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

This 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 and has commenced employment. They have applied to be registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered provider has appointed a new responsible individual. The process for them being assessed as suitable has been delayed but continues to progress.

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This monitoring visit

On 7 January 2026, an assurance inspection was carried out that identified serious and widespread concerns about the safeguarding arrangements for children. This was 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.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was carried out on 26 February 2026 to consider and assess any progress made by the provider in response to the restriction notice and against the Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2816793 2 requirements that were set. Following that visit, the requirements set under regulations 26 and 40 had been met. An additional requirement under regulation 25 (fire safety) was raised.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the provider has continued to comply with the restriction of accommodation notice; no children have moved in and no children were living at the home at the time of this visit.

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This monitoring visit

Since the children moved out of the home, there has been a focus on improving the environment in the home. There have been significant improvements to communal spaces for children’s use. Halls and lounges are now brighter, with child-friendly themes throughout. There has been a focus on the sensory needs of children being considered through wall decorations and appropriate lighting. The home now feels less institutionalised and more like a home for children.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s bedrooms have all been redecorated and refurnished. Some rooms are ready for children to move in, whereas others have been purposefully left in a neutral state so that children can be involved in decorating and personalising the space to their taste or in line with their needs. Rooms that have purposely fitted soft walls for children who may self-injure are positive spaces. The specially fitted padding is safe, secure and child friendly.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a focus on bathrooms and en-suite facilities for children. There are now more options overall from a previous position of children and staff having to use 2 bathrooms between them. Showers have been added to some children’s bathrooms. Existing shared bathrooms have been fully renovated to ensure that they are safe and free of mould and additional hazards. A programme of cleaning is now in place to ensure that all spaces are maintained and fit for children to use.

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This monitoring visit

Issues relating to fire safety have been addressed. The home has a suitable fire risk assessment in place. Fire doors and safety features are compliant with regulations. The home now has a suitable floor plan to support fire safety planning. All staff have received fire safety training and understand emergency procedures.

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This monitoring visit

The leadership team has improved but continues to develop. A new manager has been appointed and has applied to be registered. There is a responsible individual who has overseen the improvement programme in the home. An operations manager has also been appointed with a transition plan in place for them to take on the role of responsible individual. Team leaders are in place to reinforce the team structure under leaders and managers. There is increased sense of ownership and oversight of the improvement programme. Leaders now have an effective development plan in place.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a positive programme of training and development for the staff. This has been led primarily by the leadership team alongside a training provider that they Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2816793 3 liaise with closely. Training is being tailored to the needs of the children and any identified shortfalls in staff’s skills or understanding. Face-to-face and online training has been implemented, as well as workshops and scenario-based discussions devised by leaders. Previous shortfalls have been identified through reviews and used as examples of poor practice to upskill staff and remodel expectations.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a transfer from paper-based recording to electronic systems, reducing the risk of poor reporting and recording. Whereas there were examples of recording being done on behalf of staff, there is now a focus on oversight of recording to support accuracy rather than correcting it. Staff are being supported to understand the importance of accurate recording and why they need to share information as a safeguarding responsibility.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received training in the safe handling of medication. Workshops have been conducted with staff to improve medication administration practice. The home’s medication policy has been updated to include clear guidance for staff in the event of an error being identified.

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This monitoring visit

Staff spoken to were excited about the improvements to the home and the support they are receiving. Staff feel that the training has been excellent. They said that the new leadership team is starting to bring about positive change. 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 within 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

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that any potential risks in the home are identified and that action is taken to reduce the risks. In addition, the registered person must ensure that children’s care records accurately reflect their lived experiences of living at the home. 30 June 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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff are suitably trained and that management oversight captures lessons learned that inform future practice. 30 June 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)) 30 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2816793 7 In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff administer and record medication in line with the organisation’s internal policy. In addition, staff must receive training to carry out medication checks, audits and address errors in the administration and recording of medication.

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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

Chris Haines, 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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Inspector

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