Children's Home run by Aspire Care (NW) Limited in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2862656 1 Registered provider: Aspire Care (NW) Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider runs this home. The home provides care for up to 2 children who may experience emotional or social difficulties. A child lived in the home for several months but has now moved out to a different setting.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager and home were registered with Ofsted in December 2025. The provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and Ofsted is currently checking that this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2862656 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff provide committed and consistent care for the child and have developed positive relationships with them. They support the child through complex and challenging circumstances.

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Summary of findings

Staff provide committed and consistent care, build positive relationships with the child, and work effectively with professionals to meet complex needs.

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Summary of findings

They implement detailed plans, manage risks well, and demonstrate strong safeguarding practice.

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Summary of findings

The findings highlighted weaknesses in quality of recording, staff debriefs, staffing consistency, specialist training, and recruitment.

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Summary of findings

Staff seek specialist advice and adapt their practice to meet the child’s needs. They work effectively with relevant professionals and follow detailed, child focused plans formulated in conjunction with the child’s social worker that clearly identify the child’s needs and risks.

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Summary of findings

The home is comfortable and homely. It is well maintained and appropriately furnished. One bedroom awaits cleaning and minor repairs following the child’s move from the home.

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Summary of findings

Staff take part in debriefs and reflective discussions following significant incidents to consider their practice and identify learning. Staff understand the child’s risks and follow detailed safety plans. These plans provide clear guidance and reflect staff’s knowledge of the child’s behaviours, vulnerabilities and support needs.

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Summary of findings

Staff are committed to safeguarding the child and work proactively with other agencies. The child’s social worker described staff as committed to the child and said that they had built positive relationships with the child.

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Summary of findings

Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures and report feeling well supported by managers.

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Summary of findings

Multi-agency plans, local authority agreements and management records evidence the rationale for staffing arrangements, community activities and responses to missing from home incidents. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2862656 3 Recording is not always sufficiently clear or evaluative. Some incident reports are overly lengthy and difficult to follow. Records relating to self-harm incidents do not consistently detail injuries sustained, the action taken by staff or the effectiveness of interventions used.

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Summary of findings

Debriefs do not always capture staff views and reflections, limiting opportunities for learning and the evaluation of practice. There are several occasions when the child receives support from only one member of staff despite an agreed increased staffing arrangement. These staffing shortfalls occur during a period of significant vulnerability and increasing risks to the child’s safety and wellbeing.

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Summary of findings

Although staff have completed mandatory training and some training relating to the child’s needs, they have not received training specific to all aspects of the child’s complex needs and presenting vulnerabilities. This limits assurance that staff have the knowledge and skills necessary to respond consistently and effectively to all identified risks.

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Summary of findings

Recruitment records contain gaps and do not consistently demonstrate that all required information has been fully evaluated and considered before staff commence working with children. The absence of clear management assessment and oversight means that it cannot be assured that all staff have been comprehensively assessed as suitable to work with children prior to undertaking their roles.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/05/2026 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2862656 4

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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, 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

promotes their welfare. 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff have access to regular training that relates to the needs of the children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that there are clear systems in place within the home, to support management oversight. 18 September

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 18 September Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2862656 5 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed; (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must only accept placements for children when they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that recruitment records demonstrate that all relevant information, including criminal convictions disclosed through 18 September Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2862656 6 DBS checks, has been appropriately assessed and documented.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff support the child to maintain good standards of cleanliness in their bedroom and that repairs are completed quickly. 18 September

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Recommendations

 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. In particular that daily records are detailed and that all records of incidents or behaviours are descriptive. and records should be of sufficient quality so that they are helpful to a child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2862656 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspire Care (NW) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 49 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool FY3 9DG

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Children’s home details

Inspector: Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2862656 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Children’s home details

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Children’s home details

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Children’s home details

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Children’s home details

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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