Children's home run by Aspris Children’s Service

Inspection report for children's home: 2746568 1 Registered provider: Aspris Children's Service

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

The home is owned by a large national organisation that operates children’s homes across the country. It provides care for up to six children with complex needs, which may include learning difficulties, autism and other complex associated difficulties. The home is closely linked to a local special school and operates a 38-week annual provision that aligns with academic holidays.

p.1

Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The registered manager has been in post since the home’s registration on 10 November 2024.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2746568 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/06/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2746568 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy at the home and enjoy their time with staff. They have lots of fun and opportunities to have vast range of new experiences. They develop their communication and independence skills as well as build their self-confidence. Children develop their skills to socialise and now spend more time with peers and people outside of their home and school. Children spend more time in the community; some children have joined community groups, such as cubs and a gym class. Parents spoke of the positive impact that these developments have had on their families’ lives.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Excellent relationships exist between staff and children. Staff show the children how much they care about them in their day-to-day interactions and how they speak about them. Staff are very proud of each child and the progress they have made and continue to make. They want the best for each child as they would want for their own children. Staff care about children beyond their time in the home. They advocate, when needed, about the next steps and move on arrangements for children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is closely linked to a local special school, which all the children attend. There are positive links and good communication between staff at the home and those from school.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s parents are overwhelmingly positive about the care and support their children receive. They trust the staff and praise them for the support the staff give to them as a family. They recognise the care and commitment shown by staff to the children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers plan well for children’s moves into the home. They ensure that they gather sufficient information to understand the child’s needs and how best to meet them. This includes meeting with the child’s parents, social workers and other professionals involved in the child’s life. Leaders and managers also visit the child’s home to get to know them prior to the child visiting the home and then moving in. The timing of this process is managed sensitively, at a pace to suit the family and, especially, the child. Staff also work with the existing group of children to prepare them for a new child joining them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide children with a comfortable, well-furnished and welcoming home. It is full of colour and personalised to the children living there. One parent said that they did not expect a children’s home to look like this, commenting that it is a home and not just somewhere children stay.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a vast range of activities. These are fun but also purposeful. For example, when out walking with children, staff use this as an opportunity for learning and embedding road safety in a very subtle way. Staff use activities to develop children’s independence skills, including learning to cook simple meals from scratch. Children are Inspection report for children's home: 2746568 4 supported and encouraged to choose their activities, which include trying new things. Some children have learned to swim while at the home. Others have joined and enjoy going to the local library and join a range of community activity groups.

p.3

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

Children are safe at the home. Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities, including the additional vulnerabilities of children they care for. Leaders and managers manage safeguarding incidents well. They ensure that detailed records are maintained of these incidents, which enable leaders and managers to identify any patterns or trends. They reflect on each incident and effectively use all lessons learned to improve practice.

p.4

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

Children’s behaviour is well managed. Staff are skilled at managing incidents, using the positive relationships they build with children to intervene. They focus on helping children to learn from incidents, rather than using a punitive approach. This includes children learning how to understand their feelings and be able express these. Physical intervention is rarely used, and staff use guides or hand-on-hand support. However, leaders and managers record these as a restraint, without ensuring that the information required is documented, such as the duration of a restraint.

p.4

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

Staff are not risk averse and manage risk well. Staff’s in-depth understanding of children and their needs means that they keep children safe. Staff’s knowledge is reflected in detailed, individualised risk assessments.

p.4

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

Leaders and managers undertake detailed risk assessments for new children moving into the home. This considers the potential risks that the new child may present to the existing group and vice versa. They also consider and review the staff’s skills to meet the child’s needs. There are clear strategies about how staff will mitigate identified risks.

p.4

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

Staff recruitment generally follows safe recruitment practice. However, on one occasion, not all of the information required was obtained.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced manager with the support of an experienced deputy. They work well together as a team. They have the same high standards and aspirations for the children and staff, as well as a shared vision for the home. Leaders and managers clearly understand the strengths and areas for development in the home. Their detailed understanding is informed by their effective monitoring, reflection and review of the care provided.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff, leaders and managers have developed excellent working relationships with parents, families and other professionals. These support the staff working towards the best outcome possible for the children. This work includes being strong, effective advocates for the children and their families. Inspection report for children's home: 2746568 5 Children receive one-to-one support from well-trained, dedicated staff who have the children’s well-being and development at the heart of their practice. Staff receive training that is relevant to their own developmental needs and the needs of the children they care for.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are incredibly proud and positive about working at the home. They speak with love and pride of each child’s achievements. Staff said that leaders and managers are very supportive, stating that they find them approachable and easy to talk to. They feel valued by the home’s managers as they welcome staff views and ideas on how to further improve the home. Staff receive reflective and supportive supervision. When needed, managers address practice issues. Inspection report for children's home: 2746568 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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) (3)(d)) 31 December 2025

p.6

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff maintain accurate records of restraint, including the duration of any restraint used. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 49, paragraph 9.59)

p.6

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: 2746568 7

p.6

Children's home details

Registered provider: Aspris Children's Service

p.7

Children's home details

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

p.7

Children's home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Garstang

p.7

Inspector

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2746568 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8