Children's Home run by Aspiration House Limited in Shropshire

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2691525 1 Registered provider: Aspiration House Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

This home registered with Ofsted in March 2023 and is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to 6 children with learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The home has 2 houses on the site. One can accommodate 2 children and the other can accommodate 4 children.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The home also has a school on the same site, which children living at the home can attend. The inspector only inspected the social care provision.

p.1

Information about this children's home

Since the last inspection, no children have moved in or out of the home. At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living at the home. These children have remained living at the home since the last inspection. Two children spoke with the inspector.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The registered manager post has been vacant since September 2025.

p.1

Information about this children's home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2691525 2 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'. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2691525 3

p.1

Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

This inspection was undertaken due to concerns about the care of children and the management arrangements being shared with the regulator.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Children living in the home are making good progress. They attend the on-site school every day and are supported in school by familiar staff. One child is being supported to develop practical life skills to support their independence in line with their plan.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

The interim manager and staff know the children and their needs well, including their communication and health needs. Regular meetings have been introduced to bring together staff, the in-house clinical team and specialist mental health services to ensure that children's evolving needs are considered and supported. This has led to one child receiving specialist help promptly. There has also been a change in medication to support the child's ongoing emotional wellbeing.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

The home is well presented. The communal areas are spacious and comfortable for children to spend time in. However, there are some areas that need attention due to damage. Leaders and managers have a plan around this and some of the work was being addressed during the inspection.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

The risks to the children and their vulnerabilities are understood by staff, leaders and managers. However, there has been an increase in the number of incidents since the last inspection for one child who has struggled to manage their emotions. During some incidents, there has been damage to the home and staff have been hurt when they have tried to de-escalate and manage situations. Staff have needed to use physical intervention to keep children safe. Records of incidents are timely and contain relevant details. However, the interim manager does not always record their conversations with children following incidents.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers acknowledge that some incidents have not been managed well, although there has been no significant harm to children. They also recognise that some staff have not consistently demonstrated professional curiosity. As a result, staff have completed additional training. This has included safeguarding, physical intervention, recording, report writing, fire safety and medication training. Learning from incidents is shared in regular team meetings and focused one-to-one meetings. Staff benefit from ongoing development opportunities and to help ensure that practice promotes the care and safety of children.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

The deputy manager has been leading the home, supported by an interim responsible individual. These interim arrangements have meant some uncertainty for children and staff regarding the leadership and management of the home. Leaders Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2691525 4 and managers have not always been robust in their monitoring of the operation of the home and staff have not always received regular supervision. This has impacted staff morale and their sense of feeling supported. This has been acknowledged by senior leaders, and additional support has been given to managers to help them provide adequate support and guidance for staff. A new manager is due to commence in post, as is a permanent responsible individual from within the organisation.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Professionals are positive about the home. One child's social worker commented that they are not worried about the child. They felt that the changes in the home have been managed well and that there has been no negative impact on the child's care and safety.

p.4

Findings from the inspection

The interim manager has made progress in meeting one previous requirement. Two requirements remain unmet. One is in relation to regular supervision for the staff and the manager. The other is in relation to staff having the appropriate qualification by the relevant date. These will be restated. Further to this, 2 new requirements have been raised.

p.4

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/08/2025 Full Good 14/01/2025 Full Good 20/09/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2691525 5

p.4

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.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular that managers and staff consistently exercise professional curiosity and that staff adhere to the required levels of supervision as set out in children's plans. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)) 9 March 2026

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

p.5

Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children's home; and 9 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2691525 6 the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(c))

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

employ an individual to work at the children's home;

p.6

Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.6

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

p.6

Requirement Due date

for the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

p.6

Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

p.6

Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 9 March 2026

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— 9 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2691525 7 undertake appropriate continuing professional development; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the manager and staff receive regular, practice related supervision and are provided adequate opportunities for professional development.

p.7

Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

p.7

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record-keeping, and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, ensure that there is effective oversight of the quality and consistency of record-keeping. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,' page 62, paragraph 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2691525 8

p.7

Children's home details

Registered provider: Aspiration House Limited

p.8

Children's home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Nurul Kabir, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2691525 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.8

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 .

p.9

Inspector

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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9