Children's home run by Step by Step Homes Ltd

Inspection report for children's home: 2845395 1 Registered provider: Step by Step Homes Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and is registered to provide care for up to 2 children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered at the same time as the home, in August 2025, and is suitably qualified. This was the home’s first inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. The child was spoken to by the inspector.

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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: 2845395 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child lives in a warm, welcoming and homely environment. Photos of the child are displayed alongside positive captions highlighting their achievements. There are comfortable spaces where the child can relax and enjoy themselves. The child’s move into the home was an unplanned emergency move to ensure their safety. Staff provided sensitive support during this transition and enabled the child to bring their pet, helping to create familiarity and a sense of security.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place the child’s wellbeing at the centre of their practice. They provide consistent nurture and emotional support while maintaining clear and appropriate boundaries. Strong, trusting relationships have been established, enabling the child to feel safe and secure. Interactions between staff and the child are warm, natural and reciprocal. This creates a stable environment where the child has made positive progress from their starting point.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place a strong emphasis on the importance of education. When the child moved into the home, they had no established education provision. Staff responded creatively by introducing structured learning activities in the home to support the child’s engagement in education. The registered manager has been persistent and acted as a strong advocate, working closely with external professionals. As a result of their sustained effort, the child has now been offered an appropriate education provision that meets their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proactive in ensuring that the child’s health needs are consistently met. The registered manager and staff promote the importance of attending routine health appointments and provide support to reduce any barriers to engagement. When the child experienced difficulties attending optician appointments, staff took a creative and flexible approach by arranging for a home visit. As a result, the child received the necessary treatment, ensuring their health needs were fully addressed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to ensuring that the child experiences meaningful and enjoyable childhood moments. The child leads an active life, and staff encourage them to explore new hobbies and interests. The child regularly attends Cadets and has taken part in a weekend camp. They have also enjoyed new experiences such as go-karting. These opportunities promote their social development, help to build confidence and self-esteem and strengthen positive relationships with peers and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the child’s voice is heard and valued. They understand the child’s methods of communication and use creative approaches to capture their views. Staff provide reflective and purposeful encouragement that enables the child to express their wishes and feelings. For example, staff spend time explaining the child’s care plan to them in a way that is accessible and they can understand. This inclusive, child-centred Inspection report for children's home: 2845395 3 approach ensures that the child feels listened to and is empowered to be involved in decisions that affect their life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proactive in helping the child maintain positive relationships with their family. The registered manager ensures regular communication with family members. When appropriate, they are invited into the home, and staff take purposeful steps to create a welcoming and enjoyable experience. For example, family members were invited to spend time with the child during recent festive activities. These efforts enable the child to sustain meaningful and emotionally enriching relationships with people who are important to them, and strengthen family bonds.

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

The child told their family that they feel safe in the home and have trusted adults they can approach when they need support. Staff demonstrate a strong understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities and take a proactive approach to ensuring the child’s safety.

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

Individual, up-to-date risk assessments identify the child’s known vulnerabilities and set out clear strategies and actions for staff to manage and reduce risks. When incidents occur, staff implement well-coordinated responses in line with agreed plans. These plans are designed to minimise risk and promote the child’s safety. As a result, the child’s known vulnerabilities have significantly reduced since moving into the home, contributing to improved safety and emotional wellbeing.

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

The child is supported to understand how to keep themselves safe and to take age- appropriate risks. Staff encourage and promote the child’s resilience and emotional wellbeing, enabling them to develop essential life skills. The child is being encouraged to become increasingly independent, at a pace that suits their needs. Due to the care and support provided by staff, the child is now able to enjoy spending time in the community with friends, which was not previously considered safe. This demonstrates progress in their social development and awareness of personal safety.

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

Staff provide the child with clear guidance and consistent expectations regarding their behaviour. Positive behaviour is actively promoted, and staff are skilled in helping the child to regulate their emotions when they become upset or angry. The use of restraint is minimal and is only implemented when necessary to protect the child and others. On one occasion, there was a lack of managerial oversight after an intervention, due to the manager being absent. The manager was aware of this and has introduced a new recording system that will generate alerts for any report requiring managerial review, ensuring improved oversight in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and demonstrates a strong motivation to achieve positive outcomes for the child. A clear child-focused ethos is embedded across the team, and this underpins all practice and decision-making. The registered manager is Inspection report for children's home: 2845395 4 persistent in advocating for the child, to ensure that their individual needs are met and that they make progress. She is supported by a competent and effective responsible individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale is high. Staff speak extremely highly of the registered manager and deputy manager and say that they are approachable and supportive. Staff enjoy their jobs. The commitment of staff to the care of the child is consistent due to the culture that has been created.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good-quality reflective supervision. The registered manager seeks to provide staff with opportunities to develop their skills. Comprehensive actions are put in place that are regularly reviewed, to develop staff’s knowledge further and to support children. Staff knowledge is continually enhanced through a programme of training specific to the child’s needs. This actively improves the quality of care that staff provide for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff recruitment processes prioritise safety. New staff undergo a comprehensive induction, supported by varied training tailored to their roles. As a result, the child is cared for by suitable adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are effective monitoring systems in place to evaluate the quality of care provided. Leaders maintain a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development and use this insight to inform ongoing improvements in practice. However, the registered manager has not ensured that an up-to-date statement of purpose has been provided to HMCI. This means the home has not supplied a current staffing structure, limiting the regulator’s understanding of how the home is organised and staffed. Inspection report for children's home: 2845395 5

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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

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 27 February 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint are kept that enable review of the use of control, discipline and restraint, to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. In particular, the registered manager should record the effectiveness of any use of restraint. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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: 2845395 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Step by Step Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The White House, London Road North, Poynton, Stockport SK12 1BX

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Inspector

Julia Tompson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2845395 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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