. It is one of two homes operated by the same provider. At the time of inspection, seven children were resident at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2023.

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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 good

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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: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2654906 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/03/2023 Full Good 17/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2654906 3

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outstanding

Children receive care from supportive and competent staff who know them well. The staff show a strong commitment to providing the best possible care. They recognise the uniqueness of each child and support their individuality. Because of this, children make exceptional progress.

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outstanding

All the children have made excellent individual progress in various areas of their lives. Staff understand the complex health needs that many of the children have. They work in close partnership with a range of professionals to ensure that the children’s needs are very well met. Staff received specialist training to manage the complex feeding regime for one child. As a result of this training and a detailed feeding plan, the staff were able to identify and immediately respond to a difficulty the child was having.

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outstanding

Staff develop close supportive relationships with the children. As a result, the children trust them. The skilled and intensive support of staff has helped one child significantly improve their ability to communicate. The staff use communication aids and resources that enable the children to express their needs, feelings and emotions in a positive way. They help children learn how to make choices.

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outstanding

The home commissions specialist therapeutic services for the children. This means that children have access to the specialist support that they need. This helps them in all areas of their lives. Because of this support, and the way in which staff work, one child has made exceptional progress towards recognising and managing their emotions. This has helped them to express their feelings and enabled staff to better support them.

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outstanding

Staff understand the importance of education. They go to great lengths to ensure that the children have a positive learning experience. All the children attend school daily. This is a significant achievement for some children. The staff have positive working relationships with school staff and ensure that there is regular communication. Consequently, staff understand children’s daily experiences and can help them to process any difficulties they have had. The manager is a strong advocate for the children and challenges schools when they feel that decisions are not being made in the children’s best interests. Staff spent time in one child’s class, and they worked particularly closely with teachers, and their assistants, to support them to understand the specific needs of the child. Consequently, the child has been able to continue in school and is making great progress. One teacher said, ‘The consistent approach between school and home has been invaluable.’

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outstanding

Staff value ‘family time’ and ensure that children continue to see the people who are important to them in a meaningful way. Staff welcome families to the home and Inspection report for children’s home: 2654906 4 involve them in activities such as cooking. Parents maintain active involvement in their child’s care when this is appropriate.

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outstanding

The staff ensure that the children have access to a wide variety of activities, including music and sports and trips to London, the zoo and trampoline parks. The staff involve children in seasonal activities such as Halloween celebrations. Spending time with their peers in a relaxed and fun environment provides the children with opportunities to develop their social skills and peer relationships.

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outstanding

There is meticulous preparation when children move into, and out of, the home. The children are encouraged to choose the decorations for their rooms as well as fixtures and fittings. Staff prepare the children when other children leave. They help them to understand, using social stories, that children move on when they become adults. Staff were pivotal to the successful move of two children into foster care. The staff stay in contact with children when they leave. They support them to maintain the close friendships that they have formed with children who continue to live at the home. For example, staff support one child to meet another previous resident each week for a meal.

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

Staff keep the children safe, and professionals and parents are also confident about this. Children’s safety and well-being are central to staff practice. Staff understand the procedure for raising concerns about the safety of a child. The manager works effectively with the relevant safeguarding agencies when this is required.

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

Detailed risk assessments help staff to understand the risks that children face. Staff know how to work with the children to help minimise risks and do this well. Strong working relationships with a range of professionals also help to reduce risk. When appropriate, staff involve the children in their safety plans. As a result, some children have a better understanding of the things that put them at risk.

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

Children have high-quality positive behaviour support plans. These support plans help staff understand children’s behaviours and provide clear guidance about how best to respond. Staff use the specialist training that they receive to de-escalate difficult situations effectively. Staff use physical intervention only as a last resort to keep the child and others safe. There is comprehensive review of what happened following any physical intervention. This helps staff to identify any lessons that can be learned.

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

Staff promote positive behaviour using praise and rewards and maintain appropriate boundaries. One professional explained that the staff, ‘Help [name of child] feel secure and contained.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A strong and effective management team is in place. Leaders and managers know the children well and understand their needs. The manager is ambitious for each Inspection report for children’s home: 2654906 5 child. They believe in the children and what they can achieve. They have high expectations and model their ambition to staff. As a result, staff nurture the children and provide excellent support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a culture of high aspiration and positivity. Staff know what managers expect of them and they in turn model this. The manager rigorously monitors the children’s individual progress. Monthly newsletters, which are shared with professionals and families, draw together the progress made by the children and celebrate their achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Research-based practice is embedded across the service. The manager introduced several processes based on explorative and communicative learning. These have had a significant, positive effect on how children communicate with staff and each other.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel respected, valued and well supported by leaders and managers. The manager provides an environment where staff are encouraged to grow and develop professionally. They provide staff with regular, good-quality reflective supervision. New staff are supported to gain the skills and knowledge needed through a comprehensive induction process. Staff only undertake more complex care activities when they are suitably trained and ready. Leaders create opportunities for progression for those staff who express such aspirations. Consequently, there is excellent succession planning when senior roles become available.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff have excellent close working relationships with a range of other professionals. They work together with families and partner professionals to ensure the best possible care and support for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff actively promote diversity and inclusion. They recognise children as individuals and work closely with families to ensure that the children’s religious, cultural and personal identity needs are well met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2654906 6

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2654906 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: 2654906 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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