Activity and Leisure Based Emergency and Respite Accommodation For Children and Young People
At Otium we provide creative and nurturing placements that focus on individuals, delivering bespoke programmes of support, specifically designed to meet assessed need, with particular focus on leisure and recreational based activities
VISION
‘Our vision is to provide consistent, safe, quality and impactful care, enriching the lives of children and young people’
MISSION
‘Otium’s mission is to provide safe, nurturing environments where children and young people are protected, respected, and truly valued. Through effective leadership, collaboration, voice, choice, opportunity, equality, and participation, we help to build confidence and resilience, creating foundations for brighter futures’.
VALUES
We hold two core values — ‘outcome focused’ and ‘purposeful care’ which shape all our guiding principles. These drive best practice, strengthen our culture and ensure our homes remain predictable, welcoming and safe, with consistent care, boundaries, routines and responses that support both physical and emotional safety.
PRINCIPLES
O
Our outcome‑focused approach ensures decisions lead to meaningful progress and real impact. Otium provides opportunities for growth, healing and positive new experiences. We champion ownership in voice, choice and future goals, helping young people build confidence, empowerment and sustainable outcomes.
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T
Transparency strengthens trust between young people, families and partner services. Built on trust and truthfulness, Otium creates environments where children feel informed, respected and genuinely heard. We communicate openly, explain decisions clearly and involve young people in shaping their daily lives and future plans.
I
Integrity guides honest, consistent and accountable practice. Investment shows young people their growth and future truly matter. Inclusion ensures every voice is heard and every identity celebrated, creating a genuine sense of belonging. Together, these values build trust, strengthen relationships and support lasting positive outcomes.
U
Unconditional care, support and empathy delivered safely and professionally shows young people they matter without judgement. Understanding helps them feel seen, heard, valued and accepted for who they are and what they’ve lived through. Unity creates a sense of belonging and stability. Together, these values build emotional safety and the foundations for lasting positive change.
M
Meaningful relationships, mindful practice and positive modelling help young people feel safe, supported and understood. Staff offer consistency and genuine connection, modelling healthy behaviour and emotional regulation. Mindful practice keeps adults present and attuned, creating stability, trust and the foundations for long term healing and growth.
P
Purposeful care ensures every action has meaning and positive impact. Participation from children and, where appropriate, families, strengthens voice, choice and connection. Professionalism provides consistency, safety and clear boundaries, showing young people they are supported by reliable and emotionally regulated adults.
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A
Academia, advocacy and aspiration ensure looked after children access the educational opportunities they deserve. Academia supports learning and achievement; aspiration encourages belief in their abilities; advocacy removes barriers and amplifies their voice. Together, these values empower young people to succeed and have their accomplishments recognised.
T
Togetherness offers stability and shared strength during change. Transformation reflects the growth and healing that occur through consistent, compassionate support. Transition ensures young people move safely and confidently from one stage of their journey to the next, all helping to create stability, hope and meaningful progress.
H
Holistic care recognises every aspect of a young person’s wellbeing, ensuring they feel fully seen and supported. Healing is nurtured through safe relationships, consistent routines and compassionate responses. Harmony brings balance and calm, creating environments where children can regulate, grow and thrive. Together, these values promote stability, recovery and long term positive outcomes.
W
Wellbeing grows when children experience warmth, a welcoming environment and consistent support. By working together with education, health professionals, Social Workers, relevant partner services and family networks, we create a joined up approach that meets needs holistically. Warmth and a welcoming atmosphere help young people feel safe, valued, supported and stability in their palcement.
A
Healthy attachment offers secure, stable relationships that help young people feel valued and connected. Accountability ensures staff act with consistency and integrity, reinforcing trust and safeguarding wellbeing. Agency empowers children to make choices and shape their own lives. Together, these values create security, respect and confident growth.
Y
Youth-activities build confidence, connection and new skills. Year round recreation ensures these experiences are consistent and accessible, supporting wellbeing and positive routines. Youthfulness celebrates energy, creativity and joy, reminding us that fun and play drive growth. Together, these values create an inspiring environment where young people feel included and able to thrive.
S
Safeguarding protects every young person through vigilant and transparent practice. Stability provides consistent routines, relationships and environments that help them feel secure and able to trust. Strengths-based practice celebrates each child’s abilities and potential, building confidence through positive reinforcement. Together, these values create safety, grounding and empowerment.
