Children's Home run by Winsbeach Children’s Home Limited in Waltham Forest

Inspection report for children’s home: SC406638 1 SC406638 Registered provider: Winsbeach Children’s Home Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides short- and long-term care for up to 3 children who experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2010.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC406638 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/03/2025 Full Good 19/03/2024 Full Good 15/02/2023 Full Good 02/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC406638 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make significant progress while living at the home. Nurturing care from a committed staff team leads to children feeling relaxed and confident. Staff know each child’s needs and communication styles, which helps them quickly establish positive relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

As a result of the help and support they receive from staff, children make good progress. Staff talk fondly and positively about the children. They are proud of the progress each child is making. Staff successfully support children in becoming more independent by carrying out structured key work and having frequent informal conversations with them. The enduring relationships that staff develop with children mean that they stay in touch with them appropriately when the children move on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are committed to working with children’s families and significant adults. Children’s important relationships are valued, and children are encouraged to spend regular time with their families. Staff work effectively to ensure that these opportunities to see each other go well, and they regularly supervise family time when needed. For one child, this provided them with the support they needed following the move from their parent’s care and enabled them to quickly settle in the home. Family members are positive about the care the children receive and the way that the home supports them in spending time with their children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff meet children’s health needs effectively. They ensure that children attend routine appointments with medical professionals and are quick to react to any emerging concerns that may arise. When children go missing from the home, their health and wellbeing are of paramount importance on their return.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s education. One child, who had extremely poor attendance when they arrived, was proud to receive a certificate for 100% attendance following support from staff. Leaders work with the local authority to review plans for children and escalate any concerns when required. Most challenges to partners have a positive impact on the children. However, in some instances, not all available avenues have been exhausted, particularly in relation to education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves into and out of the home are planned and well managed. Children who have experienced instability before moving into the home are now settled and making meaningful progress. Staff work proactively with partner agencies and provide appropriate challenge to ensure that all decisions about children’s moves are firmly in their best interests. As a result, children leave the home having experienced stability, positive endings, and an increased readiness for their next stage of life. Inspection report for children’s home: SC406638 4

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

Staff are aware of the children’s needs and vulnerabilities, ensuring that they keep them safe in the home and community. Staff monitor children’s behaviour and reactions carefully, quickly noting any changes. Close liaison with partner agencies ensures that responses to any safeguarding concerns are shared swiftly.

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

One child has frequently gone missing from the home. Staff consistently follow the child’s missing-from-home protocol and do all they can to support the child’s safe return and reduce the number of incidents. When the child is in the home, staff encourage them to consider the levels of risk, and they actively discourage them from going missing. Staff also show the child that they worry and care about them. This helps the child feel valued and welcomed back to the home on their return. The work to reduce and address the missing-from-home incidents remains ongoing.

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

Staff regularly review risk assessments and have frequent conversations with children to explore a range of issues. Staff help children with their self-care and have conversations that include consideration of risks related to being missing from home and the possibility of criminal exploitation. As a result, children are developing an insight into these and other topics and are learning how to keep themselves safe.

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

Staff have a good understanding of de-escalation techniques that help them manage challenging behaviours. Consequently, physical intervention is rarely used.

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

The home is functional and tidy, with no obvious hazards. However, it is sparsely decorated, with some areas lacking a homely feel. Office furniture is present in several areas of the home, and the environment does not reflect the staff’s strong ethos of providing a family home. While some children have personalised their bedrooms, there is no evidence that children live in the communal areas of the home, and there are missed opportunities to showcase children’s experiences and achievements in these areas.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is operated by an experienced manager and a small but dedicated group of staff who have worked at the home for several years . The manager and staff strongly believe in the home’s ethos to provide a family environment built on trusting and consistent relationships between children and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff have established positive working relationships with partner agencies and families. One social worker praised the staff’s dedication, empathy and professionalism.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good-quality supervision. Supervision takes place regularly and focuses on children’s day-to-day needs. This is mirrored in frequent and well-attended team meetings which, together with supervision, ensure that children receive consistent care and benefit from secure relationships with staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC406638 5 Staff have received mandatory training, as well as training specific to the needs of the children living in the home. This helps ensure that children receive care from familiar staff who are well equipped to respond to their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Despite the staff’s appropriate processes for storing and managing medication, the medication cabinet in the staff office is sometimes left unlocked when not in use. Inspection report for children’s home: SC406638 6

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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, The 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 registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)) 1 April 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing, supportive, homely and domestic environment that meets children’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should challenge the placing authority and other relevant parties to ensure that children receive the input and services they need during their time at the home or in preparation for leaving. Staff should act as champions for the children, expecting nothing less than a good parent would. The registered person should consider the use of an independent advocate if the child’s needs are not being met. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8)

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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 for children’s home: SC406638 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Winsbeach Children’s Home Limited

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Inspectors

Gemma Bullen, Social Care Inspector Steve Bailey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC406638 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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