A Therapeutic Home, Not Just a Placement
Oak House is grounded in a therapeutic model of care that embraces the impact of early adversity and focuses on creating a consistent, nurturing environment where young people can begin to heal. We understand that trauma affects the body, mind, and relationships — and our daily practice is designed to respond to that with compassion, structure, and skilled support.
Including:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- 1:1 Counselling and Emotional Support
This allows us to deliver tailored, responsive care that meets the individual mental health and emotional needs of each young person. We also offer complementary therapies to support holistic wellbeing, including creative expression, mindfulness, and sensory-based regulation strategies.
At the heart of Oak House is our unique ARC-PACE Model - an integrated framework that combines:
- Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC)
- Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy (PACE)
This powerful therapeutic model allows us to:
- Support young people in regulating emotions and managing the effects of trauma
- Build trusting, meaningful relationships between young people and adults
- Promote resilience, emotional literacy, and a growing sense of self
- Provide consistent, safe spaces for therapeutic exploration and recovery
Our home includes a dedicated therapy room, purpose-built around the principles of the Zones of Regulation. This is a calm, structured space where young people can process emotions, learn new coping strategies, and safely explore difficult experiences - all with the support of trusted professionals who understand trauma and its impact.
Whether it’s a keywork conversation, a therapy session, or a quiet moment of reflection, every part of Oak House is designed to promote emotional safety, stability, and growth.
We believe that healing from trauma isn’t linear - it’s relational. That’s why our approach is built on patience, consistency, and connection. At Oak House, young people are not just cared for - they are empowered, supported, and valued as individuals with potential, purpose, and a future.
What Makes Our Therapeutic Model Different and Effective
At Oak House, we don’t simply follow a therapeutic model – we live and breathe it. What sets us apart is not just what we do, but how we do it — with depth, intention, and unwavering belief in the potential of every young person we care for.
We understand that many children’s homes claim to be therapeutic — but at Oak House, our approach is embedded into the fabric of daily life. Therapy isn’t a separate service bolted on to care — it’s integrated into every relationship, every routine, every conversation, and every decision made within the home.
A Truly Integrated Therapeutic Team
- Our model is delivered collaboratively between our care staff, management, and in-house therapist, working together daily to respond to each young person’s emotional needs.
- Every staff member is trained in trauma-informed practice, attachment theory, and therapeutic communication — this means young people experience consistency, safety, and emotional attunement from every adult they interact with.
- Weekly clinical consultations and reflective practice ensure that the care team is always emotionally equipped and supported to deliver the highest standard of therapeutic care.
The ARC-PACE Difference
We uniquely combine the ARC (Attachment, Regulation, Competency) and PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy) models to provide a depth of understanding rarely found in traditional homes:
- This framework helps staff see beyond behaviour and connect with the underlying trauma.
- It guides us in co-regulating with young people, not controlling them – creating an environment where they learn to manage emotions in a healthy, safe way.
- We nurture emotional growth through trust, rather than compliance – allowing young people to feel empowered, not just managed.
Therapy that Fits the Young Person, Not the Other Way Around
- Our dedicated therapy room is a calm, welcoming space designed to feel safe – not clinical. Young people engage on their terms, at their pace, with therapists who are part of their wider support network.
- We offer flexible, trauma-sensitive approaches that include CBT, EMDR, creative therapies, and emotional regulation tools based on the Zones of Regulation.
- Therapy is seamlessly linked with day-to-day care, meaning insights gained in sessions are supported by the team in real time – enhancing emotional progress.