As the summer months begin to wind down, we’ve been reflecting on everything that has been happening across LPT recently. It has been a busy time, from special moments with the children at Treehouse and progress on our second Home, to celebrating our team, welcoming new colleagues, and continuing to contribute to wider sector learning.
Over the summer, the children have enjoyed holidays, trips to see family, shared meals and quality time together. There have been some particularly memorable moments, including one child’s first international holiday to Turkey.
There have also been plenty of shared adventures closer to home, including trips to the driving range, bike rides, overnight stays in the countryside, drives out with trusted adults listening to music, and relaxed evenings spent together in the Home.
Whether big or small, these moments help create lasting memories and highlight why relationship-based care matters. They are part of building a loving, stable home where children feel safe to try new things, develop confidence, and form meaningful relationships with the adults around them.
Alongside spending time with the children, the team have also been spending some time together. This included taking part in a mud run around Windsor racecourse in support of Cancer Research UK, and coming together for our annual celebration event. Find out more below!
Celebrating the team
In August, we came together for our annual Summer Celebration. Alongside some friendly competition playing electric shuffleboard, the evening was a chance to enjoy time together, reflect on the children and families we’ve supported over the past year, and celebrate the dedication, skill and compassion our team brings to their work every day.
It was also an opportunity for our loved ones to come along and learn more about what we do. We know that the support of friends and family is a big part of what helps our team do this important work, particularly when the role can be demanding at times. That’s why it’s important to welcome loved ones to our Summer Celebration, so they can share in our achievements and celebrations, and so we can thank them for the support they provide behind the scenes throughout the year.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone across LPT for all that you do, the care you show, and the commitment and dedication you bring each day.
Congratulations to Neil! Runner-up in the Catch22 Awards
We’d like to make a special mention to one of our Senior Social Pedagogy Practitioners, Neil, who was named runner-up in Catch22’s Learning in Practice award! With hundreds of nominations submitted each year, this recognition acknowledges Neil’s commitment to bringing learning and reflection to Treehouse.
Through his postgraduate studies in Child Psychotherapeutic Counselling, Neil brings valuable therapeutic insight into the Home, helping to translate theory into practical tools and approaches that benefit both the children and the wider team. Congratulations Neil!
A huge thank you to Martin & Leoni
We would like to say a warm and heartfelt thank you to Martin and Leoni. Martin has been the Home Manager at Treehouse for nearly three years and will be moving on at the end of the month. Leoni will be leaving her role as Deputy Manager in September and has been part of Treehouse from the very beginning, helping to ensure that social pedagogy has been woven into the fabric of the Home from the outset.
Both Martin and Leoni have played a significant role in shaping Treehouse into the Home it is today, building its relational culture and supporting both children and the team through many significant moments.
We are deeply grateful for everything they have contributed to LPT and wish them both the very best for the future. They will be part of the roots of Treehouse for years to come.
We would also like to wish Team Leader Jess all the very best as she begins her maternity leave. The team recently came together at Treehouse for a special baby shower, with colleagues, children, and young people who previously lived at Treehouse joining the celebration. One of the young people even made a beautiful cake. It was a lovely reminder of the lasting relationships built at Treehouse, and of how young people can continue to feel connected to the Home and the people around them even after they have moved on.
Welcome to Clarese!
We’re delighted to welcome Clarese as the new Home Manager at Treehouse!
Clarese has over 16 years’ experience working with children, young people and families, including more than 10 years in children’s residential care. Throughout her career, she has worked with children who have experienced trauma, neglect, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and has supported them to build resilience and thrive. Clarese is passionate about developing confident, skilled teams and maintaining high standards of practice.
Clarese has already brought thoughtful leadership and an immediate relational connection with the children and team in the Home. She is a huge dog lover and enjoys watching Harry Potter films and Grey’s Anatomy.
Sector-led review of the children’s homes workforce
LPT Director Emmanuel is chairing an expert-led review of Professional Development for the Children’s Homes Workforce on behalf of the Department for Education. The review is exploring how the sector can better support and recognise residential care professionals.
At LPT, we know how important it is for children to have skilled and consistent adults around them. The review is an important opportunity to bring together learning, research and lived experience, and to consider what is needed to better support the people caring for children in residential homes.
The review team is now drawing together the evidence collected so far and testing emerging findings with stakeholders. The final report with accompanying recommendations will be shared with the DfE in the autumn.
You can read more about the purpose of the review here, and the latest update here.
Recruiting for a Registered Manager
Are you a leader in children’s residential care looking for a new challenge?
As we prepare for the opening of our new Home in Banstead, we’re looking for a Registered Manager. This is a unique opportunity to lead and shape a new home from the ground up and make a meaningful difference in children’s lives.
You’ll become part of an organisation that is committed to excellent care and professional development. Our teams are supported to keep developing their practice, including through access to a fully funded Level 6 (degree-level) qualification. This means you’ll be leading a highly trained team in an organisation that invests in its people, with the option of completing the Level 6 qualification yourself.
This is an opportunity to join a genuinely supportive, values-led charity, where any surplus is reinvested directly into our Homes and the children we support.
Find out more and apply to the Registered Manager role here: https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/Catch22/744000103100577-children-s-home-registered-manager
Want to speak to us before applying? Email us at recruitment@lptrust.org.uk.
We’ll also be recruiting a range of roles for our new children’s Home in the coming months. If you’d like to be notified when we’re hiring for other roles, please let us know.
Progress on our second Home
After a great deal of thoughtful planning and design, the renovation work on our second children’s Home is well underway and the designs are coming to life.
Once again, we are working with Conrad Koslowsky, the architect behind our award-winning first Home. The new Home is being created with the same thoughtfulness, ambition and therapeutic lens, with a full renovation that will create a warm and nurturing space for up to five children.
As the work progresses, we will continue to share behind-the-scenes updates as the property is transformed into a safe, welcoming home for children in care.You can follow our progress via the webpage here.
