Children's home run by Hopscotch Care Limited in Lancaster

Assurance visit report: SC479632 1 SC479632

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately run children’s home that provides care and accommodation for up to five children, irrespective of gender, who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2020.

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Information about this children's home

Previous inspection date: 4 September 2019

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children's social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership. This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills is leading Ofsted's work into how England's social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC479632 2

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The care of children

Young people are currently very settled in this home. Usually, they get on well with each other and share positive relationships with staff. One young person who was recently admitted to the home, proved incompatible with the other young people already living here. This resulted in his placement being quickly and prematurely ended following an upsetting incident at the home.

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The care of children

So far young people’s learning has been relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as all are attending alternative provision that remained open throughout the lockdown period. For one young person, this meant also attending a summer education programme which provided greater structure to his week and reduced boredom.

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The care of children

Young people felt some early anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic, but staff made sure they were fully informed about how to stay healthy and safe. Young people and staff kept up to date with regular media briefings and cooperated with health and government guidelines.

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The care of children

Young people enjoyed taking part in a range of activities, including fell walking, indoor games andquiz nights, and celebrated VE Day with staff. During the lockdown period, young people enjoyed regular exercise, having been given exclusive access to a local boxing club to use as a gym.

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The care of children

Staff have been proactive in promoting young people’s emotional well-being and mental health. Young people have been encouraged by staff to remain in contact with family and friends using video chat technology, as well as enjoying regular telephone calls with those who are most important to them. Since government restrictions have been relaxed, young people have been spending time with family and friends while observing social distancing requirements.

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The care of children

For those young people missing out on face-to-face contact with their child and adolescent mental health professional, additional support from the company’s in- house psychologist was made available. One social worker commented, ‘He is thriving in this home. They provide him with positive support, and he has grown in maturity and confidence.’

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The safety of children

Young people currently say that they feel safe and feel well cared for by staff. Together they have learned about the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic through many televised briefings and discussions with staff. Young people have felt reassurance and understand the importance of the current measures, such as regular handwashing and the use of face coverings, to keep them safe.

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The safety of children

Young people’s individual risks associated with the COVID-19 virus are fully explored and considered alongside their other risk-taking behaviours. Generally, young Assurance visit report: SC479632 3 people’s individual risk assessments are well informed and thorough. These clearly highlight what is likely to increase their vulnerability or compromise their safety, and measures to be taken to reduce such risks.

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The safety of children

However, the risk assessment completed for the young person most recently discharged from the home lacked essential detail and was not sufficiently robust. Because of this, another young person’s safety was compromised when he fell victim to an unprovoked attack. Fortunately, neither were injured but one did experience damage to his property and the upset of the incident.

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The safety of children

Most young people have responded very positively to the home’s rules and expectations associated with their behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic. Incidents of young people going missing from the home have significantly reduced in recent months. However, despite the availability of video facilities, arrangements are not yet in place to ensure young people routinely receive an independent return interview following a period of being missing from the home.

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The safety of children

Staff are trained and understand the full range of behaviour management techniques to help support young people. More small instant rewards are proving to be successful in encouraging positive behaviour. Restraint is only ever used as a last resort. Although sanctions are becoming more restorative in their nature, and this is a clear improvement, this is yet to be fully embedded in practice.

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Leaders and managers

The home is led by a manager recently registered with Ofsted. He has worked in the home for several years as a residential care worker before being appointed to this role. The registered manager has a good knowledge of his staff team and the individual needs of the young people at the home.

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Leaders and managers

Despite feeling confident in his role, the manager acknowledges that lessons have been learned from the home’s most recent placement breakdown. The manager acknowledges weakness in the planning process, particularly in challenging placing authorities to ensure enough information is obtained to thoroughly assess young people’s suitability for the home, and their compatibility with other young people already there.

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Leaders and managers

Over recent years the home has had several managers and a significant period without a registered manager. The manager is eager and enthusiastic to drive improvements within the home and is developing his management experience. He does not yet possess a level 5 diploma but is in the process of completing this award.

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Leaders and managers

Staff say that the manager is very approachable, and they feel well supported in their roles as residential care workers. Staff training and supervision have continued during this period, assisted by online video calls when it has not been possible to meet face to face. Assurance visit report: SC479632 4 Managers implemented a range of guidance and practical support for staff to help them prepare and manage some changes in practice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff meetings were replaced with staff newsletters during lockdown. This avoided having additional staff in the home when not on duty but ensured that important information was appropriately shared.

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Leaders and managers

External monitoring was successfully maintained during the lockdown and height of the pandemic during the summer. The visitor completed checks remotely online and used video technology to speak with staff and young people. From these monitoring reports, one occasion was identified when the home failed to notify Ofsted that a young person was missing from the home for a considerable period. Requirements and a recommendation have been made to deal with this and other shortfalls identified.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the 'Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards'. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)) 30/11/2020

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— 30/11/2020 Assurance visit report: SC479632 5 assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(a)) 30/11/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4) (e)) 30/11/2020

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Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations including the quality standards, page 45 and paragraph 9.30)

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Hopscotch Care Limited Assurance visit report: SC479632 6 Registered provider address: 19 Lancaster Road, Carnforth LA5 9LD

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Inspector

Gillian Walters, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC479632 7 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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