Children's Home run by Aspire House Ltd in Brent

Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 1 Registered provider: Aspire House Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately run. It provides care for up to 5 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post for 8 years.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 3 children were living in the home. The inspector spoke with 2 of the children.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

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

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 10 December 2024

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/12/2024 Full Outstanding 19/03/2024 Full Outstanding 10/05/2022 Full Good 25/01/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Children’s experiences in the home vary, and some children are making limited progress. One child was positive about the support that they receive from staff and said that staff help them when they need it. Another child said that they do not enjoy living in the home and that they do not understand why staff take the actions that they do.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff understand that children may experience complex emotions as a result of significant histories of trauma, and they make attempts to develop trusting relationships with them. However, this is not consistent, and for one child, who has not built a relationship with any of the staff, the response of staff has been limited and ineffective. One professional said that, in their view, staff could be more proactive in seeking to engage with the children.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s wishes and feelings are not consistently heard or recognised. Comments made by staff during meetings with professionals are not always child-friendly and are not reflective of the therapeutic model of care used by the home. Additionally, staff are not ensuring that children understand the decisions and actions taken. This has led to one child being confused about the rules in the home and their rights.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff have helped one child with their education. However, not all children are engaged in education. Children are not always offered encouragement to return to school or enabled to engage in an alternative learning experience while more formal arrangements are made.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff are not proactive at encouraging children to engage in activities. Children spend most of their time out with friends or in their bedrooms, and there is limited encouragement for children to get involved in or try new activities.

p.3

improvement to be good

The home is a large, welcoming and well-maintained environment. Children’s bedrooms have items of their choosing, and children are given opportunities to decorate and personalise their rooms to their tastes and interests.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff do not always act consistently to safeguard children. On one occasion, staff did not take appropriate and immediate safeguarding steps to prevent a child from the risk of ligature and self-harm. The manager accepts that, in this instance, staff prioritised maintaining a relationship with the child above the assurance of their safety.

p.3

improvement to be good

Some of the children’s risk assessments do not include the key risks for the children, and although risk assessments are updated regularly, there is no analysis of how risks Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 4 change or develop over time. This does not allow the manager, staff or other professionals to have an accurate understanding of the risks for children.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff are unable to have effective oversight of children when they are in the community. For one child, who regularly stays away from the home, this means that staff cannot be assured of their overall safety and wellbeing.

p.4

improvement to be good

The number of episodes of children going missing from the home has significantly reduced, and staff understand what to do when children go missing. Staff follow the missing-from-home protocols and actively search for children to help them to return home safely. When children return home, staff are supportive and discuss the children’s worries. The manager reviews the incidents and works with multi-agency professionals to enable children to share their views with an independent person.

p.4

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

Managers use a variety of monitoring tools, including feedback from the independent visitor. Managers include staff in their ongoing review of the home. However, the monitoring systems are not sufficiently effective, evidenced by the number of shortfalls identified during this inspection.

p.4

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

The manager’s oversight of incidents is inconsistent; there are times when it is unclear who has had oversight or what actions have been taken. This has resulted in the manager not being aware of some actions taken by staff that have not met the immediate needs of the children.

p.4

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

The manager has missed an opportunity to have a deeper understanding of the risks and behaviours of the children. The current review of risks does not provide clarity on patterns of behaviour. As a result, the manager is unable to analyse how risks may be changing and how best to support the children.

p.4

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

Team meetings are regularly held, and staff receive regular and supportive supervision. These meetings provide a safe space for staff to reflect on their practice and identify their learning needs. Staff development is a focus of these sessions. The manager encourages these discussions, which provide staff with training and learning opportunities. Staff are positive about the support that they receive from the manager.

p.4

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

A strength of the home is the manager’s openness to learning and reflection. This is embedded in the practice of the home. Staff say that they feel able to share their ideas and that these are taken on board by the manager, making them feel valued and appreciated. Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.5

Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

p.5

Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)) 6 June 2026

p.5

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

that staff— 6 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 6 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust. (Regulation 11 (1)(a) (2)(a)(i)(vi)(viii))

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)) 6 May 2026

p.6

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.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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; 6 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 7 demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(g)(i)(ii))

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, the registered person should ensure that staff use child-friendly language when speaking about a child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.7

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: 1278959 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 32 Byron Hill Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA2 0HY

p.8

Inspector

Dawn McCluskey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 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.

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 . 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