Children's Home run by Aspris Care North West Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report for children’s home: 1254055 1 Registered provider: Aspris Care North West Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in August 2017 and is owned and managed by a private provider. It offers care for up to 4 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

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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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 5 November 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1254055 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/11/2024 Full Good 23/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/12/2022 Full Good 12/10/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 1254055 3

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improvement to be good

Children make variable progress living in this home. Staff struggle to meet the needs of one child. This has affected the child’s overall progress and experiences.

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improvement to be good

The child does not attend education. There is no plan to address this. This affects the child’s progress in this area of their life. The child speaks positively about the support they receive from staff and how they have recently worked with child and adolescent mental health services.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not take timely action to address children’s health. This is not prioritised or escalated by the manager. The child’s plans do not include relevant information in relation to this.

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improvement to be good

Children make variable progress in education. The manager works closely with education professionals to ensure that one child’s education provision meets their needs.

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improvement to be good

Children have positive relationships with staff, who they talk to about their feelings. Social workers said the registered manager has maintained consistency for children despite challenges in staff recruitment.

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improvement to be good

Children engage in activities with staff that support their physical and emotional wellbeing, including going to the gym, boxing, swimming, and taking part in charity events.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children’s relationships with people who are important to them. One parent is happy with how their time with their child has progressed. They say that they receive regular updates from staff about their child.

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improvement to be good

Communal areas of the home are decorated well and are comfortable. The condition of children’s bedrooms is not to the same standard. For example, children do not have sufficient storage for all their belongings.

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improvement to be good

Staff are aware of children’s individual risks and vulnerabilities. The plans and protocols clearly outline what staff are expected to do to keep children safe. However, staff do not manage incidents safely when a child misuses substances. Staff try to talk to the child about the risks associated with this. However, these discussions are not always effective. Inspection report for children’s home: 1254055 4 Records of incidents do not include sufficient detail to demonstrate the actions that staff take to keep children safe. This includes details about the actions staff take to ensure that children return home safely.

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improvement to be good

Following incidents, staff do not always seek medical advice for children, or they fail to do so in a timely manner. Incidents have included children being assaulted and under the influence of substances. Staff safeguarding practices do not demonstrate that staff are proactive.

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improvement to be good

There has been one occasion when staff used physical intervention to support a child who was in crisis. Staff used a guide to prevent the child from causing harm to themselves or others. The manager carried out a thorough debrief with staff and the child, supporting them in reflecting on the incident.

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improvement to be good

Staff have meaningful discussions with children to support their understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Staff use consequences to help children understand the impact of their actions. These are used proportionately and are effective in limiting incidents such as children going missing from the home.

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improvement to be good

There are safer recruitment practices in place to ensure that staff are safe to care for children.

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

The registered manager knows the children well and is trusted by children as someone they can talk to and share their concerns with.

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

The manager does not have robust oversight of all areas of the home. Instead, she relies on separate audits, which do not provide her with a sufficient overview. As a result, sufficient action is not taken to ensure that children’s needs are met consistently without delay.

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

Serious incidents are not always reported to Ofsted, or in a timely way, and reports do not include all details.

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

The managers have taken effective and timely action to address allegations made by children. These are taken seriously and are thoroughly investigated. The manager provides updates for the child to reassure them about the actions taken.

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

When the manager identifies shortfalls in staff practice, she shares these with staff during team meetings and supervision sessions. Records show that the manager is clear on her expectations of staff, and additional training is put in place to support staff.

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

The manager works to limit the effect of staffing shortages on children’s care. Professionals and staff are positive about how the team of staff have ‘pulled together’ to ensure that children receive consistent care. Inspection report for children’s home: 1254055 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of 31 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1254055 6 exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, staff must follow the plans, protocols and procedures in place to keep children safe and ensure that records reflect the actions taken and advice given. 31 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1254055 7 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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)(a)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must use monitoring tools and the review of incidents to ensure that she has effective oversight of the home. This includes ensuring that the outcomes of tests carried out to support children’s health are followed up and escalated appropriately. 31 March 2026

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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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; 31 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1254055 8 there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there are established routines in place to allow for children’s rooms to be cleaned regularly and for staff to help children develop the independence skills to manage this themselves. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)  The registered person should ensure that children are informed about the results of their views being listened to and acted on. This should include whether any complaints or allegations they have made have been upheld or not. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11) Inspection report for children’s home: 1254055 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: 1254055 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspris Care North West 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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Inspector

Andrea Foreman, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1254055 11 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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