Children's Home run by Oakley House Children’s Home Limited in Thurrock

Inspection report for children’s home: 2771696 1 Registered provider: Oakley House Children’s Home Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework .

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private organisation and provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager was appointed in July 2025 and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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 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: 3 September 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2771696 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/09/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2771696 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build positive relationships with the child by spending meaningful time with them. They take an active interest in the child’s hobbies and favourite activities. Staff and the child enjoy dining out together, playing games, and attending sports matches. This shared time helps the child feel understood and cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has invited friends to the home. This shows they feel proud of where they live and comfortable introducing their friends to staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care plans are detailed and personalised for the child. Plans include information from the local authority, education, and health providers. This gives staff a clear understanding of the child’s needs and ensures that appropriate care is provided.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the child to maintain their health. The child has experienced anxiety about visiting the dentist. However, with the support of staff, the child has felt able to visit the dentist and access the care they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is making good progress in education. A service that offers emotional well- being support alongside education is used to support the child. The child engages with academic work. Education professionals said that this is a significant improvement. Staff also encourage the child to consider future education and career options.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the child to spend time with people who are important to them. They take the child to see family and remain present during this time to provide support. This helps to make family time a positive experience. This means the child can maintain these relationships. This strengthens their sense of identity and helps them understand who they are.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide regular opportunities for the child to express their views. This happens through informal conversations, feedback forms, and meetings with the child. When requests cannot be met, staff explain why and offer a compromise to the child. The children’s guide is detailed and includes clear information, such as how to make a complaint. Staff have also spoken to the child about accessing support from an advocate. A referral to this service has now been made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean, comfortable and modern. The child’s bedroom is plain, with no wardrobe doors, in line with their preferences. Staff continue to encourage the child to request changes to their room. Recently, the child asked for a new bed and an electric fan, which staff provided. As a result, the child has a sense of ownership of their bedroom and feels valued when requests are acted on. Inspection report for children’s home: 2771696 4

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

Incidents are managed effectively, and staff adhere to risk assessments and care plans. Staff responses are consistent and appropriate. They know the child and the strategies that work best for them. Staff are clear on safeguarding procedures. They understand how to respond appropriately in various situations. There is reflective management oversight of incidents. This helps to identify any further action needed, enabling staff to provide safe and consistent care to the child.

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

Missing-from-home protocols are detailed and provide clear guidance for staff to follow. Staff work with external professionals to address repeated missing-from-home episodes. Leaders and managers listened to the child when they said they wanted a longer curfew and agreed this with the social worker. An incentive chart was introduced to support the child’s new routine. Waking night staff were also introduced to provide additional support. As a result, missing-from-home episodes have reduced significantly.

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

Following incidents, the child is offered key-work sessions. These give them the opportunity to reflect on what happened. Staff also provide informal key-work sessions. This allows learning to take place when the child is relaxed and receptive. Topics covered include substance misuse, criminal activity, and managing emotions. These sessions help the child to make safer decisions.

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

Risks around exploitation are understood. Staff follow support plans with clear guidance to reduce these risks. They show professional curiosity with the child. Staff make an effort to learn about the child’s social relationships. External professionals said that staff are curious and know the child well. They share information effectively. This helps the wider professional network understand the risks. It also supports them in keeping the child safe.

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

Staff have used consequences as part of their wider approach to managing behaviour. These are generally logical and restorative. However, management scrutiny of these consequences is inconsistent. Oversight does not always evaluate whether these measures are proportionate and justified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager is experienced and has a thorough understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feedback is positive. They feel well supported by managers. Staff say they work effectively as a team and make good use of their individual strengths.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff are up to date with mandatory training. They also receive additional training linked to the specific needs of children. This means staff have the knowledge and skills they need to provide effective care. When concerns arise in practice, leaders and managers revisit the training with the staff. Refresher training is provided as needed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2771696 5 Staff receive regular supervision. These sessions are reflective and detailed. This gives staff the opportunity to discuss any concerns and receive constructive feedback. Leaders and managers also use supervision to address concerns. They link discussions to training and identify where further development may be needed. This helps staff to enhance their practice and provide better care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are regular and well attended. Consistent messages and key information are shared across the staff team. Staff also benefit from clinical supervision offered as part of team meetings. This allows them to reflect on how children’s behaviours may be linked to their experiences. Staff use this reflection to plan the best way to respond to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals have provided positive feedback about the home. They said communication is strong. Leaders and managers work effectively as part of the multi- agency team. Professionals spoke about the progress made by the child. They credited this to the staff’s creative and consistent approach. They said they feel reassured that leaders and managers place the child at the centre of decision-making. Inspection report for children’s home: 2771696 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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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: 2771696 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oakley House Children’s Home Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 413 High Street, Stratford, London E15 4QZ

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Inspector

Emilja Myers, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2771696 8 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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