FOOTSTEPS CARE GROUP
MEET OUR TEAM
Registered Manager
Natasha Bailey
Natasha is the Registered Manager for Footsteps Care's Children's Service in Goodmayes.
She brings over 20 years of professional experience across the public, private and third sectors, with a career spanning psychology, education, special educational needs, children's residential care, adult services, workforce development and community engagement.
This breadth of experience has provided her with extensive expertise in leading services that support children, young people and adults with complex needs.
Since joining Footsteps Care in 2018, Natasha has progressed through several leadership roles. Her progression reflects her dedication to delivering high-quality care and her commitment to supporting both children and staff to achieve their full potential.
Throughout her career, she has strengthened safeguarding, developed high-performing teams and embedded robust quality assurance systems that promote positive outcomes for children and young people.
She is passionate about creating a home environment where children can develop confidence, independence and resilience.
This wealth of her experience enables her to combine strategic oversight with compassionate, relationship-centred leadership, ensuring children, young people and staff are supported to achieve positive and sustainable outcomes.
Her extensive experience across a variety of roles has given her a well-rounded understanding of residential care, enabling her to lead with confidence, empathy and a strong focus on achieving the best possible outcomes for every child.
Drawing on her background in psychology, child development and education, she brings a psychologically informed approach to leadership, creating reflective environments where people feel valued, supported and empowered to thrive.
Natasha creates supportive and aspirational cultures where staff feel valued, cared for and empowered to deliver the very best outcomes for children and young people.
Her collaborative approach enables her to build strong partnerships with others to ensure every child has the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
Registered Manager
Isaac Iyiola
Isaac is the Registered Manager for Footsteps Care's Children's Residential Service in Leyton.
With over 12 years of experience across children's residential care, supported accommodation and healthcare services, he has developed extensive experience in safeguarding, child development, leadership and service improvement.
His career has focused on supporting children and young people with a wide range of emotional, behavioural and complex needs.
Since joining Footsteps Care, Isaac has progressed through several leadership roles, leading on improved operational systems and contributing to positive outcomes for children and young people.
His frontline experience supporting children and young people with learning disabilities, autism, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and complex care needs continues to shape his child-centred leadership approach.
Isaac is passionate about supporting children with a strong focus on child-centred care and multidisciplinary partnership working.
His healthcare experience enables him to take a holistic approach, recognising the importance of emotional wellbeing alongside physical health and development.
Dedicated to creating safe, nurturing environments, Isaac believes positive relationships are central to successful residential care.
He is committed to promoting independence and creating a safe, nurturing environment with positive outcomes for every child to reach their full potential.
A strong advocate for reflective practice, Isaac prioritises staff development through supervision, mentoring and continuous learning.
He promotes an open, inclusive culture where staff feel valued, supported and empowered to contribute to service improvement.
Isaac works closely with local authorities, education providers, health professionals, families and external agencies to ensure coordinated, effective support and high standards of care planning and delivery.
Manager
Jay Dewage
Jay is the Adult Service Manager for Footsteps Care in Goodmayes and brings more than 20 years of experience across health and social care, youth justice, fostering, residential care, and community services. His career has spanned a wide range of frontline and leadership roles, providing him with extensive knowledge of supporting vulnerable children, young people, and adults with complex needs.
Before joining Footsteps Care, Jay gained significant experience working within Youth Offending Teams (YOT), where he worked collaboratively with local authorities, education providers, police, probation services, and families to support young people involved in or at risk of entering the criminal justice system. This experience strengthened his skills in safeguarding, multi-agency partnership working, conflict resolution, restorative practice, and risk management.
Jay has also contributed extensively within fostering services. In these roles, he was involved in reviewing fostering assessments, considering the suitability of prospective foster carers, evaluating care plans, and ensuring that recommendations were centred on the best interests of children and young people.
Throughout his career, Jay has held responsibilities in frontline support, mentoring, youth work, safeguarding, residential care, supported living, service development, quality assurance, and operational management. His broad experience has enabled him to lead multidisciplinary teams, manage complex safeguarding concerns, oversee regulatory compliance, implement continuous service improvements, and build positive partnerships with local authorities, healthcare professionals, families, and external agencies.
