Our Safe Steps children’s home has been awarded an ‘Outstanding’ result in their most recent Ofsted inspection.

The report praises the diverse opportunities available for young people to have their say on issues that matter to them and the staff’s commitment to building ​relationships with young people, their birth families and other professionals and agencies in the local area. The inspector said: “Staff care for young people as a good parent would.”

There were also comments promoting the home’s efforts to engage young people with education based on their individual needs, work to help young people look after their health, and the co-produced risk plans to keep young people safe.​ Safeguarding efforts in the home were particularly praised thanks to staff’s knowledge and understanding of their work.

Safe Steps was set up in 2015 to develop new best practice models for girls at risk of child sexual exploitation. Instead of placing young people in secure care or rural placements away from their communities, Safe Steps aims to keep them in an urban setting where they can maintain important positive links and learn how to keep themselves safe now and in the future.

Director of Corporate Services Geneva Ellis said: “Well done to the team! This is a glowing Ofsted report which describes so clearly the impact you are having on the girls in the home with their safety, education, health, wellbeing and happiness and the important focus you have put on supporting the girls to develop and maintain their relationships with their families.  You make the girls feel cared for and safe – that’s huge.”

Read the full report to find out more.

'Young people benefit from highly personalised and nurturing care that enables them to make significant and positive changes in their lives.'