Children's Home run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Somerset

Inspection report for children’s home: SC465940 1 SC465940 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

The home was registered with Ofsted in August 2013. It is owned and managed by a national organisation. The home is registered to provide care for up to seven children who may have learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s statement of purpose sets out that the home may provide care for children aged between eight and 18 years old.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 8 September 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector met with the one child who was living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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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 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: 30 November 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: SC465940 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/11/2023 Full Good 13/12/2022 Full Good 07/07/2021 Full Good 16/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC465940 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the previous inspection, children’s experiences have been mixed. Staff were not able to meet one child’s needs, and their care arrangements at the home have ended. One child already living in the home was unsettled by these events and concerns for their well-being increased.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

However, the child has lived in the home for a long period, and staff understand their needs extremely well. The child has developed positive and trusting relationships with staff team members. This has supported the child to start to recover from previous trauma, and their experiences and progress have recently improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff speak about the child with lots of emotional warmth, and positive relationships have developed. During the inspection, interactions between the child and staff team members were characterised by emotional warmth and physical affection, with fun and appropriate boundaries implemented when needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff communicate with the child effectively. They understand the child’s needs well, including their nuances of communication. The child’s school reports describe that their vocabulary and communication have increased, and that they have achieved in many areas.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to participate in different activities in and out of the home. At Christmas time staff arranged a party for the child, and their family members attended too. Staff team members dressed up as Father Christmas and an elf to make the child’s experience more enjoyable. Their experiences are captured in photographs and collated in a book that they enjoyed looking at during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s progress is attributable to the care that they receive. Staff set realistic targets and give them the support and time that they need to achieve them. This includes targets relating to life skills and self-care tasks. There is excellent early planning in place for the child’s gradual transition into adulthood.

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

Staff do not use restraint to manage the child’s behaviours. They use approaches that are nurturing and that support the child well. The child’s well-being has improved through the care that is provided to them, and there have been no significant incidents since January. A staff team member maps the child’s behaviours to provide a greater understanding about effective care approaches.

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

The child’s key documents are detailed and provide clear guidance to staff about the care the child needs. Risk assessments include the reasons for restrictions at the home, including the home’s secure front gates to prevent harm to the child from the busy road. Staff understand and deliver the child’s personal care sensitively. However, plans about their personal care do not reflect the same level of detail or strategies discussed by staff Inspection report for children’s home: SC465940 4 team members. This reduces the opportunity to review the arrangements in place to promote their dignity and privacy and to safeguard them.

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

The child’s health needs are reviewed regularly and responded to in consultation with relevant health professionals.

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

Following the previous inspection, safer recruitment processes have strengthened to include an overseas check for new staff team members who have worked abroad. However, an overseas check for a staff team member already working in the home has not been completed. Children could be at risk of harm if safer recruitment checks are not carried out robustly.

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

The registered manager is clear about safeguarding processes. When they are alerted to staff practice concerns, they take appropriate action to safeguard the child. They have established strong links with the local authority designated officer and seek advice, where appropriate, to ensure that any investigation is thorough.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed efficiently and effectively. The registered manager is an experienced manager, who drives consistent care and continual progress in the home. The staff team is stable, and staff are positive about working in the home. A homely environment is provided for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager monitors staff training to ensure that there are no gaps. This includes training relevant to the child’s specific needs. This ensures staff are equipped with the knowledge to help them deliver high-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive supervision and attend team meetings regularly. While team meetings provide the opportunity for reflection and learning about the quality of care, supervision records do not consistently demonstrate that staff reflect on their own practice and the care that they provide.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Family member feedback is positive about the child’s care. They describe the home and the staff team as ‘genuinely superb’. They and the child’s social worker said that they receive regular communication to understand the child’s experiences and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has reflected on the events that led to the care arrangements ending for one child. This has led to improved planning processes for children moving into the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One child is currently being introduced to the home. This has been a positive experience for them. Which is echoed in feedback received from their social worker and a family member.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

In addition, a sensitive approach has been used to promote a positive relationship between them and the child who lives in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC465940 5

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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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that—

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered manager ensuring that appropriate checks are made for staff who have worked abroad. 18 May 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should continually and actively assess the risks to the child and the arrangements in place to protect them when personal care is required. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that all staff received supervision of their practice that allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2). Inspection report for children’s home: SC465940 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: SC465940 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Garstang

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Inspector

Louise Bacon, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC465940 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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