Children's Home run by First Steps Care Ltd in Worcestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2636996 1 Registered provider: First Steps Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to 4 children who may have specific emotional needs and have experienced trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 4 children were living at the home. All children were present during the inspection and spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2026 and is enrolled in the relevant qualification.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2636996 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/05/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/04/2024 Full Good 19/04/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2636996 3

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Summary of findings

All children spoke positively about their experiences living at the home and about their relationships with staff. Children receive good-quality care from staff to meet their individual needs.

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Summary of findings

Children are supported to engage in education and make progress from their individual starting points. Children enjoy a range of activities, hobbies and interests that reflect their individual preferences. There have been changes in the leadership team since the last inspection, and one manager has left the home. Another manager is now working for the organisation in a different capacity.

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Summary of findings

The new manager registered with Ofsted in March 2026. They have been part of the leadership team since the home opened. They know the home well and have promoted good-quality care for children during a period of significant change.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home to live with a foster carer. Another child moved out to live with their family in line with their plans; however, this arrangement ended, and the child returned to live at the home. Three children currently living at the home were present at the time of the last inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a welcoming and well-maintained home. The environment is warm and nurturing, and it provides children with a strong sense of belonging. One child said that when they moved into the home, they felt comfortable within an hour of arriving. This demonstrates staff’s ability to help children settle quickly and feel safe in an unfamiliar environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spoke positively about the care they receive and the relationships they have with staff. They enjoy spending time with adults who know them well. Staff recognise each child as an individual and take time to understand their unique personalities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are attending education in line with their plans. Staff understand children’s educational needs and work with education providers to support attendance and engagement. As a result, children are making progress from their individual starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to enjoy activities and develop interests. Some children attend clubs and pursue hobbies in the community, such as gymnastics, swimming and language lessons. Other children prefer spending time in the home with trusted adults and participating in shared activities. Staff promote children’s independence and age- appropriate risk-taking to ensure that they have the freedom to express themselves and develop new social networks. Inspection report for children’s home: 2636996 4 Children spend time with people who are important to them. Staff understand the importance of family relationships for children and support these arrangements well. This helps children maintain important connections and promotes their identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s faiths, cultures and histories. Leaders and managers ensure that staff have a thorough understanding of each child’s identity. This helps children feel valued and respected.

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

Safeguarding practice is underpinned by effective management oversight. Leaders review incidents and responses to ensure that practice remains appropriate and that children continue to receive safe and responsive care. Managers ensure that all staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. As a result, staff feel confident in their ability to keep children safe.

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

Physical intervention is only employed when necessary. It is only used to protect children or others from harm, and staff’s responses are proportionate to the level of risk presented. Incidents are rare, and for some children, physical intervention is not required.

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

When concerns arise regarding children’s emotional wellbeing, leaders and staff act promptly to secure appropriate specialist support. They also take preventative action in the home to reduce risks and help children manage their emotions safely.

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

Some children have gone missing from the home. When such incidents occur, staff respond promptly by searching for children and contacting individuals they may be with. They work with partner agencies to support children’s safe return. The manager ensures that return home interviews take place so children have opportunities to discuss their experiences and any ongoing risks can be explored.

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

Leaders have sourced specialist training and involvement to help meet the presenting needs of one child whose vulnerabilities increase their risks. This has strengthened staff’s understanding and promotes a more consistent approach to supporting the child safely. As a result of this coordinated intervention, incidents have reduced.

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

Safer recruitment processes are followed. Appropriate checks are carried out before adults begin working in the home. This helps protect children and reduce the potential of unsuitable people being employed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been 3 managers since the last inspection. Senior leaders have responded to this period of change by increasing their oversight of the home and providing greater operational support. A senior manager, who knows the home well, has now been Inspection report for children’s home: 2636996 5 appointed as the manager. This has brought greater stability and strengthened the running of the home. This has improved children’s lived experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have taken effective action to address previous shortfalls and strengthen practice. They have clear aspirations for children and staff and are focused on making improvements to the care children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children benefit from positive relationships with managers. Managers are visible in the home, know children well and spend meaningful time with them. Consequently, children enjoy these interactions and respond positively to their presence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have developed a range of effective monitoring tools and systems. These support the smooth running of the home and provide stronger oversight of practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. These meetings provide staff with opportunities to discuss and reflect on their practice, review children’s progress, and identify any additional support needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers advocate effectively for children. They challenge other professionals when plans do not align with children’s best interests and work persistently to ensure that children receive the necessary support and services.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

No requirements or recommendations have been raised during this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2636996 6

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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: 2636996 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: First Steps Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Capital Office, 124 to 128 City Road, London EC1V 2NX

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Inspector

Chrisoula Contoyianni, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2636996 8 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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