Children's Home run by Achieve Your Aspirations Limited in Knowsley

Inspection report for children’s home: 2787362 1 Registered provider: Achieve Your Aspirations Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private provider. It offers care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home. The inspector spoke with both children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2024.

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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: 2787362 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/04/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2787362 3

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Summary of findings

Both children have settled in well and are making steady progress from their starting points. They benefit from well-planned care that promotes their needs effectively.

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Summary of findings

Staff have a good understanding of the children’s needs and vulnerabilities and take appropriate action to protect them. Children are kept safe, and staff consistently prioritise their safety.

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Summary of findings

One child’s care plan requires updating, and another child would benefit from activities to occupy their free time until they start a new school provision in the autumn term. Records relating to restraints and missing-from-home episodes lack the registered manager’s evaluation to identify any patterns or learning.

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Summary of findings

Feedback from children, staff and stakeholders is not used effectively to strengthen the manager’s review of the quality of care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, 2 children have moved out of the home in a planned and supported way, and 2 children have moved in. Both children have settled in well and are making steady progress in relation to their starting points. A social worker said, ‘They have settled in really well. They have started to make connections with the staff team. I am very happy with the placement.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from well-planned care that promotes their needs effectively. However, one child requires an updated care plan from the placing authority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to spend time with their friends and families. This ensures that they maintain their close connections with the people who matter to them most.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children’s participation in activities at home and in the community. Children enjoy trampolining, baking, playing in the paddling pool, going to the beach, horse riding and going on holidays.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since moving into the home, one child attends school and is making steady progress in relation to their education and learning. However, another child does not currently access formal education and does not benefit from structured educational activities. Staff are working closely with the placing authority and the virtual school to identify a suitable educational provision for the child to attend from the autumn term. Inspection report for children’s home: 2787362 4 There are effective arrangements to promote the children’s good health. Staff support children to attend health appointments and encourage them to lead and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The home’s therapist said, ‘Staff are very child focused and child friendly, with lots of understanding and empathy.’

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

Staff have a good understanding of the children’s needs and emerging vulnerabilities. They understand and follow the children’s specific risk management plans to minimise the risk of harm. Consequently, children become increasingly safer because of the actions staff take to protect and support them.

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

Staff encourage and praise positive behaviour and implement clear rules and boundaries. Physical intervention is only used as a last resort to protect children from harm. Debriefs are carried out following incidents, and staff support children through reflective discussions to reduce the likelihood of similar incidents occurring in the future.

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

Staff take appropriate action when children go missing from home. They follow reporting procedures and protocols to locate children and ensure their safe return. However, records relating to restraints and missing-from-home incidents lack the manager’s evaluations in identifying any patterns or learning.

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

Significant incidents are reported to the relevant authorities, and staff maintain effective partnerships with the police and other safeguarding agencies to promote children’s safety and wellbeing.

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

The manager ensures that complaints and allegations are taken seriously and are handled professionally. Children are informed of the outcomes of their complaints and know that their complaints and concerns are treated seriously.

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

Staff provide children with a physically safe, comfortable and homely living environment. Health and safety arrangements are managed effectively, ensuring that the environment is safe for children. Children’s bedrooms are clean, tidy, well furnished and suitably personalised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and well qualified. They demonstrate effective leadership of the day-to-day operations of the home. The manager ensures that staff are managed effectively and have a clear sense of purpose and direction.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that the home is staffed and resourced to meet the needs and numbers of children. They escalate concerns and advocate for children when they believe that decisions are not in their best interests. The manager champions the needs of children effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: 2787362 5 Staff employed to care for children are subject to strict recruitment and vetting checks before their appointment. This ensures that children are protected from being cared for by unsuitable individuals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff confirmed that they benefit from practice-related supervision sessions. However, staff supervision records could not be located during the inspection. Consequently, in the absence of these records, the frequency, quality and content of supervision could not be fully assessed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from relevant training opportunities to help them meet children’s specific needs. The home’s therapist said, ‘I support staff with training and provide workshops on PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy) and ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and provide consultations for the staff team.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has carried out a review of the quality of care to evaluate the progress and experiences of children. However, the report lacks an action plan and does not include or consider the views of children, staff or other stakeholders, which is a missed opportunity for learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager makes effective use of the home’s independent monitoring activities to identify strengths and areas for improvement in practice. They respond to feedback and address any shortfalls, helping to secure improvement in the quality of care provided to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2787362 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 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; and

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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

The registered person must ensure that records relating to missing-from-home incidents and physical restraints are monitored, evaluated and reviewed by the registered manager to support any possible learning.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that written records of staff supervision are maintained and that supervision is of a good standard and quality. 28 August 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children who are not participating in full- time education are supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and Inspection report for children’s home: 2787362 7 engage in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should ensure that children have up-to-date care plans provided by their placing authorities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.5)  The registered person should ensure that the quality and content of the 6-monthly review of the quality of care are improved. This relates specifically to the analysis and evaluation of incidents, including identifying any learning to drive improvement. Additionally, the report should include and consider the views of staff, children and

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Recommendations

stakeholders. (‘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: 2787362 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Achieve Your Aspirations Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 300 St Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Inspector

Anthony Kyem, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2787362 9 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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