Children's Home run by Linden Oak Homes Ltd in Sutton

Inspection report children's home: 2843475 1 Registered provider: Linden Oak Homes Ltd

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to 3 children with learning disabilities and/or children with social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children's home

This home and the manager registered with Ofsted in October 2025.

p.1

Information about this children's home

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

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children's home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children's home: 2843475 2

p.1

Summary of findings

One child has lived in the home since registration. The child receives excellent care and is making significant progress from their starting points.

p.2

Summary of findings

The home’s leadership is excellent, and staff say that they feel very well supported. The staff team have a deep understanding of the child’s needs and provide highly attuned care. The number of incidents has significantly reduced since the child has lived in the home. Feedback from external professionals, a parent and staff is very positive. The home has been well adapted to meet the child’s sensory and safety needs.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The quality of care that children receive is outstanding. The ethos of the home is caring and empathic, and staff provide the child with consistent boundaries. This has helped the child to develop a predictable routine and feel secure in their home. The child’s social worker said that she has consistently observed the child to be calm, settled, and responsive to staff guidance and verbal instructions.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child has made significant progress from their starting point. For example, their physical exercise has increased, there are more healthy food options in their daily diet, and they are using more words. The child’s social worker said, ‘I am highly satisfied with the progress that has been achieved in ensuring the child’s safety and emotional stability. One of the most significant indicators of this success is the trusting relationships [child’s name] has developed with their key workers. They regularly refer to the home as ‘[child’s name] home’, which demonstrates a strong sense of belonging, security, and attachment to the staff team.’

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child’s move into the home was sensitively planned around their needs. It included a range of meetings with different professionals so that staff had all the necessary information. Different members of staff visited the child to ensure that they were already familiar to the child before they moved into the home. Arrangements were also made for the child to visit the home, and staff wrote a social story to help the child know what to expect. This comprehensive planning supported the child well and helped them to move into their new home successfully.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff support the child to express their wishes and feelings. They have created a feelings and emotions board to help the child communicate how they feel. Staff used advice from other professionals and replaced general symbols with photographs of the child. Consequently, the child engages with the communication tools more fully. Staff understand the importance of capturing the child’s voice and routinely quote the child in their written records. Inspection report children's home: 2843475 3 Staff encourage the child to try new experiences every week. They do not give up if the first attempt is unsuccessful. This has led the child to regularly participate in new activities. For example, staff have discovered that the child enjoys trampolining and bowling. Photographs are regularly taken of the child’s activities and daily life which are captured in a book that staff have made for the child. This will give the child memories

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child lives in a house that is very warm, comfortable and homely and staff have adapted this well to the child’s sensory and safety needs. There are photographs of the child throughout. This gives the home a family feel and helps the child to feel that it is their home.

p.3

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

Staff provide the child with highly individualised regular key-work sessions to support their understanding of topics including positive relationships, self-care and safe boundaries. They use visual communication methods to support the child’s ongoing learning and development.

p.3

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

Staff have an excellent understanding of what they should do to keep the child safe. This is underpinned by detailed risk assessments that give staff clear guidance. Detailed and reflective discussions about the child take place in staff supervisions and monthly team meetings, which enhance the team’s shared knowledge of how best to safeguard the child.

p.3

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

Staff are skilled in managing incidents. A consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist noted that the team seeks advice when needed and that they focus on minimising restrictive interventions wherever possible. This consultation has helped the team to develop a deep understanding of the child’s needs and ways of expressing feelings. Consequently, staff are attuned to the child’s needs and de-escalate situations effectively. As a result, there has been a very significant reduction in incidents since the child moved into the home.

p.3

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

When physical restraint is used, it is proportionate and necessary to safeguard the child and others. Incidents are comprehensively recorded, which supports the registered manager to have good oversight and identify learning from incidents. The child and staff are usually spoken with after an incident, although details of these discussions are not always included in all written records of physical restraint.

p.3

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

Safe recruitment practice is very thorough. Files are well organised which helps leaders to ensure that all the necessary checks are undertaken. Any gaps in employment are clearly explored, references from all previous employers are sought, and all references are verified. This scrupulous process reduces the possibility of appointing a worker who poses risks to children.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Inspection report children's home: 2843475 4 The home’s leadership is inspirational. The registered manager leads with enthusiasm, knowledge and warmth. She has developed a thorough understanding of the child’s needs and ensures that this is embedded across the staff team. Staff wellbeing is one of her priorities and she offers consistent check ins when staff experience challenges. This contributes to them feeling very well supported. A staff member said, ‘Managers are approachable, and I feel comfortable raising concerns, asking questions or requesting guidance when needed. There is good communication between management and the staff team, and we are encouraged to discuss [child’s name’s] needs and any changes that may help improve the support provided to them.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is supported by an experienced responsible individual who also brings passion and commitment to the role. Together they are ambitious for the child to have the best care, experiences and outcomes.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are equally aspirational for their staff team. The responsible individual has produced a management development programme to support the progress of leaders across the company.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home has a stable, competent and well-trained staff team. They consistently shared how much they enjoy working in the home and this is evident in the home’s warm and welcoming environment. Staff communicate effectively with each other. They take pride in the excellent quality of care that they are offering the child and the progress that the child is making.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff’s communication with the child’s parent and external professionals is excellent. The feedback from other professionals is that communication is proactive and timely. The child’s parent shared that the registered manager called them every day after the child moved into their new home. This eased any worries they had, which in turn helped the child to settle into the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers monitor the service effectively. They produce detailed monthly reports that analyse the information gathered and use this to drive ongoing improvements to the child’s care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers research the most effective ways to support the child. For example, they contacted a well-known charity for advice on how to safely manage some known risks. They also funded a private occupational therapist for advice on making the home safe and comfortable for the child.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have not completed the quality-of-care review within the required timescale. This limited Ofsted’s oversight prior to inspection of whether the home was meeting the standards and regulations. Inspection report children's home: 2843475 5

p.4

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, 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.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months. (Regulation 45(1))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that the quality of care review is completed and sent to Ofsted within timescales. 2 October 2026

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint consistently include the views and comments of the child and staff involved. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 49, paragraph 9.59)

p.5

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 children's home: 2843475 6

p.5

Children's home details

Registered provider: Linden Oak Homes Ltd

p.6

Children's home details

Registered provider address: 112 Morden Road, London SW19 3BP

p.6

Children's home details

Responsible individual: Tania Richardson

p.6

Inspector

Jo Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2843475 7 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.6

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.7

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7