Children's Home run by Wokingham Borough Council in Wokingham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2841711 1 Registered provider: Wokingham Borough Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by the local authority. It is in a quiet road on the edge of woodland with easy access to local towns. Two children can live in the home. The home was registered in November 2025. This is the first inspection since registration.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since the beginning of June 2026.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2841711 2

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Summary of findings

The child living in the home is making good progress and has some strong relationships with staff. The child is making good use of the local area and what it has to offer, including maintaining their cultural heritage and keeping fit and healthy. Staff understand the child’s needs well and are supporting them as they work through their worries and concerns. There have been several changes in the staff team, which has caused the child some disruption. Additionally, there have been some inconsistencies in approaches, which has led to some instability and confusion for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has good relationships with some staff and staff know them well. Staff are enthusiastic about their roles and use a therapeutic approach in their practice. The relationships that the child has established with staff help them to feel cared for and valued. As a result, the child feels comfortable in their home and has made progress with understanding their behaviours that have placed them at risk of harm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Predictable structures and routines have helped the child to make good progress, particularly in relation to participation in educational and social activities. This means that they have also benefited from opportunities to make friendships outside the home. Staff actively encourage the child to pursue their interests and hobbies, which include travelling long distances to join a bike polo team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a homely feel in some areas, but lacks care and consideration in others. In some rooms, the walls are largely bare and damage is not repaired quickly. The child’s bedroom lacks personality as staff have not sufficiently encouraged them to personalise their room, despite the child having lived in the home for some time. The child’s personal spaces do not reflect their identity and interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide plenty of opportunities for the child to express their views, including through key-work sessions and significant conversations. An open culture allows the child to talk about the things that matter to them, such as their identity and family.

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

Staff know the child well and are clear on the risks. Care plans, risk assessments and safety plans are thorough and detailed. Managers ensure that they are updated regularly and clearly describe what staff need to do to keep the child safe. This enables staff to provide the child with consistent and predictable support.

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

Staff reflect on significant incidents and discuss what can be learned from these events. This means that staff are consistently encouraged to reflect on their practice and there are opportunities to share expertise, advice and learning. Inspection report for children’s home: 2841711 3 Staff know the child extremely well. They are adept at noticing changes in the child’s presentation and behaviour. They recognise that those changes may indicate that the child is struggling and needs additional support. As a result of this understanding, the use of physical restraint is kept to a minimum.

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

When the child engages in behaviours that might put them at risk, staff consider the actions that they may need to take to help the child learn about risks and the potential impact of behaviours. Conversations take place with the child that are relevant to their needs.

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

The registered manager has left the home. Staff noted that this had been preceded by some inconsistencies and some confusion for the child regarding decisions that impacted on their care. The responsible individual quickly identified the shortfalls and worked tirelessly to stabilise the home and support staff. As a result, the child was kept safe and provided with nurturing care in difficult circumstances. Staff say that this made a difference, that they learned a lot in a short amount of time and that the home is now settled.

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

The newly appointed manager has demonstrated commitment and a determination to improve the quality of care provided. Staff speak positively about the impact they have had on the home. However, this has only been for a short time.

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

Staff are offered a range of training courses to give them the necessary knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the child living in the home. An emphasis on positive connections with the child to build secure attachments helps staff to understand trauma and to provide consistent care.

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

Some staff receive supervision. However, this is not consistent, which means some staff do not receive the support to reflect on their practice, discuss concerns or receive feedback.

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Statutory requirements

Inspection report for children’s home: 2841711 4 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers must ensure that staff are aware of any changes in plans, or expectations; that staff are involved in decision-making; and that changes in staff have as little impact on children as possible. 7 August 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is well maintained and decorated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that there is a regular review of the home’s risk assessment for fire safety. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have regular reflective spaces (also known as supervision) to consider their practice when looking after children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children’s home: 2841711 5

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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: 2841711 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Wokingham Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Wokingham Borough Council, Shute End, Wokingham RG40 1BN

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Inspectors

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Hannah Cox, Social Care Compliance Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2841711 7 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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