Children's Home run by Willow Haven Homes Limited in Barking and Dagenham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2861692 1 Registered provider: Willow Haven Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately run and provides care for up to 2 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted on 22 February 2026. The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and we are currently checking whether this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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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

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: 2861692 2

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Summary of findings

The child is cared for by a committed and competent staff team. Staff support the child to develop independence and maintain meaningful family relationships, and they collaborate effectively with professionals to meet the child’s health, education and safeguarding needs. When direct engagement is limited, staff use creative approaches to capture the child’s views, wishes and feelings, ensuring that these inform care planning. Risks are managed appropriately, and staff receive regular supervision and training to help them provide child-centred care. Leaders and managers understand the child’s needs through monitoring the quality of care, and they take action to promote improvement. Multi-agency working strengthens safeguarding arrangements and supports positive outcomes for the child. However, the child continues to spend a lot of time in their bedroom and does not always engage in the activities offered. In addition,

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Summary of findings

safer recruitment practices are not sufficiently robust. The home and garden also need to be made more homely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are focused on building a strong and trusting relationship with the child in a safe and nurturing home environment. Staff understand the child’s needs and recognise that direct engagement is not always possible. They have devised creative and meaningful approaches to capture the child’s voice and feelings to enable the child to influence their day-to-day care and planning. As a result, the child receives care that aligns with their needs, improving their experiences and outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the child’s independence effectively. They encourage the child to undertake age-appropriate tasks, such as online weekly shopping and managing laundry. This helps the child to develop practical independent living skills, confidence, autonomy and a sense of responsibility.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child benefits from having regular contact with their family. Staff collaborate with the child’s parents to ensure that contact arrangements are safe and structured. In addition, communication with the parents is incorporated into decision-making and care plans. This provides consistency in the care the child receives and helps them to maintain important family relationships, promoting their emotional wellbeing and sense of identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work collaboratively with the child’s social worker regarding the child’s educational needs. The child is currently not accessing formal education. However, staff are committed to promoting the child’s education, and plans are in place to support their return to education in September 2026. Inspection report for children’s home: 2861692 3 Staff offer the child access to a range of activities. However, the child does not always consider that the activities are tailored to their individual interests or preferences. The lack of engagement limits opportunities for the child to widen their experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child spends long periods in their bedroom and has limited direct interaction with staff. This reduces opportunities for them to develop trusting relationships with staff and experience a sense of belonging in the home. Leaders and managers recognise the risks associated with prolonged isolation and are taking steps to improve the child’s engagement with staff, including through targeted recruitment of new staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a safe and nurturing environment for the child. However, there are opportunities to further improve the living space to better reflect the child’s interests and encourage engagement outside their bedroom. The home is not sufficiently personalised, and the recreational space in the garden is not fully developed.

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

The child does not often go missing from the home. When incidents occur, staff respond appropriately and follow agreed safeguarding procedures that promote the child’s safety and wellbeing. The registered manager reviews these incidents to identify learning and strengthen safeguarding practice. This helps staff remain vigilant to the child’s needs and supports efforts to reduce the likelihood of future occurrences.

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

Risk assessments are reviewed following incidents so that they remain relevant and effective. Staff understand the strategies needed to support the child, and they implement agreed safety plans to reduce the likelihood of further incidents. Staff balance the child’s need for independence with appropriate levels of supervision and monitoring.

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

Debriefs following incidents help staff to reflect on how to provide clear and consistent communication, particularly when the child experiences periods of anxiety. This reflective approach helps staff to understand the child’s experiences and has the potential to improve relationships over time.

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

Leaders and managers respond effectively to complaints raised by the child. Concerns are taken seriously; they are reviewed and referred to the local authority designated officer (LADO) for independent oversight and guidance if necessary. This shows that leaders and managers are committed to ensuring transparency and accountability.

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

The child’s health needs are well understood and met effectively. Staff ensure that the child has access to all the necessary services required to promote their physical and emotional wellbeing.

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

Staff have enabled the child to engage in meaningful conversations through a mentoring arrangement. The child has a positive relationship with the mentor, who provides an additional source of support and engagement. These conversations offer valuable insight into the child’s views, wishes and feelings, and the feedback helps staff to better understand the child’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2861692 4 Recruitment record keeping does not enable managers to fully ensure that all staff are subject to appropriate scrutiny. Records reviewed do not consistently provide satisfactory explanations for gaps in employment, and references have not always been verified to establish the identity and authenticity of referees. This limits the registered manager’s ability to have full assurance that safer recruitment checks have been carried out effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers understand the child’s needs and are committed to ensuring that every engagement with the child is meaningful. They are determined to ensure that the child makes progress and has positive experiences while living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive relevant training that is tailored to the child’s needs. Leaders and managers ensure that staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide safe care for the child. Training is regularly updated to reflect the child’s changing needs and any emerging risks. This helps staff to feel confident in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and reflective supervision. These discussions focus on the child’s needs, as well as enabling staff to review their practice and identify areas for development. Supervision supports staff to provide consistent care for the child and improves their understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work effectively with a range of professionals, including the police, local authorities and the LADO. This multi-agency approach provides added oversight for care planning and safeguarding arrangements. Information is shared promptly, risks are understood, and decision-making is informed by a range of professional input. This helps to promote the child’s safety and wellbeing as they continue to receive coordinated support from agencies involved in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers monitor the quality of care provided in the home. There are monitoring systems in place to help them evaluate practice, identify strengths and address areas that require improvement. This oversight ensures consistency in the care the child receives and demonstrates a commitment to improving the child’s experience of living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2861692 5

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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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that full employment checks are carried out and that staff suitability is thoroughly assessed before individuals are appointed to roles in the home. 26 October 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should identify and provide appropriate opportunities for children to develop in accordance with their wishes and feelings and as part of the home’s plans for their care. Each child’s talents and interests should be understood and nurtured, with opportunities for children to select activities based on their personal preferences and abilities, where reasonable. Staff should also encourage children to try new activities, where appropriate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.4)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets children’s needs. Children’s homes will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 2861692 6

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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: 2861692 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Willow Haven Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 3, 1st Floor, 6-7 St Mary at Hill, London EC3R 8EE

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Inspector

Stella Namakula, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2861692 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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