Children's home run by One Step Care Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2832826 1 Registered provider: One Step Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is privately operated. It provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in June 2025.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living at the home. The inspectors spoke with 2 children during 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: none Inspection report for children's home: 2832826 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a welcoming and warm environment. It is well decorated and feels comfortable and homely. The communal areas feel like a family home and the children's bedrooms are well furnished and personalised. Children say that they are happy in the home, have what they need and can ask for anything else that they want. There is nothing that children want to change about the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The care and support provided to children are helping them to make good progress. Children attend school regularly and go to necessary medical appointments, including for their emotional wellbeing. A child who has lived in the home for a very short time has made progress because the staff have gone out of their way to ensure that there were activities, routines, and boundaries from day one. This has assisted them to go to an important medical appointment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have warm and reciprocal relationships with the children. Staff work hard to develop trusting relationships, and one child who previously found this a challenge has made strong bonds with staff. One professional said that this has been 'amazing' to see. Children say that they like all the staff who work at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know how to complain, but they have not found it necessary to do so. They feel safe to raise their views and feel listened to when they do. Children have weekly meetings where they discuss any issues, and they know that the staff will consider what they have said. This is then reflected on in the meeting the following week.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in activities in line with their interests, such as dancing, musical theatre, boxing, and rugby. One child has their own pet gerbils, who now even have their own care plan, which normalises this process in a fun way for children. As well as individual activities, children, and staff plan activities that they can do together. For example, over the Christmas period, they went to a pantomime. This gives them a collective sense of belonging to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with people who are important to them. This is particularly significant for them when they live away from their local areas. Children's family and friends are welcomed to visit the children at home. One child had a tea party with her friends at the home recently for her birthday, which she very much enjoyed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care planning encompasses all the information and plans provided by the local authority and contributes to the home's own plans. These clearly show staff all they need to know about the children to be able to meet their needs on a day-to-day basis. Children have a child-friendly version of their plan that they are encouraged to comment on and contribute to each month. Inspection report for children's home: 2832826 3 Staff get to know the children before they move into the home. The manager ensures that she has a thorough understanding of their needs so that they can be well supported from the onset. There are comprehensive plans that make it as easy as possible for the children to move and settle quickly. One professional said that they 'can't put into words how amazing they have been' and said they have 'never known a home like it' and that the staff 'go above and beyond'.

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

Children are safeguarded effectively. Comprehensive risk assessments are completed before children move in. Admissions are very carefully considered to ensure that the home can properly meet the needs of all the children.

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

Risk assessments are working documents and updated regularly in line with the changing needs of the children. Although there have been no missing-from-home incidents, there are comprehensive plans for each child should a missing incident happen.

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

Consequences are clearly linked to the behaviour and are proportionate and relevant. For example, one child had their phone taken away for the evening after sending some unpleasant messages to peers. This consequence was followed up with discussion to help the child understand how the messages would be hurtful to peers and what the result of that might be. This helped the child to reflect on what they had done and learn why they should not do it again.

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

When children first move into the home, door monitors are used on their bedroom doors at night, no matter what their risks are. Consideration has not been given to other ways of offering reassurance and safety to the children at night instead of this institutional practice as a matter of course.

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

The kitchen door is always locked at nighttime. There is no clear rationale for locking the door. This door should not be locked at night as it prevents access to the fire escape.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have an ambitious vision for the home. The manager is clear about what is being done well now and where there is room for improvement. She is keen for the whole team to learn ways of improving their practice, and responds well to the advice of the independent visitor who gives monthly feedback. A comprehensive induction when the home opened has given staff a shared experience and a strong base to work from.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff have completed mandatory training and can complete further courses as they wish, or as needs are identified. Team meetings are used well as opportunities for learning and reflecting on practice issues. Inspection report for children's home: 2832826 4 The manager challenges other professionals, where appropriate, and chases up outstanding documents and appointments for the children to ensure that staff have the information they need as soon as it is available. The manager and staff have a very good understanding of the children's needs as a result.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working at the home and have confidence in the managers. They feel comfortable asking questions, seeking help, and sharing any worries openly. Staff feel able to be themselves and know that they are valued. Supervision sessions are regular and used well as a reflective tool for learning and development. Managers and staff identify areas of improvement and areas of practice that staff are doing well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The records reviewed show that the manager maintains strong oversight of all activities in the home and provides clear, positive guidance to staff. This approach creates confidence among the team in their collective work. Inspection report for children's home: 2832826 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children's home;

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Requirement Due date

provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(b)) 8 February 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any decision to use bedroom door alarms is the exception and used for the least amount of time possible. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child's needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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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: 2832826 6

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Children's home details

Registered provider: One Step Care Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: The Town Hall Business & Conference Centre, High Street East, Wallsend NE28 7AT

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Inspectors

Amy Groom, Social Care Inspector (lead) Lisa Gordon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2832826 7 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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