Children's Home run by Simple Settings Ltd in Redbridge

Inspection report for children’s home: 2820817 1 Registered provider: SIMPLE SETTINGS LTD

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home that provides care for up to 3 children with emotional and social difficulties and/or learning disabilities, including autism.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted on 30 August 2025. The manager of the home has applied for registration with Ofsted and awaits their interview.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living at the home.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 24 February 2026

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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: 2820817 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/02/2026 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2820817 3

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Summary of findings

Children are making progress because they receive individualised care that meets their education, health, communication and developmental needs. Staff know the children well and provide nurturing, consistent care that helps them develop independence, express their views and enjoy positive experiences. Leaders and managers understand children’s experiences and maintain effective oversight of their care and progress. However, a safeguarding incident highlighted weaknesses in the home’s safeguarding culture at that time. Although leaders responded promptly once concerns came to light, the delay in staff reporting concerns resulted in 2 requirements being raised and a recommendation made to strengthen practice and oversight.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress because they receive care that is based on their individual needs and abilities. Staff know each child well and provide support that helps them to learn and build confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health and emotional wellbeing are promoted effectively. Staff advocate for children and ensure that they can access a range of health and specialist services. As a result, some children have made significant improvements in their health and wellbeing. For example, staff support one child with complex health needs to attend specialist appointments, while another child has been referred for additional emotional support. Medication is managed safely, with clear plans in place and regular oversight from healthcare professionals, helping to ensure that children’s health needs are met consistently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are listened to and encouraged to express themselves in ways that suit their communication styles. Staff use pictures and symbols, social stories, flash cards and other objects to help children share their feelings and preferences. House meetings and key-work discussions are adapted to help the children take part in a meaningful way without feeling overwhelmed. Records and photos show children engaging in discussions about things that are important to them, such as food choices, activities and how they feel. These experiences promote engagement and help the children to develop confidence and independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff plan activities that reflect children’s interests, learning styles and developmental needs. During school holidays, staff help children go out in the community for walks, see animals, do arts and crafts and engage in other sensory activities. At home, children are supported to engage in baking, music sessions and outdoor play.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Structured bedtime routines, sensory support and relaxation activities help the children to feel settled, safe and calm. There are warm and caring interactions between staff and Inspection report for children’s home: 2820817 4 children, with staff providing praise, encouragement and reassurance as the children complete their daily routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is child focused. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and adapted to meet their individual sensory and developmental needs. Staff recognise, celebrate and promote children’s cultural identities through food, language, music and opportunities to learn about their heritage. In addition, children have also formed positive relationships with one another, which helps them develop a sense of belonging in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to see their families in line with their care plans. For some of the children, staff work closely with family members and professionals to support gradual moves back home, with careful consideration of their safety, routines and self-care skills. One child is being supported to develop their independence skills through choice-making and everyday opportunities, at a pace that meets their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in full-time education and attend specialist schools that are well matched to their learning needs. Staff have built positive relationships with education providers and work collaboratively to ensure that there is continuity of care between the home and the school. However, managers do not have up-to-date education, health and care plans, and other relevant reports from children’s placing authorities and so cannot be confident that their records are current and support care planning.

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improvement to be good

An incident involving a child raised concerns about the safeguarding culture in the home at that time. Staff did not promptly report concerns or use the home’s whistleblowing procedures, despite the incident occurring in the presence of other staff. As a result, the child remained exposed to potential risk for longer than necessary. This demonstrates that staff did not consistently show the professional curiosity, confidence and accountability expected when safeguarding children. Consequently, safeguarding arrangements were not sufficiently effective. Once leaders and managers became aware of the concerns, they acted appropriately by notifying relevant safeguarding agencies and implementing additional monitoring measures. Increased management oversight, including daily scrutiny of practice, has since been introduced to strengthen safeguarding arrangements and provide assurance that children are safe.

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improvement to be good

In most cases, children are cared for by staff who understand their individual support needs and vulnerabilities. Children benefit from personalised support and care plans that help them to feel safe. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and provide staff with guidance on how to respond to known and emerging health risks, such as allergies. As a result, staff can support children safely while encouraging appropriate levels of independence. Inspection report for children’s home: 2820817 5 Staff help children in a way that promotes their dignity and safety. Personal care arrangements are carefully planned and take into account children’s developmental needs and wishes. Children are encouraged to make choices, develop self-care skills and learn about personal boundaries.

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improvement to be good

Staff use positive behaviour support approaches through clear routines, social stories and visual prompts to help children understand expectations, express their needs and reduce anxiety. Staff are also able to recognise signs of distress and respond calmly and consistently to help the children to regulate their emotions. This helps children feel safe and confident in their interactions with staff and each other.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers ensure that incidents are appropriately reported, recorded, reviewed and followed up with relevant professionals, with learning identified to strengthen future practice. Following incidents, staff are debriefed through supervision, while children receive tailored key-work support to help them process events and reduce future risks.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have effective working partnerships with local authorities, schools and health professionals to promote children’s wellbeing and ensure that their needs are met. Staff share information regularly with professionals, attend meetings and appointments and advocate on behalf of the children to ensure they receive specialist and timely interventions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers understand children’s experiences and can evidence the progress children have made since moving into the home. They review children’s achievements and emerging needs, which enables them to respond to any barriers to development. This understanding helps leaders and managers to plan and deliver care that aligns with each child’s individual needs. As a result, children receive care that promotes their wellbeing and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a proactive approach to learning and continuous development. Following the incident noted above, managers responded promptly by holding additional meetings to monitor staff practice, and they took appropriate action to ensure that staff were clear about their safeguarding responsibilities, the importance of whistleblowing, and expectations regarding record-keeping.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have improved their oversight by introducing new supervision systems to support accountability and give staff opportunities to reflect on their practice. Newly appointed staff benefit from a structured induction programme and have mandatory training that equips them to meet the children’s complex needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. Discussions are reflective and focus on safeguarding children and meeting their health and developmental needs, as well as staff development and wellbeing. Inspection report for children’s home: 2820817 6 Managers understand the importance of staff development to ensure children receive high-quality care. Staff receive a wide range of training which supports children’s specific needs and enables them to provide consistent care and informed support. Managers actively seek more learning opportunities and work closely with external professionals, including special schools and health care providers, to improve staff knowledge and skills. This collaborative approach promotes continuity of care and ensures that staff are equipped to meet children’s changing needs effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff actively promote diversity, equality and inclusion in the home. Recruitment practices have also helped to create a diverse workforce. This helps to develop an environment where children are encouraged to value differences and develop respect for each other. Inspection report for children’s home: 2820817 7

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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 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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have the confidence to whistleblow when there are concerns about children’s safety and wellbeing. 14 October 2026

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 1 December 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2820817 8 In particular, the registered person must ensure that monitoring and review systems provide leaders with sufficient assurance that the safeguarding culture of the home promotes children’s safety and welfare.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should actively seek to obtain up-to-date information and relevant plans from the placing authorities, including education, health and care plans, and challenge any delays to ensure that children’s care planning reflects their current assessed needs and desired outcomes. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.7)

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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: 2820817 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SIMPLE SETTINGS LTD

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 330 Ripple Rd, Barking IG11 7RR

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Inspector

Stella Namakula, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2820817 10 and inspects 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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