New Aspire House Gives Care Leavers the Chance to Build Independent Lives Close to Home

More young people leaving care will now be able to remain in the Royal Borough thanks to the opening of Aspire House, a new supported accommodation scheme designed to help care leavers move successfully into independent living. 

The new facility provides safe, high-quality accommodation for up to 20 care leavers aged over 18, allowing them to stay close to their support networks, employment opportunities and education while developing the skills needed to live independently. On-site staff will provide tailored support with everyday responsibilities such as budgeting, money management and maintaining a home. 

The project reflects the Liberal Democrat administration's commitment to ensuring that vulnerable young people are not forced to leave their local communities when they leave care. The scheme was shaped by young people themselves through the Kickback council forum and the Care Leavers Forum, which helped influence everything from staff recruitment to the building's interior design and even its name. 

The service will be operated by Achieving for Children, with dedicated on-site staff creating a safe and welcoming environment for residents. The borough's £1.19 million investment is expected to reduce reliance on expensive external supported housing providers while delivering better outcomes for young people. 

Cllr Amy Tisi, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Education and Windsor, said: "Every young person deserves to have the best life possible, and this can only happen through support during those early years of adulthood as they begin to navigate the wider world on their own." She added that the new facility would help more young people stay in a safe and secure environment as they move towards independent living while also reducing the high costs of third-party provision. 

The opening of Aspire House builds on the council's wider programme of improving local provision for young people, following the opening of Oak House in 2025, the borough's first in-house children's home. 

For Windsor Liberal Democrats, Aspire House is a practical example of how investing early in young people's futures can deliver both better support and better value for residents.