Children's Home run by Hopscotch Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 1 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 owned by a private company. It provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 4 children were living at the home. Three of the children spoke to the inspectors about their experiences of living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has operated without a registered manager since March 2025. A new manager is in post, and she intends to apply to register.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Serious concerns were identified at an assurance inspection on 17 March 2026. Compliance notices were issued in respect of Regulation 12, ‘The protection of children standard’, and Regulation 13, ‘The leadership and management standard’, under section 22A of the care standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/08/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/08/2024 Full Good 23/01/2024 Full Good 08/06/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 3

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers are embedding new monitoring systems and have a good understanding of the strengths of the homes and areas to develop.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, four children remain living at the home. However, one child is soon to move out of the home due to ongoing incidents, and court-directed restrictions for the child are being considered. Not all incidents have been notified to Ofsted as required by regulation, which limits the regulator’s oversight of practice in the home.

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improvement to be good

Instability in the staff team has led to a lack of consistent care for the children living in the home. This has affected their continuity of care. This is something that leaders and managers are taking action to address.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children with their education. Three children are in full-time education, and one child now has a tutor and is learning and developing in confidence. Staff want children to do well and support learning opportunities inside and outside of the home.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are well met. Staff work closely with professionals to ensure that children receive the correct health advice. When a child requires additional professional support, this is prioritised.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy spending time with family and friends. Staff understand the importance of children maintaining meaningful relationships, and this promotes a stronger sense of belonging for the children.

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improvement to be good

The home is clean and tidy. Action has been taken to address previous concerns in relation to internal locks on doors. Children have been able to personalise their bedrooms.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risks management plans have been updated and are clear and detailed. Staff have a good understanding of children’s risks.

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improvement to be good

However, since the last inspection, there has been a concern relating to a child going missing from the home and in the possession of a razor when unsettled in the home. There was also a concern that a sewing kit was purchased for a child with known self- Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 4 injurious behaviours. The incident reports lacked detail and oversight by leaders and managers and there was no learning or reflection.

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improvement to be good

Children say they like the staff and that they can speak to someone if they have any worries. Interactions observed between the children and staff appear positive. The inspectors observed children singing and laughing with staff.

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improvement to be good

When allegations have been made, staff have been suspended and the manager has shared concerns with local safeguarding professionals. The children have been updated on the process. This ensures that children feel listened to, and this transparency means that there is independent oversight from safeguarding professionals.

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improvement to be good

Staff complete work with children to help them develop their independence skills, how to keep safe in the community and their emotional well-being. This helps children develop their knowledge and understanding.

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improvement to be good

Staff have undertaken additional training on self-harm, suicidal ideation and caring for a child with asthma. The manager has plans in place to continue to help develop staff’s knowledge and skills with regard to recording and reporting and using child-centred language in children’s records.

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improvement to be good

Children are only held when it is necessary to keep them or others safe. Managers oversee all debriefs and include manager’s oversight. However, children’s records are not clear on who the conversation has taken place with.

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improvement to be good

Children know how to make a complaint. When a complaint was made, action was taken to ensure that the child had the opportunity to express their views and that the child was updated on the outcome.

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improvement to be good

Partnership work with professionals is a strength of the home. However, one social worker was concerned about ongoing incidents, staff’s poor decision-making and the impact on the child.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment practices are in place. This ensures that only adults who are safe to work with children are employed to work in the home.

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

Since the last inspection, there have been changes to the leadership and management of the home. A new experienced manager has been appointed. However, they have not registered with Ofsted.

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

Staff are positive about the support they receive from the managers. However, staff have not been receiving regular supervision, and the manager was only able to share the inductions of two new members of staff. The manager is taking action to address this, but this does not help staff to carry out their roles effectively, provide formal Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 5 opportunities for reflection or demonstrate that the manager has a clear understanding of staff’s strengths and areas to develop.

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

Team meetings are not arranged in line with the home’s statement of purpose. This does not ensure that there is an additional forum for the staff to reflect on the children’s care needs and for learning and development.

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

Leaders and managers have internal and external monitoring systems in place, and changes are being embedded. Shortfalls limit the opportunities for leaders and managers to identify patterns and trends to oversee the progress children make and identify additional learning for the staff.

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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.

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

Following this visit, it was deemed that sufficient action been taken to meet the compliance notices. However, due to ongoing shortfalls, requirements are issued. 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

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff understand what action to take to reduce known and emerging risks and to ensure they follow the child’s risk assessment at all times and be professionally curious. 31 July 2026

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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— 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 7 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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; 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure a review of staff skills and knowledge is undertaken. This includes ensuring all staff have a thorough induction which can be evidenced.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that effective monitoring and review systems are in place. This is to help identify any shortfalls in staff practice, to make continuous improvements to the care that staff provide for children, and to have robust oversight of all incidents.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes and appropriate induction.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing development; and 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 8 receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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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

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 31 July 2026

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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.

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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 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 9 parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)(b) and (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure 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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Requirement Due date

This was not reviewed at the inspection due to the report not yet required, and the requirement has been restated.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff complete records in a way that is helpful to children and write in a non-stigmatising way. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure records of restraint include the name of the person who undertakes the debrief, so records are clear. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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 10

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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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Inspectors

Michelle Snape, Social Care Inspector Colin Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1277497 11 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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