Forest Home
Care home in Halstead, Essex
Do you run Forest Home? Manage this listing free.
About
Forest Home is a 39-bed care home in Halstead, Braintree, Essex. The home provides residential care with support for daily living and personal care needs. Forest Home is rated Requires Improvement by the Care Quality Commission, with that assessment published in 2023.
The home is currently rated Requires Improvement across all five key questions: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led.
What inspectors found
CQC: Requires improvementReport published 29 September 2023 · Last inspected 29 August 2023
Inspectors found that people felt safe, were treated warmly and respectfully, and had positive relationships with staff who knew their needs well. Staffing was described as sufficient, and changes in people's health were identified and acted on. Inspectors also found gaps in management oversight, medicines handling and staff training, and noted that parts of the building were worn.
- People and relatives said they felt safe and that staff knew how to raise concerns.
- Staff understood people's individual care and support needs and how people wished to be supported.
- Food, drinks and call bells were available to people throughout the inspection, and fluid intake was recorded and checked daily.
- The complaints process was clear, and people said the service could meet their individual needs.
- Management oversight and quality monitoring were not always effective, as some shortfalls found at inspection had not been identified.
- Medicines management was not always robust, though the manager addressed the concerns promptly with GP support.
- Some staff training was out of date or not in place, including diabetes awareness and overdue refresher courses.
Written by AI from the report text and checked against it. Not an official CQC statement. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Read the full report on CQC.
Food hygiene rating
Very good
Food Standards Agency · inspected May 2026
What's nearby
- Near a main road
- Fire station about 700 m away
Straight-line distances. Road and rail noise from government strategic noise mapping (modelled, not measured). A&E departments from the NHS website. Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
What’s in the area
Outdoor Spaces
- AllotmentsSparse
- Play SpaceSparse
- Golf CourseLimited
- Public ParkLimited
- Tennis CourtAdequate
- Bowling GreenSparse
- Playing FieldSparse
Local Amenities
- Pubs & BarsSparse
- Restaurants & CafesLimited
- Retail ShoppingLimited
- SupermarketsSparse
- TakeawaysLimited
Local crime statistics
108 recorded crimes in the local area (April 2026)
Top categories:
Source: data.police.uk · within 1 mile
Fees and funding
| Care type | Weekly fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Residential care | Fees on request | — |
- Funding accepted
- Not stated
Fees depend on the room and the care needed, so ask the home for a written quote. Check who pays with the funding calculator, or see what Essex council pays.
Care fee trajectory
| Year | Council rate (per week) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | £807 |
| 2025 | £849 |
What Essex council pays care homes, and whether it will help with fees
Weighing up the options? Compare a care home with care at home, or check who pays with the means-test calculator.
Local health safety net
Forest Home is backed by a local NHS health network. The nearest A&E is Colchester Hospital, 13.7 miles away. The local GP practice is HEDINGHAM MEDICAL CENTRE, 1.1 miles away.
Nearest services from NHS ODS + postcodes.io + CQC, by straight-line distance.
Community & connection in Halstead
Local clubs, charities and support groups that help older residents stay active and connected.
Braintree Area U3a
The advancement of education and in particular the education of older people and those who are retired from full-time work by all means including associated activities conducive to learning and…
Crossroads Braintree and Chelmsford Ltd
Our main activity is to provide short breaks to unpaid carers who care for adults and children with care needs as a result of disability, illness or age. In doing so we aim to relieve some of the…
William Bendlowe
The charity was started in 1573 to provide coal and clothing to 4 elderly people in the village of Shalford but times have changed and now the charity promotes community spirit and organises…
Halstead Day Centre
The charity provides day care (including transport,bathing, a shopping service, advocacy and recreational activities) for people over 60 and who are isolated for whatever reason living in a radius…
Cressing Temple Community Shed
The purpose is to share skills and experiences, provide a haven to combat loneliness and isolation and to add value to communities. It is an opportunity to use your skills in wood working,…
Gostart Community Transport
Provision of low cost accessible transport for any who is disadvantaged by reason of age disability or location. We operate Dial A Ride within 8 mile radius of Sudbury and accessible community…
More care homes near Halstead
Information last reviewed October 2026.
Reviews from families
No reviews yet. If someone close to you lives or lived at Forest Home, your experience helps other families.
Write a review
Make an enquiry
Free, independent help
Talk to an adviser
Not sure where to start with care home fees or funding? Ask Bart, our AI assistant, answers questions about funding, care types and what to look for straight away. For anything you’d rather talk through, leave your number and a person from AskBart calls you back within one working day.
We don’t sell your details or take commission from homes, so the advice is the same whichever home you choose.
Do you run Forest Home?
This profile is built from the public CQC register and independent data. Claim it — free — to add a description, fees, vacancies and photos. Spotted something wrong? Let us know and we’ll fix it.