Children's home run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Hammersmith and Fulham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC476990 1 SC476990 Registered provider: Aspris Children’s Services 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 is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to seven children who may require support with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2015.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, six children were living in the home.

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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

Date of last inspection: 20 February 2024

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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: SC476990 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2024 Full Outstanding 10/01/2023 Full Outstanding 22/06/2021 Full Outstanding 10/04/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC476990 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children living in the home were seen and spoken to as part of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children live in a warm and nurturing home. They have access to a wide range of resources, and the spacious outdoor area is frequently enjoyed by the children. Within the garden, is an area called ‘the arc’, which houses various animals. Staff trained in therapeutic animal care help children engage and benefit from this exceptional resource. One child’s speech and verbal communication noticeably improves when he is with the animals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy a variety of experiences with staff supporting them to try new activities. Fun outings and events are a regular part of their routines. Additionally, the manager has sought further opportunities based on children’s feedback. For example, children wanted to complete a First Aid course and have since proudly displayed their certificates of achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s meetings are effective in gathering their wishes and views. Children take active roles in the running of the meeting and forming the agenda. Children are confident in sharing their ideas and the manager is proactive in ensuring that the children receive timely responses. These meetings serve multiple purposes, with staff occasionally using them to discuss important topics, such as device expectations, knife crime and stranger danger.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children attend full-time education. Children are doing well in school and have excellent attendance. They have hopes and ambitions for their future, which staff actively support and encourage. The manager creates additional opportunities for enrichment outside of school. For example, the ‘wolf pack’ is a group designed to promote inclusivity and teamwork between the children and staff. Activities are carefully planned with specific objectives, combining fun with educational experiences. This initiative fosters a sense of belonging, particularly for children who may not have access to typical extracurricular activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported and encouraged to develop their independence skills. The manager has helped two children secure weekend work experience, which they are excited about. This has set a positive example for other children living in the home who wish to achieve the same.

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

The introduction of the new ‘Laugh Out Loud Lounge’ a podcast room has been a fantastic addition to the home. Children have used their knowledge of devices and social media in a constructive way to create content about topics that matter to them. For some, the main goal is to build confidence and self-esteem. Additionally, this innovative Inspection report for children’s home: SC476990 4 space is used as a platform to educate children about internet dangers, while empowering them to make positive choices.

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

There have been incidents of bullying within the home, but the manager has responded promptly and effectively. The children involved were supported to create a podcast discussing bullying. This was an effective way in educating the children and enabling them to reflect on their actions. As a result, bullying behaviour and attitudes are no longer a concern within the home.

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

Physical interventions are used only when children pose a risk of significant harm to themselves or others. Overall, the number of physical interventions has significantly decreased. Each incident is thoroughly documented, and debrief discussions are held with both staff and the child involved. The manager closely scrutinises every incident, ensuring that the child’s well-being remains the central focus of all interventions.

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

Incentives and rewards are used to encourage positive behaviour. The expectations for earning these are relative to the individual child’s needs and experiences. The manager has excellent oversight of consequences. When consequences are deemed disproportionate, the manager takes appropriate action to address the issue with both staff and the child involved. The home fosters an open learning culture, with the manager supporting the team to reflect on and learn from their practices.

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

Children have access to therapeutic support and intervention within the home. Therapists provide training and guidance to staff, enabling them to work directly with children through their daily interactions. This approach ensures a consistent, nurturing environment in which children receive effective, continuous care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is an inspirational leader. He sets high expectations for his team and supports them in delivering the highest standard of care to the children. He leads by example and his passion and drive for children to thrive is embedded within the home. The manager is intuitive and ambitious, always seeking ways to improve and build on the home’s existing successes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has embraced the strengths of his team and drawn on their skills to support with the continuous development of the home. By effectively delegating tasks, he ensures that his focus remains on the overall management of the home. He has established effective systems to monitor all aspects of the service, with a particular emphasis on responding to feedback from the children and using this to drive improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff supervision is regular and effective, providing opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice and address any challenges. Staff feel supported and empowered by their manager. Due to changes in senior management, the manager has not received regular supervision. This has not directly impacted on children, and a plan has been put in place to ensure swift improvement in this area. Inspection report for children’s home: SC476990 5 Team meetings and staff training are integral in supporting the continuous development of the team. This provides regular opportunities for staff to enhance their skills, share insights and discuss best practices. The manager actively nurtures an environment where learning is prioritised, ensuring that staff feel equipped and confident in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The feedback from professionals who work with the staff and children is unanimously positive. The clear and effective communication between staff, along with the seamless coordination of care, plays a key role in supporting children to thrive and make good progress. This collaborative approach ensures that the needs of the children are consistently met, contributing to their overall well-being and development. Inspection report for children’s home: SC476990 6

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Recommendations

 The registered provider must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: SC476990 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspris Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Barton Close, Grove Park, Enderby, Leicester LE19 1SJ

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Inspector

Kayleigh Spinks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC476990 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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Inspector

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