Children's home run by Aspris Care North West Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2582337 1 Registered provider: Aspris Care North West Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to 2 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in March 2020. The manager registered in April 2022.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there was one child living at the home.

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

Date of last inspection: 11 February 2025

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2582337 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/02/2025 Full Good 10/10/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/11/2022 Full Good 13/04/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2582337 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with the staff who care for them. A child who moved from the home to live independently shared their positive experiences of living in the home. They said that ‘I’ve got to where I am because of the support from staff.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living in the home spoke about the different qualities the staff have. Warm interactions were seen between the child and staff during mealtimes, when they reminisced about recent celebrations at the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has made good progress. There are ongoing changes to the child’s education provision to ensure that their needs are met. The child’s day-to-day experiences are positive, with routines that incorporate their many interests and activities.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is actively involved in their care planning and attends meetings to share their views with the professionals involved in their care. The child also has an advocate.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s day-to-day physical health needs are well met. On one occasion, staff did not seek medical advice when the child was under the influence of substances at a planned event. However, staff completed regular checks to ensure the child was safe.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is support in place for children’s emotional health. Staff make appropriate referrals to support agencies and there is therapeutic support in place from the provider. There has been a significant reduction in incidents of self-harm for one child.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Where specialist assessments have been completed with the child, staff work towards the recommendations made to ensure that they support the child’s development needs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s varied interests are well supported. This includes encouraging their friends to visit the home. This is child focused and personalised to the child’s needs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s relationships with the people who are important to them have progressed since the child has lived at the home. This is in line with their wishes.

p.3

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

Staff understand the risks to children. There are clear plans in place to reduce these risks. There are regular review meetings between the manager and other professionals to consider the ongoing risks for the child and to agree how to manage these safely.

p.3

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

Since the child has lived at the home, risks have reduced. Staff help the child to consider their actions and to reflect on the impact of their previous experiences. Inspection report for children’s home: 2582337 4 The child has not been missing from the home for some time. When the child has gone missing, staff follow the protocols in place and work with relevant professionals to help them return home safely.

p.3

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

Staff conduct room searches when there are concerns for the child’s safety. However, these have not always been completed in line with the provider’s policy. The registered manager has not identified this shortfall. This could lead to inconsistent safeguarding practices.

p.4

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

Staff use consequences to positive effect to support changes in the child’s behaviours. However, the registered manager does not consistently review these to ensure that they are used fairly or that the measures used are effective.

p.4

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

The recruitment practices in place are safe. This helps to ensure that only suitable adults care for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager advocates well for children. She has developed relationships with professionals and maintains effective communication to ensure that children’s needs are understood. Feedback from professionals describes the manager as effective in progressing children’s care plans and education needs for the child living in the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable staff team in place, which ensures that there is consistent care for children. Staff feel well supported in their roles and are well trained to meet the needs of the children in their care. The registered manager actively identifies gaps in staff knowledge where additional training would be of benefit.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s views are taken seriously. A complaint made by the child currently living in the home was thoroughly investigated by another manager who was independent of the staff at the home. A written response was provided and the outcome discussed with the child.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has improved processes for staff supervision. This provides staff with the opportunity to reflect on their practice. However, records from staff meetings do not demonstrate that staff discuss and reflect on their practice. This is a missed opportunity to improve staff’s caring and safeguarding practices.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff appraisals do not include feedback from children being cared for or from professionals who staff work with.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has review and monitoring systems that are effective. This helps her to identify areas of strength and shortfalls in the quality of care that staff provide for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2582337 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that —

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.5

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)(b)(h))

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person needs to ensure that room searches are completed in line with the provider’s policy. 31 March 2026

p.5

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.5

Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.5

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure; 31 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2582337 6 a description of the measure and its duration;

p.5

Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

p.6

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.6

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to any consequences being reviewed by the registered person to ensure that they are fair and effective.

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to respond to the health needs of children, including seeking timely advice from health professionals in the event of children misusing substances such as alcohol. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12)  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. Specifically, team meetings and supervision should provide the opportunity to reflect on their professional practice. This recommendation is restated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that annual staff appraisals take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked Inspection report for children’s home: 2582337 7 with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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: 2582337 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspris Care North West Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Penelope Rafferty

p.8

Inspector

Andrea Foreman, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2582337 9 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.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