Setting

Nicky Crouch Strategic Director, Children Waltham Forest Town Hall Forest Road Walthamstow E17 4JF

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Focused visit to London Borough of Waltham Forest children’s services

This letter summarises the findings of the focused visit to London Borough of Waltham Forest children’s services on 20 and 21 January 2026. His Majesty’s Inspectors for this visit were David Cohen and John Roughton.

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Focused visit to London Borough of Waltham Forest children’s services

Inspectors looked at the local authority’s arrangements for the ‘front door’.

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Focused visit to London Borough of Waltham Forest children’s services

This visit was carried out in line with the inspection of local authority children’s services (ILACS) framework.

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Headline findings

In Waltham Forest, the arrangements for the front door are undertaken by the multi- agency safeguarding hub (MASH). The last inspection of Waltham Forest in 2024 identified areas within the MASH that needed to improve. Progress has been made in some of these areas. There has been improvement in the timeliness of responses for children who need a lower level of support, and improved management oversight is having a positive impact on decision-making. This ensures that children and families receive the right level of support.

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Headline findings

Quality assurance activity within the MASH is not yet evidencing impact for practitioners, organisational learning or improving children’s circumstances. There is not a consistent approach to contingency and safety planning within the MASH, and it is recognised by leaders that engagement with children and families requires further strengthening. Ofsted

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Headline findings

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 Textphone 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.gov.uk/ofsted

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What needs to improve in this area of social work practice? 1

◼ Engagement with parents to support swift information-gathering and multi- agency decision-making. (outcome 3, national framework)

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What needs to improve in this area of social work practice? 1

◼ The consistent use of safety and contingency planning. (outcome 3, national framework)

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What needs to improve in this area of social work practice? 1

◼ The impact of quality assurance on practice within the MASH. (outcome 3, national framework)

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Main findings

Senior leaders in Waltham Forest benefit from strong corporate and political support which prioritises the needs of vulnerable children. The lead member and chief executive have a good understanding of issues that affect children’s services, and they have taken concrete steps to support the children of Waltham Forest. Leaders have taken action to address the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection in 2024, and in particular, there has been improvement in the oversight and impact of management decision-making. Leaders have identified that some areas continue to require further focus as these have not progressed as quickly as they would like.

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Main findings

The MASH is staffed by an experienced and stable team, with senior practitioners responding to referrals. Managers prioritise referrals swiftly and effectively via the blue, red, amber, green (BRAG) rating system, and this is routinely present on referrals at the point of allocation, guiding practitioners to the level of need and risk. Threshold guidance about the level of intervention is appropriately applied, which means that social workers focus their efforts on the right children. Careful consideration is given to amending status as new information is obtained, ensuring that children and families continue to receive the right level of support and protection.

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Main findings

Risk is well considered within the MASH, and proportionate action is taken to help keep children safe. Social workers analyse risk and need, using a range of information sources that assist them in making informed recommendations. MASH workers do make some attempts to engage with parents when appropriate, to gain additional information; however, this is not routine. When parental consent is not sought, the rationale for this is not routinely recorded.

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Main findings

Strengthened management oversight within the MASH is having a positive impact on decision-making. Once social work checks and analysis are completed, managers promptly determine the appropriate next steps, ensuring that children and families

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Main findings

1 The areas for improvement have been cross-referenced with the outcomes, enablers or principles in the Children’s Social Care: National Framework . This statutory guidance sets out the purpose, principles for practice and expected outcomes of children’s social care. are referred to the right level of assessment and support based on their needs and vulnerabilities. Historic risks and cumulative harm are considered well.

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Main findings

The daily risk management meeting provides helpful additional supporting information to agencies in relation to risk management. This forum supports effective decision-making in relation to multi-agency risk assessment conference referrals. When conversations take place with those at risk of domestic abuse, these are undertaken in a way that minimises risk to children and families.

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Main findings

Child protection strategy discussions are held when immediate risks are identified. They are well attended by partners, in person or virtually, with thorough information- sharing and analysis of risk. This ensures that appropriate decisions are made to protect children at risk of immediate harm. There is not a consistent consideration or recording of contingency and safety plans at this stage of intervention, and these are not routinely shared with children, families and partner agencies. There is not an agreed approach to safety planning practice, and this is a potential missed opportunity to ensure that all parties understand mutual expectations to safeguard children.

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Main findings

Partner agencies are well represented in the MASH, with significant police and health presence, alongside representation from education and domestic abuse specialist workers. Relationships between agencies are strong and supportive. Each agency’s specialist input is valued, and this informs effective and prompt decision-making.

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Main findings

Early help practitioners are located within the MASH. They screen referrals to ensure they are appropriate, and that children and families’ needs can be met by early help practitioners and wider services. Being co-located with other partner agencies in the MASH means that children and families get the right service at the right time. When practitioners identify that needs cannot be met by early help, parental consent has not been confirmed or further enquiries are needed, these referrals are passed back to the MASH promptly for additional oversight to make sure children receive the right level of support. Early help practitioners contact families quickly to ensure that there is no delay in commencing assessment, support and intervention.

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Main findings

When children are reported as missing, they are referred to the MASH and consideration is given to wider issues and concerns which may require further information-gathering and assessment, alongside the allocation of a missing outreach worker to complete a return home interview. This means that when children go missing, the reasons for this are fully explored and emerging issues picked up early.

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Main findings

Children and families’ cultural context is considered during screening, although ethnicity data is not consistently recorded. Concerns and risks relating to female genital mutilation and potential forced marriage are identified and responded to appropriately.

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Main findings

Data supporting the monitoring of performance within the MASH does not provide leaders with the clarity they require to fully understand what is causing delays in the progression of lower-level concerns. The timeliness of responses for children RAG rated green was identified as an area for improvement in the 2024 inspection, and this remains an area for development. Leaders have implemented some actions to address this; however, this has not had the desired impact.

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Main findings

Leaders are aware of the challenges they have in ensuring their data is accurate to better support their performance management and quality assurance activities. The current audit programme in the MASH is different to the wider service audits and provides some oversight of compliance, though it does not yet demonstrate impact for children, practitioners or wider organisational learning. Qualitative and quantitative data is not currently sufficiently available and accurate to support leaders to monitor compliance and support practice improvement as effectively as they aspire to. There are shortfalls with performance dashboards and the case management system which limit their effectiveness. Leaders are taking actions to address these issues; however, it is too early to assess impact.

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Main findings

Staff say that they enjoy working in the MASH. Managers are helpful, supportive and available when discussions about children are needed. Senior leaders are visible and this helps to ensure the staff team feels well supported in undertaking what is an emotionally demanding role. Health colleagues have developed a psychological safe space facilitated by a consultant psychologist that will be available for all MASH staff, irrespective of their home agency. This is a very positive offer and demonstrates the supportive relationships between agencies.

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Main findings

Ofsted will take the findings from this focused visit into account when planning the next inspection or visit.

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