Children's Home run by Hopscotch Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 1 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 privately operated home provides care for up to four children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in June 2018. The previous registered manager left in March 2025. A new manager was appointed in March 2025. They have applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living at the home at the time of this inspection and spoke with the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/08/2024 Full Good 23/01/2024 Full Good 08/06/2022 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 3

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improvement to be good

The overall experiences and progress of children are compromised by shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home.

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improvement to be good

Children and staff have experienced unsettled times at the home due to the high level of staff turnover. One child said, ‘I don’t feel I can talk to people, because when I get to know someone, they leave.’ All positions have now been successfully recruited.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff support children’s education. The manager remains persistent in their attempt to fully engage children in education. This has included supporting a child to change schools. This has led to improved educational attainment and attendance.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy spending time engaging in different activities, including swimming, going for walks, playing on games consoles, imaginary play, going for drives and listening to music. This supports children to pursue their interests.

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improvement to be good

Children’s bedrooms are personalised, and they have space for their personal possessions to be displayed, including figurines and photos. There is a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to spend time with their friends and family. 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 family member said, ‘We hadn’t seen each other for so many years, we have had to build that relationship again. Staff really explain things to me.’

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage children to become more independent and develop new skills, depending on their age and understanding. Children are encouraged to complete household tasks, including cooking, baking, keeping their bedrooms tidy and washing. This helps the children to learn the skills they will need as they become adults.

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improvement to be good

The staff are caring and dedicated about their role and the care they provide to children. They show commitment to the children, and this is reflected in the feedback from multi- agency professionals. One social worker said, ‘[Name of child] is doing well, making relationships with staff and starting to talk to staff about how they feel.’

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff do not show professional curiosity about the risks to children from online activities. As a result, children use their devices freely and without monitoring, which poses a significant risk to them. Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 4 Risk assessments provide information and include steps for staff to take in response to children’s behaviour, as well as preventative steps. However, not all information included is up to date. This does not ensure that staff have all relevant information and strategies to support children.

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improvement to be good

Staff only use physical intervention as a last resort to keep children safe. When this has happened, staff have been able to talk about the incident to reflect on their feelings. On one occasion, a child did not have an opportunity to talk about their feelings and thoughts following an incident. This does not ensure that the child had the opportunity to reflect on the incident and for lessons learned to be considered.

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improvement to be good

There have been incidents of children going missing from the home. When children go missing, staff are quick to respond. Staff have a good understanding of the missing- from-home procedure. However, children have not always had an independent return interview. This is a missed opportunity to support children and reduce the risk of further incidents.

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improvement to be good

Staff take the time to listen to children and help them to understand their emotions. However, on one occasion, a child’s concerns were not appropriately addressed. This does not ensure that children always feel supported.

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improvement to be good

Staff undertake training to ensure that they are suitably skilled to meet the individual needs of children. Training includes first aid, safeguarding, safe handling of medication, self-harm and ligature, sexualised behaviours and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder . This also helps to ensure consistency in staff practice.

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improvement to be good

There is good multi-agency working. A social worker said, ‘The communication is brilliant.’

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

Since the last inspection, there has been a change in manager. The previous registered manager left the role in March 2025. However, they have not voluntarily cancelled their registration. A new manager has been appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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

The managers’ internal monitoring systems have not been effective in identifying and responding to the weaknesses at the home. For example, managers’ have failed to take appropriate action following an incident of physical intervention. This impacts on the oversight and care provided to children.

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

The manager has completed a six-monthly quality of care review. This includes feedback from professionals. However, the report does not consider feedback from children, parents and staff working with the children. This is a missed opportunity for the manager to fully evaluate the care provided to children effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 5 Serious incidents have not always been reported to Ofsted. This means that the regulator does not have sufficient oversight and scrutiny of the management of significant incidents.

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

Staff receive supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose. They attend team meetings, which provide opportunities for them to share information.

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

Staff say they enjoy working at the home and that they feel supported by the management team. One staff member said, ‘As a new member of staff I feel very supported by my immediate colleagues and management and feel that if I was to have any worries or concerns, I would be listened to.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 6

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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 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

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;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2) (a)(i)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s risk management plans are up to date, allowing staff to access all relevant information to reduce risk to children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff understand and implement identified strategies to support children and reduce the risk of harm when using online devices. 10 October 2025

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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— 10 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 7 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must review incidents that occur and evaluate the response from staff. In addition, the registered person should detail the actions that staff need to take.

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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; 10 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 8 regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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Requirement Due date

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

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children are supported to express their views, wishes and feelings and that concerns raised are appropriately acted on.

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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. (Regulation (5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that arrangements are in place for missing-from-home interviews within 72 hours. 10 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; 10 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 9 the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the child is spoken to regarding the incident within 5 days of the use of the measure.

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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; 10 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 10 a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

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

In particular, 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

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. 10 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 11 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

In particular, 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 children, parents and staff.

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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: 1277497 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: 1277497 13 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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