Hope for Children and their Families

Inspection of Hope for Children and their Families Hope Family Centre, Hereford Road, Bromyard, Hereford HR7 4QU

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is inadequate

Children's safety is compromised at this provision because leadership is weak. The provider does not have sufficient oversight of the running of the provision to ensure good quality. New staff are not always subject to robust recruitment and induction processes. Furthermore, the ongoing suitability of staff is unchecked. Managers and staff are significantly confused about some of their safeguarding duties. The lack of support for managers and staff has a negative impact on their ability to fulfil all of their roles successfully.

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The provision is inadequate

That said, children are happy and settled attending. Staff are warm, positive and encouraging in their interactions with them. Staff know children well, and the curriculum they provide is good. For example, babies enjoy lots of exploratory time. Staff provide plenty of space for babies to learn to walk and climb. Babies negotiate walkers inside and access low-level equipment outdoors. Toddlers and pre-school children are busy throughout their time at the provision. They enjoy sensory activities, including play dough and access to drawing materials. They also like riding on balance bikes and engaging with staff in imaginative role play, such as making 'cakes' with sand in the garden. All children make their own play choices and are learning to play nicely with their peers. Overall, children cooperate with routines and behave well.

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need to do better?

n Despite a recent Ofsted visit to the provision, the provider has failed to take sufficient action to improve. There are still several breaches of the early years foundation stage that mean children's well-being is not assured. The provider does not spend enough time in the provision. They do not work closely with the management and staff team to ensure the provision is managed effectively and those working on site are supported in their roles. n The provider does not follow robust recruitment processes for all new staff to determine their suitability for the role. Furthermore, the provider has failed to put arrangements in place to check that those working with children continue to be suitable during their employment. This does not help keep children safe. n Induction processes for new staff are poor. The management team is unclear about who is responsible for inducting new staff. This means some new staff do

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need to do better?

not receive a rigorous induction to help them fully understand their responsibilities. This does not help to ensure children's welfare. n The culture for safeguarding is poor. The management team and staff are unclear about who the designated lead person for safeguarding is. Therefore, this lead role is not definitively assigned. Furthermore, some managers and staff are not confident enough about how to implement the provision's safeguarding policies. This is because they are unsure about who to escalate concerns to both

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need to do better?

9 April 2025 within the provision or externally if required. This does not help to ensure children's well-being. n Since the last Ofsted visit, new arrangements for management and staff supervision sessions have been put in place. However, there is limited room for the discussion of sensitive issues or the opportunity to devise solutions to address any concerns. This means the morale of the management team and staff remains very low. Therefore, the new arrangements for supervision are not effective enough in practice to help foster a culture of mutual support and teamwork. n Staff observe children and assess their learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive exemplary support. This includes early targeted play plans, one-to-one sessions and small-group work. Therefore, all children are making good progress in their learning. n Children's communication and language is a clear priority for staff at this

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need to do better?

provision. Staff sing with babies and read them simple books. Staff working with toddlers and pre-school children hold comprehensive two-way discussions with them and ask complex questions. For example, during a small-group circle time, staff encourage toddlers and pre-school children to think about spring. They help them to take turns speaking and to share their thoughts about the season with the group. n Staff working with babies manage their care needs well. For example, they speak to parents and closely follow babies' routines from home. Babies are highly supervised when sleeping, and they are kept clean and dry during the day. Staff support babies to use simple cutlery when they are ready to self-feed during snack times and mealtimes. n Staff working with toddlers and pre-school children promote lots of independence. These children put their own coats away after playing outside, wash their hands before eating and swiftly become toilet trained. This helps to

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need to do better?

promote the key skills they will need in preparation for moving on to school. n Despite the leadership issues, parents and carers are complimentary about the overall quality of the service provided. Staff foster relationships with parents and share key information with them about children's time at the provision. This helps to promote some continuity between the provision and home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

There is not an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Due date

ensure the nominated individual has effective oversight of the setting so that it is managed effectively and staff are appropriately supported 21/05/2025

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Due date

ensure recruitment procedures are robust and all new staff are subject to rigorous vetting processes to determine their suitability for the role 21/05/2025

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Due date

put arrangements in place to check that those working with children are continually suitable to do so during their employment 21/05/2025

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Due date

ensure all new staff receive induction training to help them fully understand their roles and responsibilities 21/05/2025

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Due date

ensure a lead practitioner for safeguarding is clearly assigned and staff are made aware of who this is 21/05/2025

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Due date

ensure all staff, including the lead practitioner for safeguarding, fully understand the safeguarding policies, including who to escalate concerns to both within and outside of the provision 21/05/2025

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Due date

ensure the arrangements for supervision of managers and staff foster a culture of mutual support and teamwork, including promoting the discussion of sensitive issues and solutions to address them. 21/05/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY333183 Local authority Herefordshire Inspection number 10395448 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 53

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Name of registered person

H.O.P.E for Children and Their Families Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01885 488495 Date of previous inspection 7 August 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Hope for Children and their Families registered in 2006 and is located in Bromyard, Herefordshire. The provision is open Monday to Wednesday, from 8am to 5.30pm, and on Thursday and Friday, from 8am until 4pm, all year around. The provision employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including a qualified teacher. The provision provides funded early education for eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the leadership team about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during a small- group activity. n Parents and carers shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

suitability of staff working in the provision.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

9 April 2025 regulates and inspects 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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