OUR SERVICES
Otium provides 28 day activity and leisure based emergency and respite accommodation for children and young people aged between 11–17, offering 24 hour individualised care and support. Our service primarily supports those that may have been exposed to adverse childhood experiences or be at risk, such as from the non-exhaustive list below:
- Trauma, abuse, neglect and exclusion
- High risk in terms of offending behaviours
- Regularly abscond from care or for long periods
- Exhibit emotionally challenging and aggressive behaviours
- Are subject to, or vulnerable to various forms of exploitation
- Present with sexually inappropriate behaviours
- Have attachment, mental health or a range of other diverse social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
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We are currently in the process of Ofsted registration; to complement our internal quality assurance measures, we have and continue to engage with pre-registration audit and inspection from external consultants during this period, to validate our service, help us bench mark our standards, to ensure we consistently deliver quality services and meet need. We do not anticipate any problems during the process and are extremely confident of succesful registration without any undue delay.
Otium is a therapeutic, child‑centred service supporting young people with diverse histories and needs. As a potential corporate parenting partner, we provide safety, stability and meaningful relationships that help children feel valued, heard and empowered. Our therapeutic philosophy emphasises empowerment and a developmental understanding of behaviour. We promote active participation, encouraging young people to make meaningful decisions and shape their environments. Collaboration, consultation, voice and choice underpin our ethos and guide our therapeutic parenting approach.
Each young person’s identity and heritage is respected and encouraged creating a warm, inclusive environment. Our systemic therapeutic work is delivered through attuned relationships, emotional safety and consistent care and support. Least‑restrictive, restorative and de‑escalation approaches preserve dignity and strengthen trust.
Wellbeing, leisure pursuits, pastime and recreation activities, education and safeguarding shape our culture. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed, and staff follow clear procedures to minimise potential harm. We recognise that behaviours others find challenging may be protective responses to adversity, we respond with consistent and fair boundaries, compassion, structure and stability.
Otium offers ordinary life experiences, life‑skills development and varied activities within a safe environment. Our positive leisure and living philosophy fosters social skills, belonging, wellbeing and resilience. Staff are carefully selected and trained in attachment‑informed and trauma‑aware practice to ensure high‑quality care and support.
We see Otium as a stepping stone — a place of growth, safety and opportunity — supporting positive transition and permanence through strong partnership with young people and partner agencies/organisations.
ACTIVITIES
Our bespoke ‘Activity and Intervention Programmes’ (AIPs) are activity led trauma informed interventions, based out of our high support home environments. Utilising an adventurous, recreational and active lifestyle approach aids residents regulate more appropriately, helps build confidence, enhances wellbeing and distracts from any harmful patterns or negative cycles.
With consultation and authorisation, specialist bespoke, structured and/or informal activities can be planned and facilitated. If agreed this can include specified time periods away from the home, in temporary or outdoor accommodation to enable outdoor or other chosen pursuits/activities. These AIPs are designed to create environments where children and young people can engage in a myriad of outdoor/leisure or other activities, benefit from quality dedicated time with staff and divert from potential negative distractions.
We view our homes/AIPs as being a positive method of reducing external risk factors posed to children and young people, are potentially a first step alternative to or step down from secure accommodation, to aid transition.
A non-exhaustive list of some potential activities and pastimes we can include in our AIP’s are:
- Indoor climbing
- Abseiling
- Indoor fitness training
- Cinema trips
- Bowling
- Arcade trips
- Pool / Snooker / Billiards
- Gaming / Music
- Board games / Puzzles
- Reading clubs / Arts and Crafts
- Kayaking / Canoeing / Wind surfing
- Picnics / Beach trips
- Outdoor climbing / Abseiling
- Hill walking / Rambling / Orienteering
- Mountain biking
- Fishing
- Wildlife spotting / Nature trails
- Gardening and horticulture
- Outdoor fitness training
- Tennis / Badminton / Squash
- Horse riding
- Dance / Dance fitness / Drama and Arts
- Golf
- Swimming / Running
- Table Tennis
- Archery
- Boxing / Martial Arts
- Trampolining
- Cricket / Rounders
- Net ball
- Drawing, painting and sketching
- Music practice / Instruments / Singing
- Scrap booking
- Costume jewellery making
- Beauty
- Sewing
- Creative writing
- Drama
- Dance categories
- Youth clubs
- Library visits
- Local workshops
- Cultural events / Festivals
- Shopping trips
- Volunteering
- Community events
- Museum / Gallery trips
- Café visits
- Group challenges / Team building events
- Mindfulness sessions
- Meditation
- Relaxation spaces
- Journaling
- Sensory activities
- Therapeutic games
- Nature-based wellbeing sessions
LIVING
Living at Otium means having a safe, welcoming and supportive place during a time of change or transition. Our placements feel calm and homely, with staff who listen, help and ensure you feel valued and respected.
