Children's Home run by Aspire Children Services Limited in Bury

Inspection report for children’s home: 2805938 1 Registered provider: Aspire Children Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private provider and is registered to care for up to two children. The home may provide care for children who experience social or emotional difficulties and/or children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first full inspection since registration in November 2024. The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2024.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2805938 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home. Planning for the child’s move into the home was thorough and the manager carefully considered the child’s needs to ensure that they could be met by staff. The child visited the home, chose furnishings for their bedroom and spent time with staff before moving in. This supported them to settle quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff have developed strong, trusting relationships with the child. They enjoy activities together, including trips to museums, playing badminton and visiting the local park. The child enjoys playing football and is part of a local team. Staff attend football matches and offer praise and encouragement to the child. One professional said, ‘I’ve heard staff being positive and encouraging towards [name of child]. This shows the child they are valued, and staff see their strengths.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to spend time with people who are important to them. Staff understand the family dynamics and communicate regularly with family members, which helps them stay connected to the child and sustains family relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff have supported the child to attend education setting which is no longer felt to meet the child's needs. They challenge external professionals and systems, to advocate in the child’s best interests and are working closely with professionals to identify an appropriate education provision.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child’s health and well-being. The child attends routine health appointments, and an up-to-date health assessment is in place. The child is supported to make healthy food choices and lead a healthy lifestyle. Staff understand the child’s additional needs and communication needs and tailor their approaches appropriately.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s views, wishes and feelings are actively sought and responded to. Staff regularly speak to the child about the care they are receiving, meal planning and activities they would like to take part in. Staff are helping the child to plan an activity- based holiday this year. This supports them to develop a sense of permanence and belonging.

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

Staff understand safeguarding practices. The child does not go missing from home or misuse substances and they are not at risk of exploitation. However, staff have received training in a range of safeguarding issues to enable them to protect the child should these concerns arise.

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

Behaviour support and risk management plans are well written. They include detailed information about the child’s needs and provide clear guidance to staff about how the Inspection report for children’s home: 2805938 3 child should be supported. Staff are consistent in their approach, which means there are very few incidents and physical restraint has not been used.

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

Positive behaviour is promoted by staff. An incentive chart helps the child to understand what is expected of them. The child is praised and rewarded when they have done well. Consequences are rarely used. When they have been necessary, the manager has evaluated their effectiveness. One professional said, ‘There is a culture in the home that achievements are noticed and celebrated.’

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

Direct-work sessions with the child are planned and focus on key areas of the child’s development and well-being. Topics such as building positive relationships, personal hygiene and online safety are discussed. This helps the child to understand risks and develop their self-care skills, in line with their age and level of understanding.

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

Recruitment practices are robust. Leaders and managers undertake the necessary checks on staff before they start working in the home. This ensures that only suitable adults are employed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. He is supported by a strong deputy manager and together they make an effective management team. New staff receive a robust induction to the home which enables them to fulfil their roles and responsibilities. Staff said that they are supported by managers and that they ‘love coming to work’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff have built relationships with professionals supporting the child. However, some local authority documents, including review minutes and education meeting minutes, are not included in the child’s file. Requests for information which would support a specialist assessment have not been escalated with the placing authority in a timely way. This hinders staff’s ability to determine the child’s future care needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are enthusiastic and keen to enhance their practice. They attend a wide range of training to develop their skills and knowledge. A commissioned therapist supports staff to understand therapeutic approaches. This helps staff to provide good-quality care to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff receive regular reflective supervision. These sessions are used to explore the progress they are making as individual practitioners and as a team. Positive practice is recognised, which supports staff to feel valued and motivated. Team meetings take place regularly. Staff contribute by researching and sharing information relating to the child’s needs with the wider team. Action plans created during the meetings are reviewed with the entire staff team, which promotes team cohesion.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development. They have a clear development plan which aims to improve the child’s experiences. Managers have strong oversight of staff’s work. They provide direction and support to Inspection report for children’s home: 2805938 4 improve recording practices. External oversight is valued and any recommendations made are responded to promptly. Inspection report for children’s home: 2805938 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must follow the local authority process to escalate requests when they do not have the current plans for the child, specifically, the personal education plan, minutes from meetings and the local authority child’s plan including relevant history, to support ongoing assessments. 21 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; 21 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2805938 6 are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

in cases not falling within sub-paragraph (a), for 75 years from the child’s date of birth;

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Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and

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Requirement Due date

in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, children’s files must contain, as a minimum, those documents listed in Schedule 3 and all other relevant documents.

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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: 2805938 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspire Children Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 63-66 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8LE

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Inspectors

Anna Belshaw, Social Care Inspector Jennifer Quest, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2805938 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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