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

Inspection report for children's home: SC407783 1 SC407783 Registered provider: Aspris Children’s Services 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 run by a private national organisation and provides residential care linked to a school for up to 5 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 4 children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in September 2025.

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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: SC407783 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/06/2025 Full Good 04/06/2024 Full Good 27/06/2023 Full Good 20/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC407783 3

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Summary of findings

Children make progress and benefit from a child-centred environment in which they are supported to develop important life skills and to improve their social interactions and communication. Staff understand potential risks to children’s safety and welfare. They are well trained and supported to manage and reduce these risks. Staff safeguard children well and collaborate with other professionals to ensure that children can access the support they need. The new manager has implemented a range of changes; these changes have had a positive impact on management oversight and on the progress the children have made. A few improvements are needed to the internal and external areas of the home, and children’s records should consistently use children’s preferred pronouns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress because of the strong and stable relationships they have built with staff. Children learn about tolerance and acceptance through staff mentoring and, as a result, they live comfortably together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive highly personalised care and benefit from the routines and plans in place. Staff spend considerable time getting to know the children; they understand their needs well and tailor their approach accordingly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s voices are heard, including through feedback that has been recorded by staff. This has led to arranging activities that can be done as a group or individually, and supporting children’s hobbies and interests, as well as them having an input in daily tasks such as menu planning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to express their identity in ways which are important to them. They sensitively approach topics to enable children to feel included. However, some daily records which may be read by children in the future are inconsistent in their use of children’s pronouns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are enrolled in education placements suited to their individual needs. When children do not attend school, they are supported by staff to explore their feelings in relation to education. Staff work well with schools to ensure that children have the support they need to maintain their places and overcome barriers to attendance. One child has made significant progress in their attendance. One professional acknowledged this, stating that the child ‘is like a different child since joining the home - school attendance has increased and their attitude to learning has improved dramatically. They are well presented and are now able to accept challenge in an age-appropriate way.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is warm and welcoming. Children feel a sense of belonging and proudly display their photos in communal areas and their bedrooms. Some children’s Inspection report for children's home: SC407783 4 bedrooms have been highly personalised, while others are starting to be personalised. Staff have tried to encourage children’s participation in this. Some other areas of the home are less welcoming. These include areas where carpets need cleaning or replacing, and the upkeep of the outdoor space. The manager had already identified the need for action in these areas.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move on from the home, they do so in a planned way. Staff sensitively produce individualised plans which include the activities leading up to the move, in a child-friendly format. This helps the children to understand the plan and to have a positive experience of moving on.

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

Children feel safe in the home and can identify trusted adults they can approach for support and advice. Staff are thoughtful in their approach to caring for children and encourage them to reflect and learn following difficult incidents.

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

The manager thoroughly reviews incidents of self-harm. Incidents are followed up with comprehensive records and associated actions such as room searches, debriefs and conversations with the child to support understanding and next steps.

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

Staff know the children well. The manager and staff have developed a culture in which children do not expect to be restrained, and as a result there have been no physical interventions in the home since the last inspection.

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

Staff are recruited to the home safely. The manager has good oversight of the recruitment checks completed, which are undertaken in a timely way. This helps to ensure that children are cared for by suitable people.

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

Staff promote positive behaviour through an ethos of trust and shared responsibility. Staff celebrate children’s achievements and milestones proudly and frequently in ways which are specific and motivating to each child. As a result, few consequences are given to children. When used, these have been reasonable and proportionate, and records include children’s feedback and reflection whenever possible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a dedicated registered manager who leads by example, showing warmth and care for the children. She seeks to implement strategies and the support needed to nurture children and develop opportunities for them to thrive. She promotes opportunities for them to progress in all areas of their lives and strives to ensure that their progress is recorded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has had some changes since the last inspection, with the appointment of a deputy manager and a new member of staff. Induction and support are strong, meaning that staff are positively inducted into their roles. Regular team meetings and reviews Inspection report for children's home: SC407783 5 enable the team to focus on what matters to the children and this creates a safe and positive space in which children can flourish.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported. They are complimentary about the support they receive from managers. They receive regular practice-related supervision and their practice is also appraised annually. This provides them with an opportunity to reflect on their practice and discuss their professional development and wellbeing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal monitoring and quality assurance processes are in place, enabling the leadership team to know the strengths of the home and the areas for improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is ambitious for the children and has created an environment in which staff speak highly about the home, its ethos and development. Inspection report for children's home: SC407783 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s homes are nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children. They should ensure that the outside spaces are well maintained and that stained carpets are replaced in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that children can see the results of their views being listened to and acted on. In particular, in children’s documents, staff should consistently use the pronoun requested by the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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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: SC407783 7

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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 Garstang

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Inspector

Maria Calway-Kennedy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC407783 8 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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