Ofsted praises RBWM for ‘strong’ support for children in care

Ofsted has praised the Royal Borough for the quality of support it provides to children and young people in care.

Inspectors carried out a focused visit to the council’s children-in-care services in January and highlighted the consistently high standard of care being delivered.

A report published on February 12 found that children benefit from well-coordinated, multidisciplinary support that promotes their well-being, educational progress, and long-term outcomes.

“Children in care benefit from a strong corporate parenting service that provides effective, multidisciplinary support which promotes their wellbeing, and helps ensure that children live in homes that meet their needs,” inspectors said.

Among the key strengths identified was a strong focus on kinship care, which has been strengthened since the previous inspection in 2024.

Inspectors noted that siblings are kept together wherever possible, placements are made within family networks, and maintaining family contact is prioritised, with reunification actively considered when it is safe to do so.

The borough’s virtual school was praised for its robust support, with regular meetings helping children and young people to make good progress.

Ofsted found that social workers build positive and consistent relationships with children in their care, enabling support to be tailored to each child’s individual needs throughout their care journey.

Governance arrangements between the council and Achieving for Children were described as effective, with leaders giving clear priority to their corporate parenting responsibilities.

Inspectors also recognised the value of early emotional support through strengths and difficulties questionnaires, which help identify needs at an early stage.

A new children’s recording system has been introduced, alongside in-house initiatives including increased support for carers, a systemic therapist and a wellbeing team input to help maintain placement stability.

The report also welcomed improvements in workforce stability since 2024, with reduced staff turnover leading to greater continuity for children and faster progress with care plans.

One area for improvement identified was the timeliness of transition planning for children in care with disabilities.

While disabled children live in homes that meet their needs, inspectors said preparation for adulthood does not always begin early enough, leaving some children and carers uncertain about the future.

Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education & Windsor, Cllr Amy Tisi said: “This positive Ofsted report reflects the dedication of our staff and the strong relationships they build with children and young people in our care.

"We are committed to ensuring children and young people in the Royal Borough have the best positive start to life, and we will continue to drive forward further improvements to ensure they are safe, supported and able to flourish.”

The council has also continued to invest in local provision, most recently opening a new children’s home, Oak House, allowing young people to remain close to their existing support networks.