Children's Home run by Hopscotch Care Limited in Cumberland

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2741833 1 Registered provider: Hopscotch Care Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private organisation. The home is registered to care for up to two children who have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There were two children living at the home, at the time of this inspection.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The home was judged good at the full inspection on 22 October and 23 October 2024.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken following a safeguarding notification that identified an area of concern about safety in the home. The focus of this visit was to review the actions taken by the provider to safeguard the children when a fire occurred in the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

A recording of the incident was reviewed. This showed that an accidental fire started in a child’s bedroom. Staff did not follow fire safety plans to evacuate the building or call the emergency services on the sound of the fire alarm.

p.1

This monitoring visit

One child exited the building on the instruction of staff. The other child followed staff to the scene of the fire to attempt to put it out. A member of staff put the fire out after two attempts and deemed the home safe to re-enter.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The child sustained a small burn to their back attempting to help staff put the fire out. Although first aid was offered to the child by the staff, no medical treatment or advise was sought for the injury. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2741833 2 Relevant professionals and Ofsted were not notified until two days after the fire. This means that the local authority responsible for the children and the regulator were unable to have sufficient oversight and scrutiny of the incident and of any actions taken in a timely manner.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The manager held de-briefs with the staff who were involved in the incident. The manager identified the shortfalls in staff practice and took immediate action to address this and replaced the child’s mattress.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The manager has spoken to the child who failed to exit the home on instruction. Fire safety and evacuation plans have been revisited with the child to support them in their understanding of the dangers of fire and what action must be taken should the fire alarm sound.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Further reflections and training took place on the day of this visit with the full staff team, to look at any lessons learned, to avoid this from happening again and to ensure that all staff know to contact the emergency services in the case of any fire.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Two requirements were raised because of this visit. Four recommendations raised at the full inspection have been re-stated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2741833 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/10/2024 Full Good 24/01/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2741833 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.4

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.4

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

p.4

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) 30 March 2025

p.4

Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

p.4

Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home; 30 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2741833 5 provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire;

p.4

Requirement Due date

make arrangements for persons working at the home to receive suitable training in fire prevention; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. In particular, the registered person should ensure that children’s mobile devices are used safely. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that family members and staff are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  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)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive

p.5

Recommendations

environment that meets the needs of their children. Any damages should be quickly repaired. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

p.5

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.5

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2741833 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hopscotch Care Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.6

Inspector

Julie Elder, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2741833 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7