Children's Home run by Next Chapter Children's Care Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2814546 1 Registered provider: Next Chapter Childrens Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. It offers care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home and contributed to the inspection.

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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

Date of last inspection: Not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2814546 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to build positive, trusting relationships, which helps children to settle into their home environment. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of each child’s individual needs, including those with more complex or specialist needs, such as health conditions. Their insight enables them to provide tailored care that supports children’s overall well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to make progress in key areas when measured from their starting points. For one child, they were supported to take part in meaningful activities and maintain important family relationships, which supported their overall emotional and mental well-being. The child has fond memories of their birthday celebration arranged by staff that was personal to their interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager considers the suitability of children coming to live at the home by completing a thorough assessment, ensuring that the needs and risks associated with each child are fully explored. Staff give careful thought to how best to support and safeguard children during their moves to the home. Not all children leave the home in a planned way. One child has spoken about feeling unheard and being to blame for their time living at the home coming to an end.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to attend school after spending long periods of time outside of education. However, when children do not attend school, staff do not consistently engage them in educational activities in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff do not consistently promote and model positive daily routines. They do not model acceptable standards of tidiness and cleanliness or support children to take responsibility in line with their levels of independence

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to access specialist services to meet their health needs and promote their well-being. Staff are proactive in seeking additional support from services when required.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to maintaining children’s important relationships. Staff ensure children’s family time and contact with friends are facilitated in line with their individual care plans. Staff foster good working relationships with children’s families, with one parent giving positive feedback regarding staff’s communication and efforts to involve them in their child’s care.

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

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of children’s risks and support needs. When incidents occur, staff act promptly and appropriately, using de-escalation techniques in line with children’s support plans. Staff ensure incident records are detailed and Inspection report for children’s home: 2814546 3 informative, providing a clear account of events along with evidence of thorough management oversight.

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

When children leave the home without authorisation, staff follow procedures appropriately, working with partner agencies to reduce risks and ensure timely, coordinated responses.

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

Leaders and managers take appropriate action in the immediate response to allegations. However, not all allegation procedures are followed promptly, resulting in delays that have impacted both children and staff. Leaders and managers recognise the importance of addressing this area of practice and ensuring procedures are clear and adhered to.

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

Staff manage and administer medication effectively, specifically when children have additional health needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report feeling well supported by the manager. They benefit from regular supervision, team meetings and reflective practice sessions, which they describe as valuable in helping them deliver effective and thoughtful care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with learning opportunities, including training specific to children’s individual needs, ensuring staff are equipped with relevant skills and knowledge to care for children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s oversight of the home is reflective and evaluative. However, there are inconsistencies in record-keeping, which can lead to confusion and reduce the clarity of records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is committed to improving practice in identified areas for development. Leaders and managers are fully aware of these areas and are actively working to address them. Inspection report for children’s home: 2814546 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, 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 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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(ix)) 25 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2814546 5 The registered person must ensure that staff model and encourage healthy, positive routines relating to sleep, mealtimes and independence.

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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 the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that allegation procedures are followed consistently in line with the home’s policies and statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that effective monitoring systems are in place to support children’s progress with healthy, positive routines. 25 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2814546 6 The registered person must also ensure that records clearly reflect the support provided to children and by whom.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff support children with home study by encouraging them to learn independent study skills and by helping them to practise those skills. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)

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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: 2814546 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Next Chapter Childrens Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Little Houghton House, 53 Bedford Road, Little Houghton, Northampton NN7 1AB

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Inspectors

Chloe Harvey, Social care inspector Andi Lilley-Tams, Social care inspector manager Inspection report for children’s home: 2814546 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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