Children's Home run by Aspiration House Limited in Shropshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2691525 1 Registered provider: Aspiration House Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in March 2023 and is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to six children with learning disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has two houses on the site. One can accommodate two children, and the other can accommodate four children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home also has a school on the same site, which children living at the home can attend. The inspector only inspected the social care provision.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 20 September 2023

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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 children's home: 2691525 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/09/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2691525 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At this inspection, four children were living at the home. Since the last inspection, three children have moved into the home and one child has left.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been periods where children have been unsettled. The staff have shown commitment in helping children through those periods. However, for one child, staff were unable to fully re-engage them, and the manager made the difficult decision for the child to move. The manager learned from this placement breakdown and has reviewed the assessment of the suitability process. This is now much more in-depth, with the manager gathering detailed information about the child and their needs, including educational needs and making visits to the child before agreeing to a placement. Children also visit the home when appropriate and receive information about the home in a way they understand. As a result, children have settled quickly, and there have not been any further placement breakdowns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff form positive relationships with children. Staff know the children well and talk fondly of them and the progress they have made. Staff genuinely care about the children and want the best for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made excellent progress. Staff have helped children who previously had not spoken to say their first words, to become continent, to be less reliant on technology to entertain them and to have new interests. The manager has used research to help staff develop good sleep routines for children, and as a result, children’s sleep has improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children have lots of fun and try new things. Staff celebrate children’s birthdays with parties and bouncy castles. At Christmas, staff took children on the Polar Express, and they had breakfast with Father Christmas. Staff help children to attend Scouts and youth clubs. One child has a great love of football. Staff take them on football ground tours, to football matches and to football training.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children can go to school on the same site. Where needed, staff support them in school. This reassures children and helps with continuity in approaches to care. As a result, children’s attendance is good.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When education has not been agreed before the placement or when children are struggling in school, the manager advocates well so that delays in children receiving education are minimised. While an educational placement is found, staff support children in the home to continue learning with a tutor and offer learning opportunities in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children maintain links with those who are important to them. Staff encourage visits to the home by family and friends and take children to see families. This support Inspection report for children's home: 2691525 4 and the progress children have made have meant some children are having longer periods with their families. As a result, children feel part of their families despite living away from them.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there have been some incidents of allegations made by children and some staff practice concerns. The manager has acted promptly in taking action when these have been reported to her. However, there have been some delays in reporting to the local authority designated officer, children’s placing authorities and the regulator. In addition, on one occasion, the home’s safeguarding policy was not followed when taking statements from staff.

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improvement to be good

The manager has taken action to follow up concerns and is tenacious in her efforts to get information from other professionals to make sure the children are not at risk. She has fully investigated the concerns and shared her findings with those who need to know. When identified, staff practice concerns have been addressed appropriately through the home’s disciplinary process.

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improvement to be good

Learning from these incidents has resulted in the manager acting to address shortfalls in staff’s knowledge. Staff have been given instruction about how they need to respond should children make allegations. In addition, the manager has planned further training to make sure staff have the skills and knowledge they need to respond appropriately to concerns and allegations.

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improvement to be good

Children are cared for by staff who know them well. Staff form positive relationships with children and notice the subtle cues they use as forms of communication. Staff use that knowledge well, and they also seek advice and support from other professionals to develop robust plans. As a result, incidents have been reduced, and physical interventions are rare and only used when needed.

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improvement to be good

On one occasion, a child left the home without the staff’s knowledge. Staff followed the missing-from-home protocol and were able to find the child quickly and return them back to the home.

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improvement to be good

A number of measures are in place to ensure the safe recruitment of staff. However, the manager has not always used her professional curiosity when employers only give basic information on references. On one occasion, she did not explore further one applicant’s suitability or ask further questions as to why they left their previous role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is an experienced practitioner. Her commitment to the home and children shines through in everything she does. She is highly focused on the children, their welfare and what else can be done to improve the care given. Inspection report for children's home: 2691525 5 The manager has undertaken research to better understand the children, their needs and ways to improve outcomes for them. This research has helped staff understand children’s ability to manage stressful situations and the need to help children recover before putting new demands on them. Research into sleep has helped staff develop improved sleep routines. Research into praise and rewards for children has expanded to include how rewards for staff can help them feel valued and motivated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a variety of training to help them meet the needs of the children. Induction for new staff is comprehensive and ensures staff receive the initial knowledge they need. The manager has then developed training plans based on staff skills and the needs of children. This has included the use of other professionals to deliver bespoke specialist training specific to the needs of the children. When shortfalls in staff’s knowledge have been identified, the manager has quickly sourced further training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has taken the initiative when a training provider cancelled learning sessions for staff. She found other providers to deliver online training until face-to-face learning could be organised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they feel well supported by the manager and that she is approachable and present in the home. Staff say they receive regular reflective supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from families and professionals about the manager and the home is complimentary. They say that a strength of the manager is her positive relationship with families and professionals. Inspection report for children's home: 2691525 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

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the registered person makes sure staff fully understand the actions they need to take when concerns or allegations are reported. 28 February 2025

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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 an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; and

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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)(c)(e)) 28 February 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they maintain good employment practice. They must ensure that safer recruitment practices safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. Specifically, ensure that the registered person uses their professional curiosity to fully establish why staff have left previous roles and if there are any concerns from their previous employment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) Inspection report for children's home: 2691525 7

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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: 2691525 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspiration House Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, 9 Portland Street, Manchester M1 3BE

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Inspector

Debbie Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2691525 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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