Children's Home run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Suffolk

Inspection report for children's home: 1183069 1 Registered provider: Aspris Children's Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This privately owned home provides care for up to 6 children with mental health needs.

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Information about this children's home

Four children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1183069 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/05/2025 Full Good 13/08/2024 Full Good 04/03/2024 Full Good 12/07/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 1183069 3

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Summary of findings

Children living in the home are making good progress from their starting points. Children feel safe and well supported. Children experience well-planned transitions when moving in and out of the home. Staff promote the importance of education for children.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have good oversight. They ensure that staff receive training and support to help them understand and fulfil their roles. Staff speak positively about the managers. Feedback from professionals and family is positive. However, shortfalls were identified that relate to children not receiving outcomes to concerns they raised and some staff not completing the relevant qualification within the required timeframe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, 3 children have moved into the home, and 2 children have moved out. At the time of this inspection, 4 children were living at the home. The inspector met all the children, and 2 children contributed to the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The planning arrangements for children coming to live at the home are incredibly detailed. Leaders and managers make sure they understand each child's individual needs and how they can meet them. Staff get to know children and establish relationships with their families before they move in. The children acknowledged that this helped them to settle in quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Interactions between staff and children are warm, genuine and caring. Children speak highly of the support that they receive from staff. One child said, 'Staff always make time for me, my key worker is incredible.' Children's families and professionals are complimentary about how well children are cared for and the progress that they are making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has recently been through a turbulent period with group dynamics that led to escalating incidents for some children related to their mental health. Despite this, leaders, managers and staff have ensured that good standards of individualised support and care have been maintained. This approach has helped children to understand and manage their emotions in healthier ways.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are child focused and motivated and enjoy their role. Staff are incredibly proud of the achievements of all children. They capture these achievements in books that children take pride in reading. This helps to build children's self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children had been out of education for a significant period. Staff help children to access education based on their learning styles. Staff seek education provisions that meet children's individual needs. For one child, staff have worked effectively with Inspection report for children's home: 1183069 4 professionals to reintegrate them back into their preferred school. As a result, they are now attending education regularly and are excited about their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders, managers and staff work diligently to enable children to gain the skills that they need to build their independence. Children are prepared both practically and emotionally through tailored plans and support. This work has been instrumental in the successful move-on plans for 2 children. There are plans for another child to move on to a less supported environment due to the progress that they have made from their starting point.

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

Children have complex mental health needs, with histories of going missing from home, self-injurious behaviour and vulnerabilities to exploitation. Staff have a good understanding of children's backgrounds and lived experiences.

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

Children benefit from access to an on-site therapist. Children speak very highly of the support they receive from the therapist. Some children have been able to benefit from therapy for the first time.

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

There has been a recent cycle of high-risk behaviours among children. This has led to necessary restraints and an increase in instances when children are missing from the home. Staff have responded to these incidents appropriately and in accordance with their plans. Staff explore incidents and have detailed and reflective discussions with children to identify future coping strategies. Overall, incidents are reducing in frequency for all children.

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

Concerns relating to staff conduct, including allegations made by children, have been investigated thoroughly and in a timely way. These concerns are shared with senior managers, the local authority designated officer and Ofsted in accordance with the home's safeguarding policy. Investigations completed by managers are clear and do not look at concerns in isolation. Learning has included further training and support for staff and changes to guides to help inform practice. However, leaders and managers do not inform children of the outcomes to concerns they have raised.

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

Children's risk management plans are detailed. They cover a range of risks and behaviours and include individual strategies that staff use to support the children. Staff have a good understanding of children's needs, and children are provided with well- planned support to improve their emotional resilience. However, there are some inaccuracies in plans relating to how much time children can spend in the community without staff and how children's risks are measured. Staff do not always sign these plans to acknowledge important changes. If left unchecked, this shortfall could lead to inconsistencies in staff's practice. Inspection report for children's home: 1183069 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a qualified and experienced manager. The manager works very closely with the deputy manager. Leaders and managers are dedicated, skilled and knowledgeable in relation to supporting children with ongoing mental health needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team has a detailed knowledge and good understanding of the children's needs. External professionals are regularly updated and informed of areas of concern along with children's progress. Communication between managers and professionals is exceptionally good.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are strong advocates for children. They make sure that any decisions made for children are well thought out and in children's best interests. This has included challenging other services, such as the local police service and council.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment processes are followed. New staff benefit from good inductions, which include comprehensive training. For existing staff, additional and ongoing training is specific to the needs of the children who live at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are highly regarded by staff and children. Staff feel well supported by the management team. Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended by staff. Regular supervision sessions provide staff with a supportive forum to reflect on their practice and discuss children's needs. However, 3 staff members who have worked at the home for over 2 years have not yet completed their required qualification in a timely way. Leaders and managers have not evaluated the staff's skills to ensure that they have the training and knowledge to meet the needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager demonstrates a good understanding of the home's strengths. However, leaders and managers do not always ensure that reviews of the home regularly seek feedback from the children, professionals, staff and, where appropriate, family members. Opportunities to share feedback could provide valuable developmental opportunities along with offering further opportunity to share any concerns. Inspection report for children's home: 1183069 6

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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 children's views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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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.

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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

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)(b)(c)(2)(a)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, children should receive outcomes to any concerns they raise. 29 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children's home

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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 30 October 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 1183069 7 the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that any individual who is working at the home and who does not fall within paragraph (2)(a) and (b) is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual's duties. (Regulation 32 (2)(a) (3)(b) (4)(a) (5)(a)(8))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all children's risk management plans are kept up to date. These plans should be signed by all staff to demonstrate they understand what is expected from them. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 62, paragraph 14.43)  The registered person should actively seek feedback as part of independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: 1183069 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Aspris Children's Services Limited

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Children's home details

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

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Batchelor

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Inspector

Lexi Mitchell, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1183069 9 regulates and inspects 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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