Children's Home run by New Chapters Care Limited in St Helens

Inspection report for children's home: 2868114 1 Registered provider: New Chapters Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to 3 children who experience social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in February 2026. This is the first inspection since registration.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home and spoke to the inspector about their experiences of living there.

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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: 2868114 2

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Summary of findings

The child experiences warm, predictable care and is making steady progress. Staff understand their communication needs well, which reduces anxiety and supports a stable environment for the child. The child's education and health needs are well met, and purposeful conversations help the child develop independence.

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Summary of findings

Risk is well understood and managed through detailed assessments and consistent de ‑ escalation. Early adulthood planning is developing, with clear plans in place for the future.

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Summary of findings

Safer recruitment checks and staff supervision require stronger oversight to ensure all employment processes and support structures are fully embedded.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child lives in a home where the staff have developed warm, trusting and supportive relationships. These consistent relationships help the child to feel safe, valued and secure. Staff understand the child's particular communication methods well, which reduces anxiety and supports them in the home. This is through a variety of methods, such as visual timetables and incentive charts.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is making progress in education. The child has attended school consistently, where they are settled and engaged. Staff maintain positive relationships with the school and ensure the child receives consistent encouragement to attend when they may be anxious due to issues such as changing routes due to traffic.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child's health needs are understood and well managed. The child has attended dental appointments for the first time in several years, and outstanding health assessments have been completed. Personal care routines have improved, including regular bathing and consistent tooth brushing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Key-work sessions are adapted to help the child in their next stages of life. This includes work in budgeting, shopping and cooking. Other issues, including impulsivity and behaviour in the community, are spoken about to ensure the child understands safety inside and outside of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time is supported and managed appropriately, including in person and through video calls. Staff advocate well for the child in this area and are sensitive to their wishes and feelings while allowing them to make balanced decisions. Inspection report for children's home: 2868114 3

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

Risk assessments are detailed and identify strategies to help the child. Staff use this consistently to guide their practice. Key-work sessions address behaviour and safety directly, and debriefs show staff using calm talking, distraction and the removal of unsafe items to reduce risk.

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

Physical interventions have been used, and there is a consistent pattern of staff attempting de-escalation techniques before intervening. Restrictive practice is proportionate to the level of risk presented. The child is supported to regulate afterwards and re-engages positively with staff. Debriefs with the child and staff are completed and support reflection and learning. The number of times when the child has to be restrained for their safety has reduced. The child has been able to feel more comfortable in the home, and staff understand their routines to enable them to keep the child safe.

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

Early adulthood planning is underway, and joint work between adult services and staff is beginning to shape a structured transition pathway. This developing coordination supports continuity of care and ensures emerging risks are monitored as the child approaches adulthood.

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

Safer recruitment checks show gaps in reference verification. Oversight is not robust, which means all employment checks have not been fully completed, verified and clearly recorded. This includes ensuring documentation is in place to confirm identity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager promotes a positive and nurturing culture with clear values that staff understand and apply in day ‑ to ‑ day practice. The child's journey is central to the ethos of the home, and decision ‑ making reflects a sustained focus on stability and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported and describe strong team working. Training is timely and tailored to the child's need. This contributes to a stable staff team that applies its understanding consistently in practice. This has strengthened confidence and ensured a shared approach across the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers know the home's strengths and are reflective about areas requiring improvement. Oversight of safer recruitment is not fully embedded, and gaps in reference verification and identity documentation limit assurance around employment checks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals and family members are pleased with how the manager and staff help the child settle quickly. The child's social worker said this is the most settled home that the child has been in and she has been impressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision for new staff is not aligned with the home's procedures. This means staff new to children's care have not consistently received the structured support needed to Inspection report for children's home: 2868114 4 fully understand their roles. This reduces the extent to which expectations for practice are reinforced during the early stages of employment. Inspection report for children's home: 2868114 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

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children's home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all relevant references are obtained and verified to embed safer recruitment practice effectively. 25 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development; 25 September 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2868114 6 receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff have supervision aligned to the policy of the provider.

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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: 2868114 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: New Chapters Care Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 116 Duke Street, Liverpool L1 5JW

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Inspector

Colin Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2868114 8 regulates and 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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