Children's Home, Residential special school run by Hopscotch Solutions Limited in Rutland

Inspection report for children’s home: SC065071 1 SC065071 Registered provider: Hopscotch Solutions Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to 13 children who may have autism spectrum disorder, learning difficulties, challenging behaviour, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, epilepsy and/or dyspraxia.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a suitably experienced registered manager. The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023. The manager was away at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home also incorporates a school, which the children attend. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this setting.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 29 November 2022

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC065071 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/11/2022 Full Good 22/02/2022 Full Outstanding 25/06/2019 Full Good 05/03/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC065071 3

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outstanding

Children are benefiting significantly from bespoke care-planning and highly individualised care. Staff are aspirational and have supported children to make exceptional progress in many aspects of their lives. A parent said, ‘My child is a different boy. He is healthier, happier and has reduced anxiety. The progress for him is amazing. I am a very happy mum.’

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outstanding

There is a cohesive and highly effective approach to care practice across the setting. The staff in both care and education grasp every opportunity to support children to make progress. The detail and focus on diverse and individualised care plans are exceptional.

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outstanding

Children and staff have trusted relationships. This enables children to feel safe and secure in the home and when out in the community. The positive relationships with children help them to reduce anxieties and take safe and age-appropriate risks. This significantly improves children’s access to social opportunities and promotes their independent living skills. Children who have previously had limited access to the community are carefully helped to integrate into society.

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outstanding

The home has undergone refurbishment that has provided children with more space, private areas and a further kitchen area for them to engage in life skills activities. Leaders are continually reviewing the environment to ensure that it is safe and secure for children. Staff complete extensive health and safety checks to maintain children’s safety and well-being. When safety risks are identified, staff and managers reflect carefully and take stringent action to ensure that risks are reduced.

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outstanding

Children are provided with extensive opportunities to share their views, wishes and feelings. Staff undertake creative work with children and go the extra mile to gather their views. There is a total communication system, which is embedded by all staff. From their starting points, children are supported to excel in their development of communication skills. As a result, children become more settled. The staff’s commitment to promoting the children’s voice is exceptional and worthy of wider dissemination.

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outstanding

Staff work with families with one shared goal: to improve life opportunities and outcomes for children. This impacts positively on children’s relationships with their families. Staff understand the importance of family to children. Staff go above and beyond to promote positive family time and to support children to see their families. Parents were unanimously positive about the support that staff give them and their children to maintain positive family time. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065071 4 The staff team is diverse, and staff celebrate and embrace diversity. This is cascaded to children. Children are helped to appreciate that they live in a diverse world. Staff and children’s individual characteristics and needs are understood, met and respected. One child is supported in his daily prayer routine, and children who are bilingual are spoken to in their first language. Staff work creatively to help

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outstanding

children to appreciate each other in a way that is meaningful to children.

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outstanding

Any safeguarding matters are taken very seriously. Leaders work effectively with other agencies and there is a multi-agency response to safeguarding investigations. Staff have a good knowledge of safeguarding procedures and are regularly updated through training and upskilling exercises. The quality and attention to detail of responses to safeguarding matters reflect a professionally curious safeguarding culture.

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outstanding

Physical interventions are rare at this home. Staff follow children’s individual behaviour support plans and risk assessments. This, alongside positive relationships and a good understanding of the children, reduces the need for restrictive practices. Staff understand that physical intervention should be used as an absolute last resort. When it is used, debriefs are carried out with children. There is detailed management oversight of restraints and leaders reflect on practice to try to understand the reasons for behaviours, to prevent reoccurrence.

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outstanding

Staff are passionate in their role of advocating for children. Staff are tenacious, and this was evident in accessing health services to ensure that a child in crisis was supported during a difficult time. The tenacity led to the child being exceptionally well supported. Care plans were continually reviewed and implemented, and the child received the help required. This degree of persistence and advocacy ensures that children receive the best-quality care.

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outstanding

Leaders and managers have used current research into safeguarding in residential settings for disabled children to develop staff’s knowledge and skills. This workshop focused on the home’s response to the national safeguarding report and its recommendations. This is an exceptional response from leaders and managers in using research to support the development of a strong safeguarding culture. A learning action has been for leaders to track and ensure regular independent visits to children from statutory agencies and advocates.

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outstanding

Leaders and managers use safe recruitment practice to ensure that adults employed have had all suitability checks completed. This means that children are cared for by staff who are deemed to be safe adults.

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outstanding

Medication processes are tightly managed. Children who have previously been prescribed ‘as and when needed’ medication (PRN) to manage high-risk behaviours have not required this medication. From their starting points at the home, some children’s medication is either reduced or stopped. The consistent care and positive Inspection report for children’s home: SC065071 5 relationships help children to stabilise and become less reliant on medication. The home is recognised by pharmaceutical professionals for high-quality safety in its management and administration of medication.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are passionate, knowledgeable and an inspiration to the staff. They provide staff with child-centred role modelling and mentoring. They have high expectations of staff and are aspirational for the children. The ethos and culture that leaders and managers have created are inspiring, and they are innovative in adapting practice to support children to fulfil their potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers know and understand the home well, and the development plan reflects the strengths and any areas for improvement. This plan has been used effectively in the improvements and progression of the home. Systems in place for quality assurance and management monitoring provide high levels of scrutiny and ensure that all files are regularly audited and updated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are happy in their roles and feel well supported. They have regular reflective supervision and appraisals and are set goals and targets to support them with learning and development. Staff aspire to progress and develop and have identified career paths within the home. Staff see this as a positive place to work. There is excellent communication between day and night staff, ensuring a whole-team approach to the care of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Training and development opportunities for staff are excellent. Leaders and managers identify additional training in response to children’s complex or emerging needs. Staff have been upskilled on the impact of cultures, using language that cares and vulnerabilities of children with disabilities. Leaders and managers ensure that staff are provided with continual learning. For example, staff who may support in school also have to undertake additional learning, such as ‘Keeping children safe in education’. This means that staff have a good understanding of safeguarding across the setting.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers work cohesively with a multi-disciplinary team in the home and with wider professionals. There is a holistic approach to the care of children, and managers are proactive in providing challenge to ensure that all professionals are completing tasks and plans in line with legislation and guidance. Professionals consulted with gave high praise regarding the home and the impact the care has had on the children’s development. A social worker said, ‘Progress within the year has been quite something, leaps and bounds. He has really come on since he’s been at the home. Probably the best progress I’ve got with any home; it’s fantastic.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC065071 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: SC065071 7

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hopscotch Solutions Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Atria, Spa Road, Bolton BL1 4AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Charlotte Van Niekerk

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Munyaradzi Sachikonye

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Inspectors

Bev Allison, Social Care Inspector Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC065071 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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