Children's Home run by Footsteps Care Limited in Waltham Forest

Inspection report children's home: SC481293 1 OFSTED USE ONLY

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SC481293 Registered provider: Footsteps Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This privately owned home provides care for up to eight children who have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

The home was registered with Ofsted in December 2014. The registered manager post has been vacant since June 2025.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection eight children were living in the home.

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Information about this children's home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that a serious incident that occurred at the setting since the last inspection is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered (where appropriate) alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 4 December 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC481293 2 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/12/2024 Full Good 28/09/2023 Full Good 31/08/2022 Full Good 27/04/2021 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC481293 3 OFSTED USE ONLY

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improvement to be good

Weaknesses in leadership and management and help and protection are compromising children’s safety, and this has led to a judgement of requires improvement to be good.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand children’s communication needs and use a variety of methods, including signs, symbols, and picture exchange. Social stories are created to help children understand when, for instance, significant changes to routines are taking place, or the introduction of a new experience. This helps children to communicate their wishes and feelings as well as preparing them emotionally for changes in their lives.

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improvement to be good

Most children living at the home are attending school and making good progress. At present, two children are not enrolled in school. One is receiving home tutoring, while the other is undergoing an assessment of their support needs to enable a return to education following a significant period of absence.

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improvement to be good

Children’s basic health and personal care needs are met sensitively by staff. When children have complex health needs, staff receive specialist training to equipped them with the skills to enable them to support children.

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improvement to be good

Staff celebrate children’s achievements, no matter how small. They actively support children to engage in a wide range of social and leisure activities, including visits to museums, swimming, participation in community events that bring together children of varying abilities, and residential trips. Through these experiences, children develop greater confidence and strengthen their social skills.

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improvement to be good

Children can express their views regarding the home and the environment in one-to-one sessions, or children’s meetings. A trampoline was purchased because of children’s requests in a children’s meeting.

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improvement to be good

Children’s bedrooms are decorated and personalised according to their wishes. The home is spacious with appropriate adaptations in place alongside specialist equipment to ensure that children with limited mobility have access to all the facilities. The home has an annexe where children can access a sensory room and arts and crafts space.

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improvement to be good

Safety and behaviour support plans identify potential areas of risk and triggers for children. These plans provide useful guidance for staff on strategies to use to prevent escalation of behaviours and reduce harm. However, in two cases, children’s safety plans were not updated following observations that suggested a need to review staff’s responses. In one of these cases, the recommendation was clear after an incident, that Inspection report children's home: SC481293 4 OFSTED USE ONLY

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improvement to be good

the safety plan should be updated, to consider the emotional stress the child might be experiencing, most likely resulting in negative behaviours. A second incident occurred involving the same child, in the same circumstances, with a more serious outcome. Even after the second incident, the safety plan had not been reviewed. This lack of attention to update plans to highlight changes and triggers, places children as well as staff at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

When incidents do occur, staff and managers communicate with responsible authorities, the local authority designated officer (LADO), and parents, in line with safeguarding procedures.

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improvement to be good

Staff receive appropriate training in de-escalation, and restraint. Managers oversight of incidents and use of restraint has improved, with de-briefs of staff and children taking place.

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improvement to be good

In the last 6 months, there have been several referrals to the LADO regarding concerns about the safety and welfare of children living at the home. Some of these concerns have also included the involvement of the police. These concerns focus on allegations of a lack of supervision of children, inappropriate use of force and a lack of care and attention, boarding on emotional abuse. In all these cases, the LADO or police have taken no further action. The staff involved in these incidents remain suspended pending internal investigations. The frequency and nature of these concerns does not demonstrate that a strong safeguarding culture is embedded in the home and is at the centre of the care of all children.

