Children's Home run by Hopscotch Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 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

The home is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to 2 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home. The inspectors spoke with the child about their experiences of living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023 but is on extended leave. The interim management arrangements in place are robust.

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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

Date of last inspection: 24 September 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/09/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/06/2025 Full Inadequate 06/11/2024 Full Good 16/01/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 3

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Summary of findings

Staff know the child well and have built trusting relationships that help them feel safe and settled. The child is making progress in education, and their interests and achievements are actively celebrated.

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Summary of findings

Risk assessments are detailed, safeguarding responsibilities are understood, and leadership is child centred and well regarded by staff. However, the child’s daily routine lacks sufficient structure outside of tutoring.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child feels comfortable in the home and is making progress in all areas of their life. The child says they like living in the home and has positive relationships with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff know the child well and encourage them to pursue their individual interests in the home, such as art, music, and cooking. The child maintains links with family and friends, and the staff support their family time in their home authority, which is at a distance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is encouraged to express their views, wishes and feelings about the home. These are documented from formal and informal meetings with the child. The child has access to an independent advocate and understands how to raise any concerns they have.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote independence skills in line with the child’s age. Sessions have taken place regarding cooking, budgeting, washing, and personal hygiene. Healthy eating is promoted in the home and the child enjoys healthy, home-cooked meals, some of which they prepare themselves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the child to attend routine health appointments, and work has been carried out to help the child develop their resilience regarding visiting the dentist. Initial fears were overcome, with staff adopting a patient and child-centred approach.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to access specialist healthcare to promote their emotional and mental wellbeing. They recognise the challenges for the child, and they remain close during the therapeutic sessions. The staff encourage the child to share their worries with them during formal key-work sessions and during more relaxed parts of the day, such as when out walking or in the car.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has made progress in education from their starting point. Before moving to the home, they did not access education. However, they now access tutoring daily, focusing on core subjects in line with the child’s learning needs and style. However, the child is out of routine, which is not helping them to prepare for accessing college education. Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 4

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

The child says they feel safe in the home and knows who they can speak to if they are worried. There have been no physical interventions and no missing-from-home episodes since they moved in. This indicates that the child feels secure, can regulate their emotions and trusts staff to help them manage difficulties.

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

Risk assessments are detailed and practical, and they clearly identify actions for staff to take in response to all key areas of risk. When risks change, the documents are updated promptly so that staff have the most relevant information to hand. This ensures that staff are well prepared and able to respond consistently and confidently to the child’s needs.

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

Online safety arrangements are strong. The child adheres to the measures in place, which helps them feel safe. Staff have a clear understanding of the associated risks and how to manage them. These measures are in line with the care plan and reduce the likelihood of harm.

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

When a safeguarding concern arose regarding a member of staff, the statutory process was followed promptly and correctly. Records are clear and demonstrate appropriate liaison with safeguarding partners. Staff also spoke with the child to ensure that they understood what had happened. This reflects a strong safeguarding culture and leaders’ thorough understanding of their responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager provides thoughtful, child-centred leadership. Staff speak highly of the manager and say that she is approachable, child focused and committed to the child’s best interests. This is reflected in the home’s positive culture and the quality of care provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is regular, reflective, and generally delivered within expected timescales. Records show clear discussions about practice, and staff have opportunities to reflect on their work. Staff say that supervision sessions are helpful. A 360-degree appraisal process supports staff development, including feedback from the child, staff, and external professionals, which strengthens the integrity of practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are purposeful and routinely include updates on online safety and other emerging risks. This helps maintain a shared understanding of the child’s needs and promotes consistent practice. Clinical and education staff attend meetings to ensure that there is a full discussion on how to help staff work with the child in a positive manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training is responsive to the child’s identified risks. The manager incorporates relevant research and online safety information into team meetings, ensuring that staff Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 5 knowledge remains current and not reliant on generic training alone. This strengthens staff confidence and competence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Pre-admission planning is detailed and multi-layered, including several referral meetings and a video call arranged specifically for the child to allow them to engage at their own pace. This ensured that staff were well informed about the child’s daily routines and needs before they arrived, supporting a positive start to the placement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children who are not participating in full- time education are supported to engage in suitable and structured activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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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: 2617303 7

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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

Colin Jones, Social Care Inspector Jayne Lord, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2617303 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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