A Year of Gratitude at Oak Cottage
It started with one question and a room full of honest answers.
Last Friday, the team meeting at Oak Cottage unfolded a little differently. Amid the hum of a busy children’s home and the soft glow of Christmas decorations, the team paused. Chairs were pulled closer in a circle, voices softened, and I asked one simple question: What is one thing you are grateful for this year?
Oak Cottage, a crucial part of Progress Children’s Services, is a place defined by pace and responsibility. Reflection is rarely built into the rhythm of the day. Yet, as each person spoke, it became clear that gratitude had been quietly accumulating all year, waiting for space to be heard.
For some, gratitude began with a decision to start again. One team member, only a few weeks into the role, spoke about leaving a previous job and stepping into Oak Cottage. “Leaving my old job and starting here was positive for me,” they said. “Everybody’s been really friendly. People explain things. You don’t feel left on your own.” It was a small sentence, but it carried the relief of being welcomed into a team that takes time to include.
Others reflected on return rather than arrival. After months away due to illness, one colleague described coming back to work and finding comfort in familiarity. Despite changes and developments, the heart of the home remained steady. “I came back to the same friendly team,” they said. “You could see how things had grown, how people were still pushing forward.”
Several reflections wove together personal milestones and collective strength. One colleague spoke proudly about buying their own house this year, a goal made possible through stability and perseverance. But the pride quickly widened beyond the individual. “This year feels different,” they added. “People have bonded more. There’s more love, more helping each other. Even team meetings feel calmer.”
Professional growth featured heavily. Becoming a key worker was described as a moment of trust as much as responsibility. “It’s a lot of responsibility,” one staff member said, “but it makes me really happy to be trusted. It gives the job more meaning.” Others spoke about watching young people grow in confidence, discovering their quirks, and finding joy in moments that might look ordinary from the outside but mean everything to the child experiencing them.
Longer-serving staff offered perspective shaped by years in the sector. One colleague, with over a decade at Progress, reflected on what keeps them there. “I enjoy working with children,” they said. “Seeing their faces smile. Knowing you’ve made them feel safe or comfortable. Every day is different. You try things, you learn what works. That’s what keeps me here.”
There was honesty too. One team member spoke openly about a turbulent period that almost led them away from the home. They did leave briefly, trying work elsewhere, but soon realised what they missed. “It was lovely, but boring,” they admitted. “I kept talking about Oak Cottage. I realised this is where I wanted to be.” Returning brought clarity, not just about the work, but about where they felt most themselves.
Family, health and wellbeing quietly threaded through many voices. One colleague spoke about their child recovering from illness and the gratitude that brought. Another reflected on learning to rest, to step back from working constantly. “I’m not working 24/7 anymore,” they said. “I have rest days. I do things outside work now, and it makes me calmer when I come in.” Gratitude, here, was about balance and being supported to sustain care, not just deliver it.
As the reflections drew on, a wider sense of pride emerged. The team acknowledged a significant milestone: six months without any recommendations following regulatory visits. It was not framed as a tick-box success, but as proof of stability, teamwork and consistency built over time.
The meeting closed with leadership reflections that gently tied everything together. Megan, the team leader, spoke about a year that challenged her both inside and outside of work. Becoming a team leader was a milestone, but what mattered more was staying resilient, present and positive through difficulty. It had not been an easy year, she said, but she was proud of her journey and proud to still be standing with her team. “I’m still here, and I’m still going,” she said, a line that resonated across the room.
Beth, the manager, reflected on the strength of the team itself. She spoke proudly about rebuilding stability, welcoming colleagues back, and creating a home that felt settled for both staff and children. The six months without recommendations stood out as a moment of collective achievement, but her focus remained firmly on the future. Her hope was for continuity, smooth transitions for the young people, and a team that continues to thrive together.
As the reflection session of the meeting ended, there were jokes; they also posed for a group photo by the Christmas tree. But something lingered.
What emerged from that hour was not a list of successes, but a shared understanding of why Oak Cottage matters. It is a place where people arrive uncertain and find confidence, where disagreements happen but are followed by coming back together, and where care is given freely, often instinctively, because it feels like the right thing to do.
As one team member put it simply, “This isn’t just work. It’s like home.”