Since joining Footsteps Care in 2015, Jay has played a key role in developing and leading adult supported living services that promote independence, choice, dignity, and well-being. He is committed to delivering high-quality, person-centered care that meets the requirements of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and reflects current legislation, best practice, and regulatory standards. His leadership focuses on ensuring individuals receive compassionate, safe, and outcome-focused support that enables them to live fulfilling and independent lives.
Jay is recognised for his calm and approachable leadership style, his ability to build strong professional relationships, and his commitment to developing staff through coaching, mentoring, and reflective practice. His wealth of experience across children's and adult services provides a unique perspective that supports the delivery of safe, responsive, and high-quality care while maintaining the highest standards of governance, safeguarding, and service excellence.
Human Resources Manager
Melanie Ferreira
Melanie has been part of the Footsteps Care family since 2014, working in a variety of roles that have given her a broad understanding of the organisation, its values, and the staff teams. Her experience across different areas of the organisation has provided valuable insight into the importance of teamwork, communication, and delivering high-quality, person-centred care. Prior to joining Footsteps Care, Melanie worked in senior care, where she developed a strong foundation in safeguarding, supporting vulnerable people, and promoting the dignity, wellbeing, and independence.
Originally qualifying in Graphic Design, Melanie continues to use her creative skills to support the organisation's communications by producing a range of materials that help keep employees, families, and professionals informed and connected. She enjoys presenting information in a clear and accessible way, helping to ensure that important messages are communicated effectively while reflecting the organisation's values and commitment to high-quality care.
Melanie found her passion for Human Resources and is now an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (Assoc CIPD). Through continued professional development, she has a broad knowledge of HR and is committed to providing practical, balanced advice and support to colleagues throughout the organisation. She values building positive working relationships and recognises the important role that HR plays in supporting both employees and managers to work together effectively and confidently.
We believe that a strong HR support is essential to maintaining a skilled, compassionate, and committed workforce. Melanie works collaboratively with teams to promote best practice, supports compliance with employment legislation, and helps ensure that our recruitment and employment processes remain safe, robust, and effective. Working alongside managers and the leadership team, Melanie supports all aspects of the employee journey, helping to ensure fair, consistent, and compliant HR practices across the organisation. By encouraging open communication and a consistent approach, she helps create an environment where employees feel supported and well informed.
Melanie is passionate about creating a positive working environment where people feel valued, respected, and supported. She believes that when employees have the right guidance, encouragement, and opportunities to develop, they are able to provide the highest standard of care to the people who rely on our services. She values honesty, fairness, and collaboration, and enjoys working alongside colleagues to find practical solutions that benefit both employees and the wider organisation. Whether working with managers, supporting colleagues, or contributing to the organisation's communications, her focus is on helping to create a workplace where people can grow, work together, and provide the best possible outcomes for all.
Trainer
Chris Wright
Chris has over 20 years of experience across children's and adult services, combining operational leadership with staff development and training.
Having worked in a range of frontline, management, and senior leadership roles within local authority and independent care services.
Throughout his career, Chris has managed services supporting children, young people, and adults, giving him extensive knowledge of safeguarding, regulatory compliance, quality assurance, workforce development, and service improvement.
His experience across both local authority and independent sector settings has enabled him to lead, embed best practice, and drive positive outcomes while maintaining compliance with Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Ofsted.
Chris has worked as area manager, overseeing four homes supporting adults with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs. He was responsible for all aspects operational oversight.
His leadership focused on creating positive cultures, improving service quality, and ensuring individuals were supported to maximise their independence, choice, and quality of life.
Chris has a particular passion for developing and empowering staff through high-quality training. For more than sixteen years, he has delivered specialist training in behaviour management, de-escalation and physical intervention.
His training promotes the safety, dignity, and well-being of the individuals being supported, while equipping staff with the confidence and practical skills to respond effectively in complex and challenging situations.
Alongside behaviour support, Chris delivers a wide range of mandatory training.
His engaging and practical training style combines current legislation, best practice guidance, and real-life experience, helping staff translate learning into safe and effective practice.
Chris is passionate about mentoring and developing staff.
His combination of frontline experience, senior leadership experience, and specialist training knowledge enables him to support staff in achieving excellence in care while promoting the highest standards of professional practice.