Children's Home run by Next Step Independence Ltd in Somerset

Inspection report for children’s home: 2785307 1 Registered provider: Next Step Independence Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private provider and offers care for up to 2 children who experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home, and both spoke with the inspector.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2026.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 16 December 2024

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2785307 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/12/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2785307 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from positive and trusting relationships with the staff who care for them. Both children say they enjoy living at their home and would not change anything about it. They say they get along well with the staff, who listen to them and support them when they need it. The home has a pleasant atmosphere, characterised by warmth, kindness and fun.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to attend school and college and make progress. Staff promote the importance of education, which has resulted in increased attendance and attainment. Children are achieving important qualifications and have developed positive aspirations for the future.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children encounter difficulties during their educational day, the registered manager challenges professionals to ensure that their approach to supporting the children is in line with their care needs. This has resulted in more positive experiences and outcomes for children. Children know that the manager advocates for them well, with one child saying, ‘School has been better because of this.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s healthcare needs are being met. One child is receiving support to take more responsibility for their health needs. This has enabled them to take their prescribed medication more consistently. Another child is receiving help to improve their confidence and social skills. As a result, their social anxiety has decreased, making it less of a barrier for them. The child now has more positive experiences with other people in the community and at home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to develop age-appropriate interests and hobbies. Staff are interested in children’s lives, and children enjoy spending time with staff. Children have been to theme parks and festivals and on holiday with staff. Staff capture children’s memories by uploading photos, videos and positive comments to a secure and personal online forum. This enables children’s journeys and achievements to be celebrated. As a result, children feel valued and develop a positive sense of belonging.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to spend time with their friends and families. Staff help family members understand their children’s needs and how to respond to them effectively. As a result, children’s time with their family members is more positive. Family members say their children are ‘thriving’ because of the care they receive.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean and tidy, and it is well decorated. It mostly feels like a family home, with photos of children and staff on the walls and plenty of games and books available. It is evident the home is somewhere children live and play. However, some aspects of the home are not appropriate for a family environment. For example, a lift that is no longer needed remains in one child’s bedroom. Additionally, the bathroom is not designed to meet the children’s needs and preferences. Inspection report for children’s home: 2785307 4

p.3

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

The registered manager and staff know the children well and understand their care needs and associated risks. Children are better able to express their thoughts and feelings in safer ways because of the trusting and positive relationships staff have developed with them.

p.4

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

Staff offer children caring and nurturing support when they are upset, worried and feeling low in mood. Staff are interested in how children are feeling and what is going on for them. Children’s safety plans are used effectively and are written in consultation with them. This means children develop a sense of ownership and are helped to feel involved in their care. As a result, the number of incidents stemming from children feeling upset, worried and low in mood has reduced.

p.4

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

There have been 4 missing-from-home episodes since the last inspection. Staff’s response when children are missing from home is proactive, as they search for the child and try to contact them and their friends and family. However, it is not always clear when staff should report children missing from home to the police, which contributed to delayed reporting in the most recent incident.

p.4

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

Staff are welcoming and nurturing when children return after being missing from home. They are clear that they were worried about the child because they care for them. Staff help children understand the risks of being missing from home and listen to their views and wishes. This helps staff equip children with the skills they need to avoid being in these unsafe situations in the future. An emphasis is placed on communication and taking responsibility. As a result, there has not been a missing-from-home episode for 5 months.

p.4

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

Staff help children develop life skills, including cooking, shopping and budgeting. Staff also encourage and empower children to advocate for themselves, helping them to participate in the decisions that are made about their care. These important skills will support children as they transition into adulthood.

p.4

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

When staff identify concerns about a child’s online activity, they take immediate action to protect them from harm. Staff’s responses are caring and nurturing, although they are also clear about what their concerns are. This approach supports children in understanding the risks they face. Children are supported in accessing support from external services, although this is not always clearly recorded.

p.4

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

One child remains highly vulnerable to exploitation. Although immediate staff intervention has helped keep the child safe, support has not yet been effective in promoting a reduction in risk. Although the child receives ongoing support, plans have stalled because leaders and managers are unsure of what more can be done. There has been a lack of research and exploration in this area. Inspection report for children’s home: 2785307 5

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has experienced some unstable management arrangements, which have had a negative impact on the children and staff team in the past. However, the current registered manager has been in post for approximately 10 months and has provided much-needed stability and guidance. This has resulted in improvements to the quality of care that is offered to children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are committed to ensuring that children feel happy, valued and helped to grow and develop. The registered manager has implemented some necessary changes to the care provided by staff to meet these priorities. The registered manager is aware that this is an ongoing process, but the home and children are now on a more positive trajectory. Feedback from children, families, staff and professionals about the registered manager’s impact on the home is highly complimentary.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive support to develop the skills and experience that they require to meet children’s needs and help them stay safe. Regular staff supervision sessions and team meetings help staff reflect on the care they provide to children to ensure that their needs are met. There is an open and transparent culture in the home, which focuses on learning and development.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the children they support. Given the previous instability in the management team and a lack of leadership, the staff have shown great dedication to the children in their care. Staff recognise the progress the children have made and continue to seek opportunities for them to learn and experience new things.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff know the children well. However, children’s plans do not always outline their current care needs. Children’s plans are lengthy, inaccessible and confusing. Leaders and managers do not always provide robust oversight, and monitoring systems are not always effective. This has resulted in some areas of progress stagnating.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment procedures are used to help leaders and managers determine that staff are suitable to work with children. However, relevant checks are not always fully carried out, and discrepancies are not always identified and resolved. Inspection report for children’s home: 2785307 6

p.5

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.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

p.6

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)(f)(g)(i)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must use oversight and monitoring systems effectively to ensure that children’s records and safety plans are clear and accurate.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In addition, robust oversight and monitoring systems must ensure that all staff recruitment checks are carried out in full and any discrepancies are resolved before they start to work with children.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Finally, the registered person must use research and specialist guidance to inform children’s care and ensure that their 29 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2785307 7 progress does not stagnate and they continue to be helped to become increasingly safe.

p.6

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the environment is domestic and homely. In particular, environmental features that are not in keeping with a homely environment should be removed and/or replaced. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

p.7

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: 2785307 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Next Step Independence Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Wellington House, East Reach Court, Queen Street, Taunton TA1 3UF

p.8

Inspector

Martin Brown, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2785307 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9