Children's Home run by Hopscotch Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617303 1 Registered provider: Hopscotch Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this home. It is registered to provide care for up to two children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 17 and 18 June 2025. Inspectors identified serious concerns in relation to safeguarding practices and ineffective leadership and management arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

Following the inspection, two compliance notices were issued under Section 22A of the Care Standards Act. Compliance notices were issued under The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the actions taken by the provider in meeting the steps in the compliance notices. Some progress has been made since the last inspection. However, not all areas of compliance have been met.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous inspection, one child has moved out of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have completed online safeguarding training and have been provided with information on safeguarding procedures. However, there is minimal documented reflection on the training and materials received, which limits assurance that staff are integrating this learning into their practice effectively. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617303 2 Managers have implemented new processes to strengthen oversight of staff safeguarding practices, including updates to online recording systems, enhanced handover procedures and the use of visual flowcharts. However, there is no recorded evidence of managerial oversight during staff knowledge reviews, which raises concerns about the effectiveness of monitoring staff practice and its impact on children’s safety and overall experience.

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This monitoring visit

Quizzes and questionnaires have been completed with staff to identify any gaps in their understanding of children’s risks and help them to understand the strategies required to reduce risks. The manager is planning a development day to build on the knowledge and skills of the staff team. However, this has not yet taken place.

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This monitoring visit

Managers are supporting staff with regular supervision and team meetings. Staff attend team meetings which provide them with opportunities to share information. Supervision sessions allow a time for reflection and learning for staff.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has made improvements to the quality of children’s risk management plans. Plans are updated with any recent information to ensure that they are current and up to date.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have an understanding of their role in keeping children safe when using mobile phones. The manager met with the team to consider the risks to children and to look at resources that are available. Staff have used these resources to complete work with the child to help them understand the risks. When concerns have arisen, staff have taken appropriate steps to address these and to share information with professionals.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have undertaken additional training to enhance their ability to support the individual needs of children. This training covers key areas, such as safeguarding, maintaining professional boundaries, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, awareness of gender identity and transitioning in adolescence, and the use of online safety tools. These topics have further developed the skills of staff.

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This monitoring visit

Following the visit, further compliance notices were issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements that were previously issued under regulations 5, 7, 8, 11, 14, 40 and 45 were not reviewed during this visit. For this reason, they are restated. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617303 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/06/2025 Full Inadequate 06/11/2024 Full Good 16/01/2024 Full Good 11/10/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617303 4

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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 with 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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff have a good understanding of risk management plans and strategies in place to reduce the risk of harm to children. 21 September

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; 21 September Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617303 5 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there are effective monitoring and review systems in place, so that leaders and managers have effective oversight of staff practice and the impact on children’s safety and experiences.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care; 19 September Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617303 6 help each child to understand how the child’s privacy will be respected and the circumstances when it may have to be limited;

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Requirement Due date

is given appropriate advocacy support. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children are supported to express their, views, wishes and feelings.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children’s privacy is respected.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies, or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there are effective professional relationships between the staff and placing authority.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that they escalate any concerns with the child’s placing authority and ensure that appropriate action is taken and/or referrals are made to services without delay. 19 September Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617303 7 The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff help children to engage in education, training, or employment as part of a daily structured routine and in accordance with children’s relevant plans. 19 September Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617303 8 The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual, and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. 19 September Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617303 9 (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that positive relationships between children and staff are promoted.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff communicate to children in a way that the children understand in accordance with their age and understanding.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that full consideration is given to the needs and risks to children before they move into the home. 19 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

is instigated; or 19 September Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617303 10 concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that when a serious incident occurs, a notification is made to Ofsted.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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

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) (5))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that that they have a system in place which allows them to monitor the matters set out in regulation 45 specifically relating to the opinions of parents, placing authorities and staff. 19 September

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the terminology staff use is caring and compassionate. Phrases that contribute to further discrimination should be Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617303 11 challenged and an evaluation of ‘language that cares’ should be considered. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 21, paragraph 4.3)

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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.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617303 12

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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, Lancashire LA5 9LD

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Inspector

Stacey Ilaboya, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2617303 13 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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