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St James Haven

A place of warmth, safety & belonging

St James Haven is a children's residential home dedicated to providing exceptional, personalised care for young people who need it most.

Registering with Ofsted · Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015

Our Mission

More Than a Home.
A Fresh Start.

At St James Haven, we believe every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and supported — not just in crisis, but every single day.

We have built a home that goes beyond meeting basic needs. Our focus is on creating nurturing, stable environments where young people can heal, grow, and thrive, surrounded by a team that genuinely cares about their future.

01

Safety First

A calm, secure environment where young people feel protected and respected at all times.

02

Wraparound Care

Tailored support that meets each child where they are — emotionally, educationally and socially.

03

Building Futures

We invest in the young people in our care and the adults they will become.

Our Approach

Care That
Goes Deeper

Holistic, consistent, and rooted in the belief that education and nurture, working together, can change the course of a young person's life.

Therapeutic Support

Dedicated therapeutic input to help young people process their experiences and develop tools to manage their emotions.

Education Focused

Education sits at the heart of everything we do, honouring the legacy of James, who devoted his life to proving its power to transform.

Structure & Routine

Clear, predictable routines that give young people a sense of order and security, while remaining responsive to individual needs.

For Placing Authorities

For Local Authorities &
Commissioning Teams

St James Haven works in close partnership with Local Authorities and commissioning teams to provide high-quality, stable placements for children and young people with complex needs.

We welcome early conversations with commissioning teams and placing authorities.

St James Haven is currently working towards Ofsted registration under the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

5Residential places available
8+Ages 8 and above accepted
24/7Waking night staffing

Work With Us

Interested in Working With Us?

Whether you are a commissioning team, a fellow professional, or someone passionate about children's care — we would love to hear from you.

About Us

Named With Purpose.
Built With Promise.

Our Story

St James Haven is named in honour of James — a father, an educator and a visionary who believed deeply in the power of education to transform lives. He founded Interlink College and Little Achievers Nursery, and through both, he dedicated himself to giving young people the foundation they needed to flourish.

The vision for this home began with our family in 2012. When James passed, that vision did not end. It became a promise. St James Haven is the fulfilment of that promise.

Haven is not just a name. It reflects exactly what this place is intended to be: a safe, structured and stable environment for displaced and vulnerable children.

At its heart is the same education-focused, holistic ethos that defined our father's life's work. That is his legacy, and it lives here.

Director & Registered Manager

Esther Alo

Director, St James Haven Ltd

As Director and Registered Manager of St James Haven, I have built this home from the ground up, with my father's values at the centre of every decision.

My background spans direct childcare practice, community youth leadership, and senior programme management at firms including Capgemini and KPMG. I am currently completing my Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare.

Qualifications: BA (Hons) Law, London Metropolitan University
Training: Level 5 Diploma in Residential Childcare (in progress)
Clearance: SC Cleared

What We Stand For

Our Guiding Principles

01

Safety

A calm, secure environment where young people feel protected at all times.

02

Consistency

Familiar faces, reliable routines, and a team that shows up every single day.

03

Growth

An education-focused approach that looks beyond today, investing in each young person's future and potential.

Part of Something Growing

A Wider Vision

St James Haven is part of a wider vision — a growing network of homes, each rooted in the same values, the same ethos, and the same commitment to transforming the lives of vulnerable children.

Our Approach

Care That
Goes Deeper

At St James Haven, we believe that truly transformative care goes far beyond meeting a child's basic needs. It requires understanding who they are, what they have been through, and what they are capable of becoming.

Our approach is holistic, consistent, and rooted in the belief — inherited from our founder's legacy — that education and nurture, working together, can change the course of a young person's life.

Four Pillars

1Therapeutic Support
2Education Focused
3Trauma-Informed Care
4Structure & Routine
01

First Pillar

Therapeutic Support

We recognise that some young people need more than a stable home. They need dedicated therapeutic input to process their experiences and develop the tools to manage their emotions and relationships.

