Children's home run by Sportfit Support Services Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2803078 1 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

p.1

Registered provider: Sportfit Support Services Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children who have social and emotional difficulties. At the time of inspection, one child was living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since March 2025.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2803078 2 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

p.1

Findings from the inspection

This assurance inspection was brought forward due to concerns received by Ofsted.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

At this assurance inspection, the following serious and widespread concerns were identified in relation to the care and protection of children and leadership and management:

p.2

Findings from the inspection

 The home has not had a registered manager since March 2025. The current management arrangements are significantly poor.  Leaders and managers have failed to support staff to follow and implement a child’s relevant plans or provide them with safe and effective care.  There are significant concerns regarding staff practice and the safeguarding culture in the home.  There is a lack of identified learning from investigations relating to staff practice concerns.  There are poor arrangements in place regarding online safety and mobile phone use.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

One child is living in the home. Staff have failed to follow the child’s care plan sufficiently. For example, they did not supervise family time as required to ensure that this was a safe experience for the child. This placed the child at risk and highlighted that staff lack effective understanding of safeguarding practice.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The child has known risks linked to online safety and mobile phone use. However, arrangements to monitor this are weak. This is because staff do not have oversight of the child’s mobile phone use. This means that staff are not aware of what the child accesses while using their phone and are not sufficiently aware of risks should they present. This compromises the child’s safety.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Although the child has developed positive relationships with staff and started to settle into the home, there are a lack of clear boundaries to support them to maintain safe and healthy routines. For example, the child has full use of their phone throughout the night, which has impacted poorly on their sleep. This is in addition to the wider risks presented by the child’s phone use.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

There have been times where staff conduct has been poor. For instance, there have been instances where a staff member used racially abusive language towards another staff member in front of the child. The child has subsequently copied the terms used. This undermines the opportunity for the child to live in a safe and inclusive environment.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The child is not attending school. Although staff have attempted to address this, they have not ensured that the child has a routine or is involved in meaningful activities in the interim. This lack of routine has a negative impact, as it reduces the Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2803078 3 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

p.2

Findings from the inspection

child’s readiness to learn and limits their ability to take part in activities outside the home.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

There has not been a registered manager since March 2025. Leaders have been unsuccessful in recruiting a suitability experienced manager since this time. Consequently, leaders put deputy managers in day-to-day charge of the home. This is despite the deputy managers not having the required skills, experience or qualifications to fully carry out the roles and responsibilities that are placed on them. Recently, one deputy manager left the home. This was following leaders holding them to account for failing to escalate concerns effectively. However, there is a lack of accountability from leaders regarding their poor oversight of this.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

The remaining deputy manager receives minimal support from the responsible individual and other leaders. This is because the responsible individual’s role is voluntary, they live far from the home and the support given is virtual rather than in person. This limits the responsible individual’s scope and capacity to effectively supervise the management of the home. This has had a significant detrimental impact on staff practice and, subsequently, the child’s experiences, progress and safety.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

The inconsistencies in the management arrangements have led to inconsistent support of staff. Several staff members have been subject to investigations. One investigation highlighted inconsistent communication with staff and a lack of meaningful follow-up when further concerns are raised about staff conduct and practice. Furthermore, no learning is identified following investigations. This hinders the necessary improvements and development that is needed to address staff practice and conduct.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Staff receive supervision. However, the supervision sessions do not link to practice or conduct concerns that have been raised or investigated. Therefore, the quality of supervision is weak. Furthermore, the deputy manager is responsible for providing staff supervision rather than a qualified and experienced leader or manager.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Safeguarding notifications are received significantly late. Consequently, Ofsted has not had timely information to be assured that effective and appropriate action in response to safeguarding matters and staff practice concerns has been taken.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

One requirement raised at the last inspection has been met. However, the remainder of the weaknesses have not been addressed sufficiently. Therefore, all other requirements are restated. One new recruitment has also been raised. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2803078 4 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/07/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2803078 5 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

p.4

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.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

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)(f)(h))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that there are suitable management arrangements and effective monitoring systems in place. 4 January 2026

p.5

Requirement Due date

*The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

p.5

Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

p.5

Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and 4 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2803078 6 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

p.5

Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i) (2)(a)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes

p.6

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to-

p.6

Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

p.6

Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(iv)(ix))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 4 January 2026

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 4 January 2026

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

that staff— 4 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2803078 7 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

p.6

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.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vii))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.7

Requirement Due date

receive well-planned care from the home;

p.7

Requirement Due date

and have a positive experience of admission and transition processes.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have the required skills and training to meet the needs of children before they move into the home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 4 January 2026

p.7

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 4 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2803078 8 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

p.7

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;

p.8

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

p.8

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.8

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. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii))

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 4 January 2026

p.8

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.8

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the responsible individual has the capacity to supervise the management of each children’s home that they are responsible for. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 60, paragraph 12.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2803078 9 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sportfit Support Services Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sportfit Support Services Ltd, 63a Millbrook Road East, Southampton SO15 1HN

p.9

Inspector

Chido Mangava, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2803078 10 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

p.9

Inspector

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.

p.10

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 .

p.10

Inspector

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.10

Inspector

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

p.10

Inspector

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

p.10