Children's Home run by Great Oak Lodge Limited in Norfolk

Inspection report for children’s home: 2775131 1 Registered provider: Great Oak Lodge Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to four children aged between 11 and 17 years old who experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2025.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2775131 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/08/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2775131 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are three children living at the home. The inspector spent time with the children during the inspection. Two children have moved out since the last inspection as the staff could not meet their escalating needs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to providing consistency and stability for children. For one child, this is the longest time they have been in one home. Despite some challenges for staff, they are determined to stick by this child and this commitment is having a positive effect on the child. The long-term plan for all the children at the home is to remain there until adulthood.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to build up skills that will help them as adults. One child is eager to increase their independent living skills and has specific goals they are working towards. Staff have embraced this and are helping them to achieve these goals. Children are supported to keep their rooms tidy, to cook and bake and have also planted their own flowers and vegetables in the garden.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

For one child, there has been some specific challenges. Staff have worked closely alongside specialist services to support this child. Staff are building a picture of the child’s behaviour and helpfully share this with other professionals, so the child can get the right support. A professional from a specialist team working with the staff said ‘I think the home have been superb. I have worked with quite a few children’s homes, and this is one of the best I have seen’.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One member of staff has an education champion role. She is tenacious in ensuring children receive suitable education. Children have plans that are tailored to their individual needs. Children are also supported and encouraged to read and to help staff develop the homes monthly newsletter. Supporting education in a variety of ways helps enhance children’s opportunities in the future. A teacher from the virtual school gave very good feedback on how the home support and advocate for children’s education.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy swimming, marshall arts and going the gym. Staff take part in these activities too. Helping children enjoy a range of physical activity helps to improve their health and well-being.

p.3

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

There have been a high number of incidents in the home. Recently one child moved as the staff could no longer meet their changing needs alongside the other children. Since that time, children are more settled. Inspection report for children’s home: 2775131 4 Staff understand children’s triggers and they are putting strategies in place to help distract children when they are feeling anxious or distressed. This contributed to a reduction in incidents.

p.3

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

The home has a positive relationship with the local police. Police gave excellent feedback about how the staff work alongside them. There have been some recent issues in the local community but police say the staff handled this very well and promptly shared information with them so they could address the matter. This is now resolved. Police said that staff are very welcoming and have helped police to build relationships with the children. Having a good relationship with police helps to protect children.

p.4

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

Children do go missing from the home. When this happens, staff do their best to locate children, to keep in touch and ultimately to get them to return home. Staff use the agreed protocol with the police for missing children.

p.4

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

Staff are warm and nurturing. They spend lots of time with children and this helps them to build positive relationships. Through these relationships staff have really important conversations with children and help them to develop their understanding of a range of matters such as sexual health, relationships, emotions and safety and well-being.

p.4

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

When children raise safeguarding concerns, these are taken seriously. The manager usually reports them to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) without delay. However, on one occasion, a staff member recorded that a child had made an allegation during an incident. This was not followed up until it was noted during the inspection. On another occasion, a concern was reported one day late. One concern, that was dealt with appropriately by leaders and managers at the time, remains open to LADO.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced manager who is dedicated to her role. She has the relevant level 5 qualification.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the manager began her post, staff say the day-to-day running of the home has improved. Staff speak highly of the manager and say she is approachable, and she takes their ideas and opinions on board. This helps them to feel valued.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is stable with some experienced members. Training is up to date and staff are supported by regular supervision. Team meetings are used well to continuously build on staff knowledge and experience. There is a good focus on the children and a learning approach to any incidents that have happened. This helps staff provide informed care to children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses a range of tools to review and monitor the care that is provided and to look at any incidents children have. Her reviews are analytical. This approach is helping to identify any patterns and trends for children’s behaviour and create plans that are tailored to children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2775131 5 The manager works well alongside other professionals, and a range of positive feedback was received. Professionals value the good communication from the manager and staff. These effective multi-agency relationships helps with the holistic care planning for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2775131 6

p.4

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

p.6

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

p.6

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi)(vii)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff report safeguarding concerns appropriately in a timely way. 05 August 2025

p.6

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: 2775131 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Great Oak Lodge Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 18, Gateway 1000, Arlington Business Park, Whittle Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2FP

p.7

Inspector

Mary Costello, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2775131 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8