Children's Home run by Hopscotch Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 1 Registered provider: Hopscotch Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to two children. At the time of the inspection, there was one child living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post who has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following the full inspection on 28 June 2022, a notice suspending registration of this home was issued with immediate effect, from 29 June 2022 to 20 September 2022.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit on 12 August 2022. Following this visit, it was agreed that the grounds for suspension no longer applied and the suspension notice was lifted. Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/06/2022 Full Inadequate 22/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have a good understanding of the child’s needs. This ensures that the child receives personalised care that promotes their welfare.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s move back to the home was planned well. They were supported to contribute to the decoration of the home by helping to choose colours for the walls and furnishings. The child also had several visits back to the home before moving in. Good planning around this transition ensured a positive experience for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listen to the child and encourage them to share their views about the different activities that they would like to take part in. The child enjoys regular, well-planned activities that provide opportunities for them to develop social skills, explore interests and maintain an active lifestyle.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is encouraged to develop their independence in line with their individual needs. This helps them to develop skills and resilience to prepare them for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to achieve in education. The child has good routines and is well prepared for their school day. Support and encouragement from staff ensure that the child routinely attends school and is making good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good understanding of the child’s health needs. They support the child to attend routine health appointments. Specialist services, including therapeutic support, are available and staff support the child to engage with the help offered.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s achievements are celebrated and appropriately rewarded. This helps to build their self-esteem and encourages positive behaviour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of supporting positive relationships between the child and their family. Staff keep in regular contact with key people in the child’s life.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The child has trusted and secure relationships with the adults who look after them. The child told the inspector that they feel safe and listened to. They said that if they had a problem, they could talk to staff who would help.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The manager and staff know and understand the child’s risks. There are risk assessments in place which are updated regularly. However, the format of these could be clearer for staff by identifying the present risks to the child.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff take effective action in response to safeguarding incidents. Following an incident, the manager and staff ensured that relevant direct work was carried out Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 4 with the child. The manager worked with professionals involved in the child’s care to devise strategies to support the child.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The child is supported to take age-appropriate risks as part of their development. Staff understand the risks that using the internet can pose for the child. Although these risks are monitored well and ensure the child’s safety, plans for, and recording of, how these risks are managed are not well documented. This was remedied during the inspection by introducing a new system to make sure that staff understand which safety checks they need to complete and when.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Behaviour support plans and risk assessments are robust, but they do not fully explain the effect that restraints may have on the child due to a medical condition. Staff do not know what signs to look out for during or after a restraint which would indicate the child may need medical help.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Positive behaviour support training is good and is individualised to the child’s needs. Staff understand the child’s needs and the strategies in place to support them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is currently no registered manager. The manager in post has applied to register with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have clear oversight of the strengths and weaknesses of practice at the home. Robust monitoring systems ensure that the manager has a good understanding of the quality of care that is provided to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has an ambitious vision for the home and high expectations of staff. Staff speak positively of the support that they receive from leaders and managers. Leaders and managers have learned from practice and previous experiences to drive improvements in the quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A consistent staff team provides stability for the child. The manager does not use agency staff. This means that the child is always cared for by staff who know them well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have attended training to meet the needs of the child, including in relation to bullying and autism spectrum disorder. However, not all staff have received mandatory training, such as first aid. This means that on some occasions there has not been a suitably trained member of staff in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff work proactively with other professionals and family members to ensure positive outcomes for the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 5

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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, the 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

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—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the child’s risk assessments clearly state how the child’s health needs may be impacted during and after a restraint. Clear steps should be identified for staff to follow to meet the child’s health needs.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also ensure that risk assessments are accessible to staff and that the priority of risk is clear. 30 November

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Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (2)(a)) 30 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hopscotch Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 19 Lancaster Road, Carnforth LA5 9LD

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Inspectors

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Emma Thornton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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