Children's Home run by Aspireone Care Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 1228191 1 Registered provider: Aspireone Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and run by a private company. The home provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2024 and is suitably qualified and experienced.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home and spoke with the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 11 December 2024

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1228191 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/12/2024 Full Good 19/03/2024 Full Good 14/02/2023 Full Good 16/08/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: 1228191 3

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improvement to be good

Children have positive experiences when moving into the home. Since the last inspection, one child has moved in. This move was well coordinated, and the child had the opportunity to visit the home and meet staff. These early experiences promote a sense of security and lay the foundation for children to engage positively with the home’s routines, expectations and therapeutic care model.

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improvement to be good

While children may have positive experiences of moving into the home, their needs are not always fully considered during the referral process. The approach to accepting referrals lacks robustness, which can result in children moving in who are not well matched to the home’s capacity to meet their needs.

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improvement to be good

The home environment is generally satisfactory. However, children’s bedrooms are poorly presented, with graffiti on the walls and concerns regarding overall cleanliness. The current condition of the bedrooms suggests a lack of effective oversight and maintenance and fails to meet the expected standards of care. This presentation does not reflect a nurturing or respectful living space and may negatively impact children’s sense of dignity and well-being.

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improvement to be good

Children generally have positive experiences while living in the home and make progress from their starting points. Staff provide nurturing care and support that promotes emotional well-being, development and engagement in education and activities. One social worker said that since living in the home, a child ‘has done amazingly; they have changed beyond recognition’.

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improvement to be good

Staff genuinely care for the children. This is evident in their interactions and their commitment to building trusting relationships. Warmth and attentiveness contribute significantly to children’s sense of safety, belonging and emotional well-being.

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improvement to be good

Children are actively encouraged to express their views and participate in decisions regarding their care, which promotes confidence, self-esteem and a sense of agency. Staff demonstrate a strong understanding of each child’s individual needs and work consistently to support progress across key areas, including health, education and emotional development. These experiences reflect a child-centred approach and contribute to positive outcomes for children.

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improvement to be good

Children benefit from a range of enjoyable and enriching experiences in the home. Staff actively support and encourage participation in activities that promote fun, creativity and social development. These experiences help children to feel valued, build positive relationships and thrive. Inspection report for children's home: 1228191 4

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improvement to be good

Staff have not always responded to children in line with the home’s therapeutic parenting model. This inconsistency risks undermining the therapeutic approach and may affect children’s emotional well-being and progress. However, this issue was appropriately addressed by managers, who have taken steps to reinforce expectations, provide guidance and ensure staff practice aligns with the home’s therapeutic ethos.

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improvement to be good

Children do not always receive appropriate medical intervention. For example, when a child returned to the home under the influence of cannabis, staff did not consult with medical professionals to ensure that the correct medical attention was given. Although staff provided support and monitored the child’s well-being, the failure to seek medical advice represents a shortfall in safeguarding practice and could have placed the child at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Staff use alternative strategies to manage unwanted behaviour. There has been only one instance of restrictive practice, which was proportionate. However, staff did not alert a manager at the time of the intervention, and the event was not clearly recorded by either staff or the manager. This is a breach of the home’s internal policy and undermines accountability and oversight. The lack of communication and procedural follow-through raises questions about staff understanding of the home’s behaviour management procedures and the manager’s ability to provide effective oversight.

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improvement to be good

Room searches are conducted appropriately when there are concerns about children’s welfare. However, these searches are not always recorded, which compromises the manager’s ability to identify patterns and trends and inform assessments. The absence of documentation hinders the manager’s ability to review incidents, assess risk and safeguard both children and staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not always responded to children in line with the home’s therapeutic parenting model. This inconsistency risks undermining the therapeutic approach and may affect children’s emotional well-being and progress. However, this issue has been appropriately addressed by managers, who have taken steps to reinforce expectations, provide guidance and ensure staff practice aligns with the home’s therapeutic ethos.

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improvement to be good

Guidance for staff and behaviour management plans are not routinely updated and lack clarity. These documents are critical to ensuring children’s safety and guiding staff responses to emerging risks. The lack of clarity undermines the effectiveness of safeguarding measures. This reflects poor management oversight, with insufficient systems in place to ensure that key documents are regularly reviewed, updated and quality assured.

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improvement to be good

Staff are committed to keeping children safe, and they demonstrate genuine concern for their welfare. Their actions reflect a strong safeguarding ethos, particularly in high-risk situations, such as when a child is missing from the home or engaging in risk-taking Inspection report for children's home: 1228191 5 behaviours. In such instances, staff consistently do their utmost to intervene, support the child and reduce potential harm. This dedication contributes positively to the overall safety culture in the home.

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improvement to be good

When children go missing from the home, staff respond promptly and demonstrate a strong, coordinated approach to managing the situation. They implement the home’s missing-from-care protocol, remain persistent and professional and maintain clear communication with each other and relevant external agencies. Their actions reflect a thorough understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and a strong commitment to children’s safety and well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There are shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home. While there are areas of strength, including managerial commitment and efforts to support children, there are notable weaknesses in oversight and the monitoring of essential records. These gaps affect staff’s ability to deliver consistently high-quality care, and they compromise the effectiveness of management systems.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Not all staff have completed their mandatory training. In addition, training records are not up to date, which limits the manager’s ability to effectively monitor staff compliance and identify gaps in knowledge or skills. This poses a risk to the quality of care and may result in staff being ill-equipped to meet the complex needs of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff report that morale in the team is currently low. Despite this, staff remain persistent in their efforts to keep children safe. Leaders recognise the challenges regarding staff well-being and are taking steps to address contributing factors. Efforts to promote a positive team culture, including regular supervision and recognising staff contributions, are essential to restoring morale and maintaining a stable and motivated workforce.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has not consistently notified Ofsted of significant events. The failure to submit a notification of a serious event represents a significant oversight. This omission undermines the regulator’s ability to monitor the home effectively and ensure that children are safeguarded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Feedback from external professionals is positive. The home maintains constructive relationships with partner agencies. This supports coordinated care planning and improved outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home is sufficiently staffed, ensuring that children receive consistent care and supervision. Staffing levels support the delivery of the home’s care model and enable responsive action during safeguarding incidents and day-to-day routines. This contributes to a stable and safe environment for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers have addressed some concerns appropriately, demonstrating a willingness to improve. They acknowledge that further work is needed to embed robust systems, Inspection report for children's home: 1228191 6 strengthen accountability and provide effective support to staff. Improving strategic oversight and leadership capacity will be essential to drive sustained improvement. Inspection report for children's home: 1228191 7

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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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the guidance provided to staff to mitigate risks and safeguard children is thorough, accurate and regularly reviewed. 7 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications, and skills to meet the needs of each child; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff complete the organisation’s mandatory and home-specific training. The manager must also implement robust quality 7 November 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 1228191 8 assurance and monitoring systems and maintain effective oversight of the home to improve the quality of care provided.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the children’s home provides a nurturing, supportive and homely environment that meets the needs of the children. This specifically includes ensuring that damage to children’s bedroom walls is repaired or painted in a timely manner. 7 November 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 any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all serious and significant incidents are reported to Ofsted within the required timescale. 7 November 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 1228191 9

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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: 1228191 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4 Lyme Drive, Lyme Vale Court, Parklands, Stoke-On- Trent, Staffordshire ST4 6NW

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Inspector

Tonia Dubidat, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1228191 11 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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