The Oaks
In November, The Oaks celebrated one resident’s birthday and her major milestone for becoming an official teenager. She loved all her gifts and decorations that staff had put up in the home, and then went out for a lovely meal where she had a surprise visit from her foster sisters from her old home.
In December, The Oaks had a new young person move in, and as all their names begin with an A, they’ve started calling themselves Triple A! They have spent lots of time getting to know each another, going out to do activities together, and have even created a display all about being kind where they write notes on what they like about each other.
The Oaks are still receiving regular home visits from their favourite Pets As Therapy dog, Halloumi, who kindly gave all our residents some chocolates and socks with doggy faces on for Christmas! Over the cold Winter months, they have been enjoying movie nights and cosy evenings in, but also went out for meals, to museums, the arcade, and ice skating.
The gang loved going out shopping for their Christmas tree and decorations. They put up a great Christmas display which incorporated a box for everyone to drop off their letters to Santa. They all had so much fun at Christmas time, and loved attending the party which was hosted by Magnolia House, where there was a huge spread of food, and everyone was dancing. On Christmas Day, everyone wore their new pyjamas and indulged in plenty of food. They also gave their neighbours and schoolteachers Christmas gifts.
The Oaks also had its first Ofsted inspection and were rated “Good” in all areas. We are waiting to receive the report, however the children said they all felt cared for which is great. The team are planning their celebration event, so stay tuned to find out what they get up to!
Magnolia House
Residents at Magnolia House have been letting their competitive sides run wild at the arcade by burning (virtual) rubber during some nail-biting race car tournaments. It has really helped them bond over shared common interests in gaming and other activities.
Residents have been displaying their impressive cleaning skills at home by shining their bathroom mirrors, and taking great pride in keeping their rooms tidy with independent sweeping and mopping. The team will always encourage our young people to complete daily tasks, keep their environment clean, and educate them about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. They are able to earn gold coins, and update their personal reward charts which highlight meeting daily tasks. They have also come to enjoy helping staff around the home, especially doing work in communal areas. Many young people like orderliness and knowing where things are, so this has really helped with that. Being praised and recognised for their achievements is also very important.
In December, Magnolia House hosted a Christmas party and invited residents from all their sister homes. The team worked hard to ensure everything was perfect, including preparing a wide variety of food for all the guests. The children really enjoyed playing football and taking part in a dance competition – which even some of the staff participated in too! It was an afternoon full of joy and Christmas spirit, and everyone is really looking forward to the next celebration!