You’ll have access to a wide range of activities, outdoor experiences and chances to try new things. We want you to enjoy everyday experiences — going out, relaxing, learning skills and having fun — while feeling safe and supported.
You’ll be encouraged to have a voice in daily life, making choices about activities, routines, meals and how your palcement runs. Staff take your views seriously and work with you to make your time here feel right for you.
Our team uses a therapeutic, child centred approach focused on understanding your experiences, building trust and helping you settle. We believe in connection before correction, supporting you with kindness, patience and respect. Staff are trained to help with emotions, relationships and any challenges you face.
Safety is a priority. You’ll have a personalised plan to help us understand your needs, and staff are available 24/7. Your Keyworker will get to know you, check in and support you throughout your stay.
At Otium, you don’t need to be perfect — just yourself. We’re here to help you feel steady, listened to and supported. We view ourselves as a stepping stone, giving you space to reset and prepare for what comes next. It’s a place where you can feel safe, respected and hopeful, surrounded by people who genuinely care about your wellbeing and future.
At Otium, you don’t need to be perfect — just yourself.
We’re here to help you feel steady, listened to and supported.
We view ourselves as a stepping stone, giving you space to reset and prepare for what comes next. It’s a place where you can feel safe, respected and hopeful, surrounded by people who genuinely care about your wellbeing and future.
REFERRALS
Admissions to Otium can be planned or made in response to crisis or emergency circumstances.
We work closely with placing authorities to create clear placement or emergency plans in line with our procedures and regulatory compliance.
After any referral, our Placement Panel/Senior Management Team completes thorough planning, reviewing all requested pre admission information, including social, health and academic history and a chronological overview of previous placements.
Placements are only offered following close collaboration with the placing authority and, where appropriate, the young person, their family and key professionals. This ensures Otium can meet their holistic needs. Where possible, pre admission visits are encouraged so the young person and family can meet the team and feel reassured.
During admission, all information is reviewed, a Keyworker is allocated and the environment is prepared to reflect the young person’s needs. The team is fully briefed, and safety and welcome planning is completed. A comprehensive care package is created, including a Master Care File, Initial Needs Assessment and collaboratively developed Placement Plan. Each young person receives a tailored welcome pack and Children’s Guide.
Throughout the placement, statutory reports are completed, updates regularly created and shared appropriately. Communication with the young person, placing authorities and relevant services remains central, and all plans and assessments are routinely reviewed and updated to reflect any circumstances change.
Otium is unable to meet the needs of children and young people who require specialist learning disability provision, intensive communication support or highly adapted environments. These needs fall outside the scope of our therapeutic model, staffing structure, training and available resources. We believe it is essential that children receive best possible care and support within services fully equipped to meet their specific requirements.
TESTIMONIALS
Our team is trained, skilled and experienced in building positive, trusting relationships with young people, their families and partner services. This close collaboration helps Keyworkers understand each resident’s circumstances, goals and aspirations, ensuring all plans are bespoke and truly meet need. To strengthen our practice and meet quality assurance requirements, we regularly gather feedback from young people, families, Social Workers and partner agencies.
Children, Young People and Families
Professionals and Organisations
OTIUM WORKFORCE
We provide young people with balanced gender role models, and our diverse staff team promotes healthy relationships and an inclusive environment.
Otium follows strict safer‑recruitment procedures/practices to ensure all staff are fully vetted, suitable experienced, knowledgeable and skilled in meeting individual needs. Our safer recruitment approach champions safety, diversity, equality and anti‑discriminatory practice.
Staff are trained in trauma‑informed practice, attachment‑aware care, de‑escalation, restorative approaches, safeguarding, behaviour support and therapeutic parenting, inclusive of all other relevant core-training/qualification requirements, alongside any specialist training, to ensure compliance and to fully meet assessed need.
Ongoing professional development, regular reflective and practice supervision helps our staff maintain high standards and confidently support complex needs. We also invest in staff wellbeing so they remain resilient, grounded and able to provide consistent, high‑quality care.
CAREERS
If you are interested in working for Otium or would like more information, please download the application form below to apply or contact us.