Children's Home run by Hopscotch Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 1 SC432741 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 registered with Ofsted in September 2011 and is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to five children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 7 November 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/11/2022 Full Good 29/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported well by managers and staff who hold them in high regard. Children have positive relationships built on trust and affection with the staff who care for them. The manager and staff have created a safe environment where children feel listened to and can express their wishes and feelings. One child said, ‘The staff are caring and look after us well.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with their family and friends. Staff maintain good communication with children’s families. This provides children with a support network where they feel safe to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. One social worker said, ‘Staff promote safe contact with family.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children access a range of activities inside and outside of the home. Activities include gaming, football, baking, arts and crafts, photography, and shopping. This supports children to pursue their hobbies and interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop their independence skills. Depending on their age and understanding, they are encouraged to bake, cook, use public transport, and learn about budgets. One social worker said, ‘[Name of child] has really appreciated the support to have more independence and time within the community.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is promoted and there has been improved attainment and attendance. Children have been supported to sit exams. The manager remains persistent in their attempts to engage children in education. However, there is a lack of structure to the day when children are not in school. This means that there are missed opportunities to support education in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff supported one child during a period in hospital when an operation was required. The children are in good health. However, one child had a vaping device in their possession during the inspection, which does not demonstrate that children’s health and well-being are promoted well.

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

Staff understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities. Children’s risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated. Staff communicate regularly with children about any safeguarding concerns and risky behaviours, which helps children to understand how to keep themselves safe.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the missing-from-home procedures. They actively look for the children when they are missing and liaise with professionals to help minimise risk. Incidents of the children going missing from home are well managed and recorded. Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 4 There have been occasions when the use of physical intervention has been necessary. The manager evaluates physical interventions to ensure that they are proportionate, and reflection is carried out with staff and children.

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

Positive recognition and praise outweigh negative consequences. The manager evaluates consequences to ensure that they are proportionate and restorative.

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

There is good multi-agency working. The manager and staff work closely with professionals to ensure that the children receive appropriate support. One social worker said, ‘Staff and me are in tune and work really well together.’

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

Staff are provided with regular training and development opportunities. Training includes topics such as medication, harmful sexual behaviour, LGBTQIA+, autism and substance misuse. This ensures that staff have the skills to support the children’s individual needs.

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

The home has a relaxed and homely atmosphere. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, and their photos are displayed around the home. This gives the children a sense of belonging. However, the kitchen and lounge doors have been locked overnight on occasions, which has prevented the children from having full access to all shared areas of their home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is suitably experienced and is working towards attaining a leadership and management qualification. The manager and staff speak about the children with warmth and enthusiasm. The manager and staff advocate well for the children in all aspects of their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff say that they feel supported by the manager. They attend regular team meetings and receive regular supervision of their practice. This provides opportunities for the staff to reflect on and develop their practice and ways to support children. One member of staff said, ‘I am supported massively by all managers.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has good oversight of children’s progress, and any changes needed. However, the manager does not always have a good knowledge and understanding of concerns raised around staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the home. However, the quality-of-care review does not include feedback from parents, staff, children, and local authorities. Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires, and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on-

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that the quality of care provided is consistent and monitoring systems are in place in relation to concerns regarding staff practice. 31 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality-of-care review”) at least once every 6 months. 31 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 6 In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing, and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities, and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality-of-care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality-of-care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality-of-care review (“the quality-of-care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality-of-care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality-of-care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality-of-care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person seeking the feedback and opinions of children, parents, staff and placing authorities about the home, its facilities and the quality of care provided.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff support children to engage in suitable structured activities when they are not in school. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 28, paragraph 5.15) Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 7  The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to take a proactive role in looking after their day-to-day health and well-being. This specifically relates to the use of vaping devices and attending medical appointments in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 33, paragraph 7.10)  The registered person should ensure that, just as in a family home, children are able to access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet their needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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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: SC432741 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hopscotch Care Limited

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Inspector

Stacey Ilaboya, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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