Children's home run by Oak House Children's Home Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2661987 1 Registered provider: Oak 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 privately owned home provides care for up to 12 children with social and emotional difficulties and who may have‘ special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a separately registered independent school on the same site as the home. The inspector only inspected the social care provision.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2025.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 20 November 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: 2661987 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/11/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/09/2023 Full Good 31/10/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2661987 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, four children were living at the home. All of the children were seen as part of the inspection. Since the last inspection, three children have moved into the home, and two children have moved out.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm, nurturing and child-focused environment where children are making meaningful progress. Children are happy and settled at the home. They are relaxed and comfortable with staff. Staff spoke fondly about the children and were knowledgeable about their likes and the importance of their daily routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are well planned and include visits to the home to meet staff and the other children before moving in. This helps children to develop relationships with staff and to settle quickly into the home. When children have had to move on from the home in an unplanned way, staff have tried to provide a positive ending for them. This shows children they are valued and cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with opportunities to learn. Good communication between school and staff has led to children increasing their attendance in education. For two children, this has seen a return to education after a period away. Valuing education helps children to increase their opportunities for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s preferred methods of communication. Children have access to independent advocacy support, which ensures that they have their wishes heard and acted on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to build independence skills. For one child, there is progress in their self-care routines, allowing for more independence and dignity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a range of activities and experiences appropriate to their individual needs and interests. Staff plan enjoyable experiences tailored to children’s sensory preferences. Children take part in activities and clubs, such as attending Guides, trampoline parks and sensory experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have limited opportunities to engage with their cultural heritage. This does not ensure that children’s self-esteem and sense of identity are actively promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, the home is spacious, welcoming and well decorated. However, there is a significant amount of fire signage on display throughout the home, and unused paper towel holders in bathrooms and kitchens, which detracts from the homely environment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2661987 4

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

Staff successfully set boundaries and routines for children. This promotes and encourages positive behaviour. This consistent approach to behaviour management means the number of incidents has significantly reduced since the last inspection.

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

Children are supported to attend their health appointments. Staff understand children’s complex health needs and consult with health professionals when additional support is needed. Staff ensure that children receive appropriate medical treatment when it is required.

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

Two children experienced a significant delay in participating in a fire drill after moving into the home. Children do not have personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs). This does not help staff understand the level of support the children require to evacuate the home safely.

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

When consequences are used at the home, these are restorative in their approach. However, the effectiveness and proportionality of consequences are not always robustly recorded.

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

Assessments to consider the compatibility of children have not been individualised. This reduces the capacity for staff to consider how the group can successfully live together balancing out each child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is experienced, confident and has a clear vision for the home. She speaks enthusiastically about the children living at the home and is knowledgeable about each of their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff morale is high, and staff say they enjoy working at the home. They spoke positively about the manager and said they feel well supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are supported through a detailed induction programme. They receive regular supervision sessions, which contribute to reflective practice. Staff find this level of support effective in helping them to understand their role. Regular team meetings ensure consistency of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There is an extensive range of training to ensure children are safeguarded effectively and their individual needs are being met. However, four members of staff have not completed their mandatory diploma within the required timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Shortfalls were identified in a range of record-keeping. Some documents were incomplete, and records varied in quality. Children’s records did not include their local authority care plans. This highlights the need for stronger monitoring and review systems to ensure all records are consistently maintained. Inspection report for children’s home: 2661987 5

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h)) 31 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or 31 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2661987 6 in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(d)) 17 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who —

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children are supported to understand and celebrate their cultural heritage. 31 January 2026

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. In particular, fire signage and equipment should not be a prominent feature of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact Inspection report for children’s home: 2661987 7 that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  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 and

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Recommendations

the above principles as set out in 9.35 are respected. (‘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: 2661987 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oak House Children’s Home Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: A B C Care Solutions, 249 Cranbrook Road, Ilford IG1 4TG

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Inspector

Naomi Starbuck, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2661987 9 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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