Children's Home run by Footsteps to Futures Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2791409 1 Registered provider: Footsteps to Futures

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

The home was registered in 2024 and is run by a private company. The home is registered to provide care for up to 3 children with social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children's home

There were 2 children living in the home at the time of the inspection. One child was present during the inspection.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The registered manager is currently having a planned absence from the home. There is a new manager in place and they have applied to register with Ofsted.

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: 14 October 2025

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2791409 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/10/2025 Full Good 21/01/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2791409 3

p.2

Summary of findings

Staff know the children well. They support children to see their families and children access education. Children's views are considered through regular meetings and direct discussions. Although the home is in a rural location, the children are encouraged and supported to take part in activities in the community. There has recently been an unsettled period. On the whole, this has been managed well by the staff, who have continued to provide consistent care and support to children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to develop hobbies and interests and are supported to take part in activities that they enjoy. Children's views are sought at weekly children's meetings and through regular, direct discussions with staff. This ensures that they are a part of decisions made about the day-to-day running of the home and that their views are heard.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to see their families, and this time is well promoted by staff. Staff are involved in progressing plans for children to spend time with the people who are important to them. They manage any challenges well and share relevant information with involved professionals. This ensures that these arrangements are safe and appropriate and support the children's identity and long-term relationships.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The transition of one child moving into the home was well considered and appropriately assessed and planned. Attempts were made to reduce the impact on the children already living in the home. Unfortunately, there was some instability following this move that could not have been foreseen. Although the placement ended in an unplanned way, staff tried to manage this as sensitively as possible.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know how to complain. They are supported to make complaints and understand what has happened as a result. Children know that they are listened to and their views are taken seriously by the adults around them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a welcoming and family orientated home. The home is decorated to a good standard throughout, although one child's bedroom was not in good condition. This does not reflect the homely environment that leaders and managers want for children and had not been addressed prior to the inspection taking place.

p.3

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

The home has recently experienced a challenging period with an increase in incidents for children. Staff took action to manage risk and keep children safe. Consideration was given to the individual circumstances of children as well as managing risks in a group living environment. Inspection report for children's home: 2791409 4 Risk management plans are in place for all children. However, some plans contain conflicting information. This has, at times, led to a lack of clarity for staff about the most up-to-date assessment of identified risks for children.

p.3

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

When children go missing from home, staff search for them and encourage them to return home. Information is shared with relevant agencies and children have access to independent return home interviews and debriefs through direct conversations.

p.4

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

Children understand when room searches may be necessary and are informed when these take place. Staff consider children's views and do this as sensitively as possible. The rationale for these decisions is clear and actions are appropriate.

p.4

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

Allegations made by children are managed appropriately. Safeguarding procedures are followed and information is shared swiftly with relevant agencies, including the local authority designated officer. Children are kept informed and supported throughout any investigation.

p.4

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

Safe recruitment procedures are in place for new staff to ensure that all staff who are employed to work in the home are safe to do so. When concerns have been raised about staff members, these concerns have been responded to promptly and appropriate action has been taken.

p.4

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

Staff have worked closely with other agencies to ensure that children's emotional and behavioural needs are understood and considered. However, plans to support one child have not been progressed in a timely manner. This has resulted in delays in intervention and a clear plan on the action that staff should take.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is currently away from the home on a planned period of leave. An acting manager is providing oversight of the home and has applied to register with Ofsted. This change in leadership and management has come at a time when there has been an escalation in incidents in the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

In order to manage allegations effectively, and to increase staffing ratios for children, staff from other homes in the organisation and agency staff have been used. The high number of challenging incidents, instability within the staff team and changes to management have had an impact on staff confidence and morale.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has maintained oversight of incidents and provided the opportunity for children and staff to reflect following these. However, some shortfalls in their oversight have not identified conflicting information within children's plans or incidents when staff have not followed children's plans. Inspection report for children's home: 2791409 5 Staff receive supervision during which there is consideration of their individual development, with actions set. New staff benefit from a detailed induction programme and there is training available to all staff in relation to the specific, individual needs of children living in the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has advocated strongly for children's rights when they have made external complaints. There has been appropriate challenge to partner agencies in respect of return home interviews and ensuring that these take place. Inspection report for children's home: 2791409 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child's health. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(d))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all children's bedrooms are clean and well maintained. 27 October 2026

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 requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(e)(f)(h)) 27 October 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2791409 7 Risk management plans and care plans must be current and reflect children's known risks and vulnerabilities. The registered person must ensure that children's care plans are meeting their needs.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must have effective oversight of the quality of care provided to children.

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: 2791409 8

p.7

Children's home details

Registered provider: Footsteps to Futures

p.8

Children's home details

Registered provider address: The Harley Jar Trust Footsteps To Futures Ltd, Unit 5, Riverbank Business Park, Old Grantham Road, Whatton, Nottingham SNG13 9FX

p.8

Inspector

Christie May, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2791409 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