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improvement to be good

Some staff are more task focussed providing a basic safeguarding presence without deeper engagement. The need for staff to engage in more meaningful interactions with children has been highlighted as an action point in leaders and managers development plan. Staff’s inability to develop nurturing and trusting relationships, beyond the level of basic supervision, means that children are denied a trusting adult with which they can share concerns and worries. This also means that children are at risk of harm from adults who are not attuned to their needs and have little investment in children’s well- being, beyond carrying out basic care tasks.

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improvement to be good

One social worker for a child who has been the subject of concerns wrote, ‘I would hope that work is done with all staff to ensure there is not a culture of concern amongst the team given previous LADO referrals - although I do want to highlight that it is clear that there are lots of staff members in the home who really do work really hard to promote the best interests of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There have been two interim managers at this home since the last inspection, following the departure of the registered manager. These interim appointments have attempted to provide stability for the staff team and children. However, these arrangements have not been sustained long enough to make a significant impact and have also led to some instability in the staff team. Concerns have recently been raised regarding safeguarding Inspection report children's home: SC481293 5 OFSTED USE ONLY

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

practice and the effectiveness of management communication in ensuring plans for children are actioned. Leaders and managers actions in this inspection period have not been effective in addressing all the shortfalls identified previously, with some recommendations now becoming requirements, such as in the areas of supervision and appraisals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have made progress in developing methods for monitoring the quality of care provided, for instance gaining the views of children. However, the most recent report of the quality of care does not provide any analysis of how the views of children might influence the care provided to them. The report is descriptive and does not indicate what action should take place to improve the quality of care provided to children. There are no views from staff. There are no views from local authority social workers, or other external professionals which would provide independent scrutiny and opinion.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff receive appropriate training to meet the needs of children living in the home and this includes specific training for children with more complex health needs. However, most of the staff in the home have not received regular supervision, with significant gaps for many. Staff appraisals have not taken place in the last year. This means that staff have not had the opportunity to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

In addition, leaders and managers have not continually assessed whether staff practice is consistent with expectations and standards. This is significant as five staff are currently suspended pending internal investigations into their breach of expected standards or care of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The current leadership and management team are already aware of these shortfalls and have devised an action plan to address them. The plan identifies the need for leaders and managers to take greater responsibility for monitoring activity within the home and the progress of children’s care plans. There is a strong focus on the re - induction of all staff, with planned coaching sessions on company values, the statement of purpose, and the quality standards. The action plan also identifies action in relation to staff supervision and ensuring that staff understand and use the communication systems available to them to report all matters of importance and failings to managers. Inspection report children's home: SC481293 6 OFSTED USE ONLY

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home's child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(v)(vii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand, review and implement children's safety plans based on presenting identified risks and these plans are evaluated to ensure they reduce the risk of harm to the child. 31 January 2026

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home's statement of purpose; 31 January 2026 Inspection report children's home: SC481293 7 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand and work effectively in line with the home’s approach and ethos in promoting the welfare of all children. The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children's home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27(1)(a)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the person appointed to manage the home makes an application within the specified time frame in the SCCIF for registration with Ofsted 28 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

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 (1)(4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff receive regular quality supervision and annual appraisals of performance. 31 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing, and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children's home, its facilities, and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. 31 January 2026 Inspection report children's home: SC481293 8 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(5)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the review of the quality of care considers the opinions of children, parents, placing authorities and staff and contains any actions as a result of the consideration of these views and the review.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that appraisals include feedback from children and from external professionals. Appraisals should also be effective in helping staff to develop their performance. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.5) This recommendation is re-stated.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that a strong safeguarding culture is embedded in the home and is at the centre of the care of children. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 43, paragraph 9.8)

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Recommendations

 Supervision of staff practice should ensure that staff in the home can demonstrate and are supported to engage in the safeguarding culture of the home. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 43, paragraph 9.14)

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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 children's home: SC481293 9 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Footsteps Care Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: The Orchard, Ashmead Drive, Denham, Uxbridge, UB9 5BA

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Anslim Narinesingh

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Inspector

Colin Bent, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC481293 10 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspector

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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