Our home is designed to work alongside therapeutic professionals, ensuring each young person has access to the right level of support at the right time.

02

Second Pillar

Education Focused

Education sits at the heart of everything we do. This is the legacy of James, our founder's father, who dedicated his life to proving that education has the power to transform lives.

We work closely with schools, colleges, and learning providers to ensure every young person in our care is supported to engage with education, whatever that looks like for them.

03

Third Pillar

Trauma-Informed Care

Many of the young people who come to us have experienced significant trauma. We never lose sight of that. Every interaction, every boundary, and every routine within our home is shaped by an understanding of how trauma affects behaviour, development, and trust.

We meet young people where they are, with patience, empathy and consistency, creating the safety they need to begin to heal.

04

Fourth Pillar

Structure & Routine

Children who have experienced instability often find safety in structure. Our home operates with clear, predictable routines that give young people a sense of order and security, while always remaining flexible enough to respond to individual needs.

Working Together

A Collaborative Approach

We do not work in isolation. We partner closely with local authorities, social workers, schools, therapists, and families to ensure every young person receives truly wraparound care.

We believe the best outcomes happen when everyone around a child is working from the same page — with honesty, transparency and the child's best interests at the centre.

Local Authorities
Social Workers
Schools
CAMHS
Therapists
Families

Get In Touch

Want to Learn More?

We welcome conversations with commissioners, placing authorities, and fellow professionals.

Our Homes

A Real Home.
Not a Facility.

Our Environment

Every St James Haven home is designed with one thing in mind: that a child walking through the door should feel like they belong there.

We are deliberate about how we design and maintain our homes. No long corridors, no institutional feel. Just a well-kept, comfortable home where young people have space to breathe, to rest, and to be themselves.

Each St James Haven home is a thoughtfully restored, substantial family property — designed to feel like a genuine home rather than a care setting. The quality of the environment is intentional.

We believe that young people who have experienced instability deserve to live somewhere they can feel proud of. A refined, well-maintained home communicates something important: that they are worth it.

Designed With Care

Every Detail Considered

Individual Bedrooms

Private, personalised spaces where young people can feel ownership and pride. Children are actively involved in making their room their own.

Shared Communal Areas

Welcoming spaces that encourage connection and daily life, including a fully equipped kitchen, spacious dining room and comfortable living areas.

Outdoor Space

A large private garden providing space for outdoor activities, a relaxation area, and a gardening project as part of our life skills programme.

Safety & Security

Electronic gated entrance, full CCTV, comprehensive alarm systems, and waking night staffing provide robust security appropriate to each young person's needs.

Our Growing Network

More Homes.
Same Values.

As we grow, every home we open will carry the same values, the same ethos, and the same commitment to quality — giving more young people access to the care they deserve.

For Placing Authorities

Referrals &
Placements

For Commissioners

For Local Authorities & Commissioning Teams

St James Haven is currently working towards Ofsted registration under the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

We work in close partnership with Local Authorities and commissioning teams to provide high-quality, stable placements for children and young people with complex needs.

We welcome early conversations — before a referral is formally made — to help you assess whether St James Haven is the right fit for a young person in your care.

Placement at a Glance

Capacity5 places
Age Range8 to 18 years
GenderMale and female
Legal StatusSection 20 / Full Care Order

Our Scope

Needs We Support

Needs We Are Able to Support

Emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD)
Trauma and attachment difficulties arising from abuse, neglect or loss
Mental health difficulties including anxiety, depression and low mood
Mild to moderate learning disabilities where specialist provision is not required
Risk factors associated with child sexual exploitation (CSE)
Substance misuse histories where this is not the primary presenting need
Unaccompanied asylum seeking children requiring stability and cultural sensitivity

Needs Outside Our Registered Scope

To ensure transparency, we are not registered to accommodate young people with the following as their primary presenting need:

Serious or persistent offending behaviour as the primary need
Those requiring secure accommodation
Acute mental health needs requiring specialist inpatient provision
Specialist medical care beyond the capacity of community health services

How It Works

How Referrals Work

01

Initial Enquiry

Contact us with basic details about the young person. We respond to all referral enquiries promptly.

