Children's Home run by Aspiration House Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2555505 1 Registered provider: Aspiration House Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately operated and provides care for up to eight children with special educational needs, autism spectrum disorder and/or atypical autism, special educational needs/disabilities SEND.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home, and they contributed to the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

An interim manager has been in post since November 2025 and is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was in response to concerns raised to Ofsted by an external professional. These concerns were that the home had been without heating and hot water, that children do not have adequate outdoor clothing for the cold weather. The complainant also shared that there are maintenance issues within the home environment that were not being rectified.

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This monitoring visit

An interim manager is in day-to-day charge of the home. The manager is supported by senior leaders in the organisation who visit weekly. When not onsite, senior leaders are contactable by phone.

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This monitoring visit

Staff and children have good relationships. The children have enquiring minds and ask a lot of questions of staff. Staff are patient in their responses to the children and repeat information to ensure that children fully understand what is being communicated.

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This monitoring visit

The home was without heating and hot water for a period of 10 days. A communication problem resulted in no oil being delivered and the home running out Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2555505 2 of oil for the heating system. Efforts were made to get a delivery as soon as possible, but oil was not delivered quickly. The interim manager and senior leaders advised that this was the first time the home had run out of oil. Hot water was available in 2 locations on the site. However, there was no heating on the whole site. Currently, there are 8 radiators in the home that are not working. This information was not known by the interim manager and senior leaders.

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This monitoring visit

The areas used by children were heated with fan heaters. A specific risk assessment was completed, for using fan heaters, and shared with staff. The risk assessment directed staff to complete regular checks. However, managers failed to outline how the checks should be recorded, meaning there is no record of these being completed. During the inspection the interim manager shared a recording sheet that outlined what actions staff should take if the same issue arose in the future.

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This monitoring visit

Alternative shower arrangements were made for two of the children effected. Staff prepared the children for this adjustment to their routine. They undertook individualised sessions with the children to explain why their routine had to alter. The children responded well to this change and successfully had showers in an alternative known environment.

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This monitoring visit

The interim manager and senior leaders are yet to establish a system to ensure that the home does not run out of oil in the future.

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This monitoring visit

The interim manager and senior leaders failed to communicate the issues affecting the home and the children to parents and local authorities. It would be an expectation that this would have been shared so all involved were aware of issues impacting on the children.

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This monitoring visit

The children continue to enjoy a variety of activities out in the community. When children go out on colder days, they wear appropriate clothing to ensure they remain warm. Staff will advise children to keep as warm as possible and for example, if a child doesn’t choose to wear their gloves, staff advise them to put their hands in their pockets.

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This monitoring visit

To support the interim manager in their oversight of the ongoing environmental repairs, a maintenance log has been developed. Senior leaders acknowledge the delays in ensuring repairs are completed. The current system in place, should enable issues to be resolved promptly.

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This monitoring visit

Requirements from the last inspection were not reviewed during this visit, so they will remain. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2555505 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/08/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/05/2024 Full Good 02/05/2023 Full Good 17/05/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2555505 4

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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 with 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a) (5)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that the home is maintained, actioning any outstanding repairs to the home and ensuring that the living accommodation is safe for the children. In addition, staff must record any instances of physical intervention. 2 March 2026

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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; 2 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2555505 5 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to sufficient staff being on duty to manage the children’s assessed needs and risks. In addition, the registered person needs to ensure that all staff are suitably trained and qualified to undertake physical interventions.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that all staff are competent in administering medication to ensure consistent practice and avoid errors being made and for children to receive the right medication at the right time. In addition, the medication policy needs to reflect the range of potential medication errors. 2 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit to carry on the home; and

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Requirement Due date

the individual is financially fit to carry on the home.

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and 2 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2555505 6 have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (1) (5)(a)(b)(c)(d) (7)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the responsible individual undertaking their role in accordance with regulations.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2555505 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspiration House Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, 9 Portland Street, Manchester M1 3BE

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Inspector

Lizette Watts, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2555505 8 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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