Children's Home run by Hopscotch Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 1 SC432741 Registered provider: Hopscotch Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to 5 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in September 2011. There has been no registered manager at the home since 1 April 2026. A new manager has been in post since late March but has not yet applied to register.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: A compliance case was opened in response to a complaint made to Ofsted in March 2026 by a parent whose child previously lived at the home. The complaint was considered during this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/04/2025 Full Good 26/11/2024 Full Good 07/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children develop positive relationships with the people who care for them. Staff work hard to help children to feel a sense of security and belonging. They listen to children’s views and follow up their requests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A child who moved to the home from a significant distance away struggled to settle in. The placing authority accept that the move did not meet the child’s needs and they had not fully listened to the child’s views. They said that staff, ‘put in the energy, time and patience’ to support the child. There was a planned move to a more suitable placement to meet the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the barriers to children’s engagement in education. Managers proactively challenge local authorities, when there are delays in identifying appropriate formal education. Staff encourage and support children to work with tutors and to engage in informal learning opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good care that meets their individual needs and enhances their day to day lives. Children recognise the progress that they are making and speak confidently about staff. They enjoy positive experiences that support their physical and emotional wellbeing, including going for drives with staff, attending the gym and swimming.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well met. Positive changes have been made to one child’s prescribed medication to improve health outcomes. Staff support children to understand the health implications of smoking and appropriate referrals are made for support around substance misuse. At times, children have used electronic cigarettes in the home, which staff have not consistently challenged.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with people who are important to them. The staff maintain regular communication with parents and carers and keep them updated about children’s progress. This helps children to maintain their identity

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There are bespoke plans in place to manage risks for children. Staff have access to background history and current information for each child to help them to understand their specific needs.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are aware of the procedures to follow should any child go missing from home. Incidents are managed consistently and effectively, leading to a reduction in the number of times that children have been missing from the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 4 There is limited use of physical intervention. It is used proportionately with the intention of keeping children safe from harm. Records of incidents are detailed and clearly explain what happened and what attempts were made to support children. However, some attempts to de-escalate situations have not been effective.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Some elements of risk assessments contain out-of-date information. The manager did not ensure that a risk for a child already living in the home was considered, when placing a new child.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Recruitment procedures and practices are safe. Checks ensure that only suitable adults are employed to work with children in the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The home is a welcoming environment and is undergoing improvements. Staff help children to personalise their bedrooms and to consider how communal spaces can meet their needs. Some elements of the fire risk assessment have not been reviewed, for example, with locks on doors and fire extinguishers being kept behind locked doors.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a new manager in place, who is working well with the deputy to focus on developing the team. Partnership working with professionals is a key strength of the manager and staff team. Positive feedback was received from both professionals and parents. One social worker said, ‘The manager’s communication is really good.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision takes place regularly. Staff are supported to reflect on their practice individually and as a team in meetings. Team meetings are well attended and focus on meeting children’s support needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well trained to meet the needs of the children in their care. This includes sessions delivered in-house by therapists that are specific to children, which look at their diagnoses and the impact of adverse childhood experiences. Managers support the team to reflect on the impact of training on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have oversight of incidents in the home. However, this does not always identify areas where staff practice can be improved. Debriefs completed after incidents lack sufficient detail to support the manager to complete a thorough analysis. Those completed with children are not always done by an independent adult. Staff debriefs have been completed with all staff together, meaning that they do not robustly consider individual practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers complete regular reviews of the care provided to children. The last report did not include the views of the children being cared for. Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 5

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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, 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 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;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that there is robust oversight of incidents to consider staff practice and identify areas for improvement. 31 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. 31 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that staff are consistent in their approach to supporting children around harmful behaviours, such as smoking.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s risk assessments are regularly reviewed and update to accurately reflect risks. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 41, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that they have a system in place that allows them to monitor the matters set out in regulation 45, specifically relating to the experiences of children living at the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)  The registered person should ensure that the home complies with health and safety requirements, specifically in relation to advice given about the location of fire extinguishers by the independent fire risk assessor. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 7 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.’

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hopscotch Care Limited

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Inspector

Andrea Foreman, Social Care Inspector James Meeks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC432741 8 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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