Children's Home run by Williams Welfare Limited in Bedford

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2643709 1 Registered Provider: Williams Welfare Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

The privately-run home provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The manager has been registered since January 2024 and is on maternity leave. The home has an interim manager who has applied to Ofsted for registration.

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This monitoring visit

This children's home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 9 and 10 December 2025. Ofsted served 2 compliance notices regarding the help and protection of children and the leadership and management of the home.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to monitor the actions taken by the provider in response to the steps in the compliance notices. The provider has taken appropriate action and the steps are met.

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This monitoring visit

2 children live at the home. Both have remained at the home following the inadequate judgement at the previous inspection. Feedback from external professionals was broadly positive. Both children spoke with the inspector and gave examples of positive experiences, such as trips out and activities. The inspector observed warm and appropriate interactions between children and staff.

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This monitoring visit

A new manager was appointed on 5 January 2026. Since starting, the manager has taken prompt action to strengthen staff practice. They have begun to provide regular staff supervision sessions and have reviewed staff inductions to identify gaps, with plans to complete these for all staff. Staff have said that the new manager’s appointment has already had a positive impact. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2643709 2 Leaders acted quickly to increase staffing levels following the last inspection. The use of agency staff has reduced, and staffing levels are now in line with children’s risk assessments. Improving the consistency of staff helps children develop more stable and positive relationships with the adults caring for them.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s physical, emotional, social, health and educational needs are being met. Education is promoted effectively, one child has successfully transitioned back into school, while staff continue to encourage the other child to engage in tuition. Staff support family time in line with local authority plans and encourage social and peer relationships suited to each child’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

Serious incidents have been reported to the regulator. Since the previous inspection, 6 notifications have been submitted, including 3 relating to historical events and 2 missing-from-home incidents. Records show that staff responded appropriately to the missing-from-home episodes.

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This monitoring visit

One child raised several complaints directly with the inspector. One of these was treated as a serious complaint and was reported to the relevant authorities. Other complaints were minor. Supporting records such as daily logs lack key details. This limited the effectiveness of further enquiries. The records do not contain all of the essential information needed to support robust responses to concerns.

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This monitoring visit

When children make complaints or allegations, staff have reported these. Records indicate that leaders carry out interviews with children and adults, but the quality of investigations is inconsistent. These lack sufficient professional curiosity and do not provide a comprehensive evaluation or clear rationale.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has reviewed the home’s statement of purpose, which now contains all the required information. They have also reviewed several other policies. The workforce development plan now meets expectations. The location risk assessment has improved but does not yet include all necessary detail and requires further work.

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This monitoring visit

Fire safety concerns identified at the last inspection have been addressed.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is developing systems to improve oversight and ensure better day-to-day monitoring of practice. However, no independent visitor reports have been received since the last inspection. As a result, the home cannot yet demonstrate that the visitor is undertaking the required consultation with children, families, staff and professionals.

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This monitoring visit

Procedures for checking staff references have improved, references are sought and verified for all previous care employers where possible, however this has not been tested yet as no new staff have joined the home since the inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2643709 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 09/12/2025 Full Inadequate 10/04/2024 Full Good 06/06/2023 Full Good 24/05/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2643709 4

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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 with 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii)) 28 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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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. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(b)) 28 February 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulation 44) to ensure continuous improvement. In particular the registered person should ensure that in Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2643709 5 accordance with regulation 44, they help the independent person if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 55, paragraph 10.24).  The registered person should ensure that as set out in regulations 31-33, they are responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. In particular, the registered person should ensure that if a

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Recommendations

person has previously worked in a position involving work with children or vulnerable adults, they verify so far as reasonably practicable the reason why the employment or position ended. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.1).  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4).  The registered person should ensure that they review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home's location and strategies for managing these. In particular, the registered person should ensure that when conducting the

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Recommendations

review, they consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 64, paragraph 15.1).

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children's home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2643709 6

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Children's home details

Registered provider: WILLIAMS WELFARE LTD

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 81 Mount Pleasant, Ruislip, HA4 9HQ

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Inspector

Daniel Rankin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2643709 7 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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