Children's home run by Aspiration House Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2816793 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

The home is owned and operated by a private company. It provides care for up to 8 children who have learning difficulties, physical disabilities or a sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, no children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Education is provided on site. The inspector only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since October 2025. A new manager has been appointed, who is due to commence employment on 16 March 2026. Ofsted is yet to receive their application to register.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and we are currently checking this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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This monitoring visit

On 7 January 2026, an assurance inspection was carried out that identified serious and widespread concerns in the safeguarding arrangements for children. This is due to poor leadership and management arrangements in the home. As a result, Ofsted served a notice restricting accommodation until 2 April 2026 and raised requirements in relation to regulation 12 (the protection of children standard), regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard), regulation 23 (medicines), regulation 26 (fitness of the registered provider) and regulation 40 (notification of a serious event) of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2816793 2 Since the last inspection, three children have moved out of the home. Children’s placing authorities stated this is because they lost confidence in the provider. As a result, no children were living at the home at the time of this visit.

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This monitoring visit

This visit found that the provider has adhered to the notice restricting accommodation, and no children have moved into the home. Senior leaders have made slow progress in addressing the requirements raised at the last inspection. They said the delay is because they have been prioritising children moving out of the home safely.

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This monitoring visit

The home is undergoing an extensive refurbishment in all areas. At the time of this visit, all areas of the home were being decorated. Furniture is yet to be removed from packaging and assembled for children to use, and some areas of the home have broken furniture stored. Consequently, the home’s physical environment remains unsuitable for accommodating and caring for children.

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This monitoring visit

A training programme to assist staff in carrying out their roles and responsibilities and protecting children from harm will commence on 2 March 2026. Therefore, staff do not yet have the necessary skills and training to provide care for children in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

Senior staff failed to confidently explain to the inspector how they safely administer medication or how they would respond if they were to identify errors in the administration of medication as part of their weekly audits. Senior staff who carry out medication audits do not receive training to help them carry out this task effectively in line with the organisation’s internal policy. As a result, the administration and recording of medication are not safe.

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This monitoring visit

Senior staff did not ensure that the inspector signed the visitor book on arrival at the home. In addition, senior staff demonstrated a limited understanding of the role of the local authority designated officer and the whistleblowing procedures. This lack of awareness does not provide Ofsted with assurance that training, development days and learning captured from management oversight have led to improved staff practice.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have identified systemic shortfalls in the previous management of the home, which have contributed to ineffective safeguarding arrangements for children. Despite this, leaders do not routinely record or evidence their management oversight. One senior leader described the vision for the home as being ‘in their head’, which highlights the lack of a documented strategic plan. This is a missed opportunity for senior leaders to demonstrate robust governance, provide clear direction to staff and show how their oversight is driving improvement.

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This monitoring visit

Staff who were not present during significant incidents are recording information on behalf of colleagues. This occurs because some staff require translation support as they speak English as an additional language. This practice leads to discrepancies in Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2816793 3 records and uncertainty about factual accuracy. It undermines effective safeguarding and does not support a culture of professional curiosity or accountability.

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This monitoring visit

The fire safety arrangements for this home are not safe. Senior leaders have removed fire doors from some rooms without the consultation of a fire safety officer, some fire doors are broken, and the self-closing mechanism does not work for other doors. The disorganised floor plan does not help children, staff and visitors understand how to locate the fire exits. Some staff are yet to receive fire safety training, and others have fire safety training that has expired. Senior leaders could not locate the fire safety risk assessment to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect children from harm during a fire. As a result, children would be exposed to a greater risk of harm in the event of a fire in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has appointed a responsible individual, who submitted their suitability application during this visit. Therefore, Ofsted has not yet carried out a suitability interview to assess whether this individual has the necessary capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has appointed a manager who will commence employment on 16 March 2025. Therefore, Ofsted is yet to receive their application to register.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this visit, the notice restricting accommodation remains in place. The provider has met regulations 26 and 40.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has not met regulations 12, 13 and 23 for the third time. As a result, the provider has failed to demonstrate continuous compliance with these regulations since the home registered with Ofsted in March 2025. In addition, a further shortfall in relation to regulation 25 (fire precaution) has been raised as a requirement. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2816793 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/10/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2816793 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 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

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

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes 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)(i)(iii)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that any potential risks in the home are identified and action is taken to reduce the risks. Furthermore, the registered person must ensure that childcare records accurately reflect the lived experiences of children living at the home. 27 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2816793 6 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child

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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

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)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff receive appropriate training and that management oversight captures lessons learned that inform future practice. 27 March 2026

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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 ensuring that staff administer and record medication in line with the organisation’s internal 27 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2816793 7 policy. In addition, staff must receive training to carry out medication checks and audits and address errors in the administration and recording of medication.

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire;

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Requirement Due date

make arrangements for persons working at the home to receive suitable training in fire prevention. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the fire doors and floor plan comply with regulations. Staff must be trained to respond appropriately in the event of a fire, and the provider must carry out a comprehensive fire risk assessment to ensure that the home remains safe. 27 March 2026

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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: 2816793 8

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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

Sam Dulay-Kainth, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2816793 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 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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