02

Referral Assessment

Our Registered Manager individually assesses every referral, considering the young person's needs and our current capacity.

03

Matching Decision

We consider impact on existing residents and the views of the child wherever possible. We only accept placements where we are confident we can deliver meaningful care.

04

Placement Begins

We work closely with the placing authority, social worker and family to ensure a well-planned, supported transition into the home.

Every referral to St James Haven is individually assessed by our Registered Manager before a placement decision is made.

We only accept placements where we are confident we can deliver safe, effective and meaningful care.

We welcome early conversations, before a referral is formally made, to help placing authorities assess whether St James Haven is the right fit. Please include the young person's age, gender and a brief outline of their needs when making contact.

Get In Touch

We'd Love to
Hear From You

Contact Details

Whether you are a Local Authority commissioner, a social worker with a referral enquiry, a professional looking to connect, or someone interested in joining our team — we welcome your message.

We aim to respond to all enquiries within one working day.

Phone

07496 634 507

Making a Referral?

If you are a commissioner or social worker with a specific referral to discuss, please include the young person's age, gender and a brief outline of their needs in your message. We will respond promptly to all referral enquiries.

Prefer to speak directly?

Email us at contact@stjameshaven.com and we will arrange a call at a time that suits you.

Send Us a Message

We aim to respond within one working day

Property Partnerships

Partner With
St James Haven

Why Partner With Us

At St James Haven, we are committed to providing exceptional residential care for children and young people across the region. As we grow, we are looking to build relationships with property owners who share our values and want to play a meaningful role in transforming suitable properties into places of safety and belonging.

Leasing your property to a registered children's home provider is a secure, purposeful, and professionally managed arrangement — and one that many property owners tell us is among the most rewarding decisions they have made.

Your building becomes more than bricks and mortar. It becomes a home — a place where a young person feels safe, perhaps for the first time.

We are actively building relationships with property owners who share our values, and are always keen to hear from those with suitable properties. If you own a property that could be suitable, we would love to hear from you early — ahead of formal searches.

Building For The Future

St James Haven is committed to building a trusted, values-led property portfolio as a foundation for long-term growth.

Getting in touch now means we can begin an informed conversation at your pace, without pressure or obligation. We are building long-term relationships, not quick transactions.

Interested in a conversation?

We welcome enquiries from landlords, developers, and property owners at any stage. All conversations are handled with complete discretion.

What We Offer

The Benefits of
Partnering With Us

Guaranteed Long-Term Income

Long-term lease agreements with no void periods and no letting agent fees. A stable, predictable income from a professionally managed tenancy.

Property Maintained to High Standards

As a regulated provider, we are required to maintain properties to the highest professional standards. Your property will be cared for — often improved — during our tenancy.

Hassle-Free Management

We handle day-to-day management, maintenance coordination, and all regulatory compliance. You receive your rent without the usual demands of active landlordship.

Genuine Social Impact

Your property becomes a safe, nurturing home for children and young people in care. Few investments carry more meaning than that.

What We Look For

Suitable
Properties

We are interested in larger residential properties — typically Victorian or Edwardian houses, former care homes, or substantial detached properties. We also consider properties requiring refurbishment, as we have the expertise to bring a building up to Ofsted registration standard.

Minimum 4–6 bedrooms with flexible room layout

Generous communal living, kitchen, and dining space

Private outdoor space or garden

Residential setting with good local amenities and transport links

Open to long-term lease arrangements of 5 years or more

Properties requiring refurbishment also considered

Start a Conversation

Ready to Talk?

Whether you own a property now or are simply curious about what a partnership involves, we welcome your enquiry. All discussions are informal, confidential, and without obligation.