Children's Home run by Sportfit Support Services Limited in HampshireOfsted inspection, 16 Sept 2026

Inspection report for children’s home: 2682524 1 Registered provider: Sportfit Support Services 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

This home is run by a private provider. The home provides care for up to 4 children who may have emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 25 April 2025.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: a restriction of accommodation notice has been served and is in place from 22 July 2026 until 13 October 2026. This is due to a lack of confidence in the organisation’s financial position. The children’s home is in the process of being sold to another organisation. Inspection report for children’s home: 2682524 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/08/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/03/2025 Full Good 25/07/2023 Full Good 01/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2682524 3

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Summary of findings

Children are receiving safe, nurturing care and are making positive progress from their starting points. Staff build strong relationships with children; they promote education, health, family connections and positive activities, and they work effectively with other professionals to keep children safe. Children’s emotional wellbeing, school attendance and personal safety have improved, with one child no longer going missing from home. Staff feel well supported by an approachable manager, and they receive regular supervision. An external professional provided positive feedback about the home’s communication and the progress a child is making. Despite organisational changes, children continue to receive stable and consistent care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress from their starting points. One child is now better able to manage their emotions and attends school regularly, while another child is no longer going missing from home. As a result, both children are experiencing more stability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain good health and attend all relevant health appointments. For a child with a long-term health condition, staff work closely with specialist healthcare professionals and consistently follow professional guidance to ensure their needs are fully understood and appropriately met. This collaborative approach helps to ensure the child receives safe, coordinated care that promotes their health and wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain relationships with their friends and family. One child has been helped to re-establish their relationship with their family. The child also has a friend who visits regularly and stays overnight. As a result, the child’s mental health has improved, and the support networks in place are influencing positive future independence plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, and before the restriction of accommodation order was served, leaders and managers have improved how they plan for children moving in. Staff gathered detailed information before the most recent child moved into the home so they could understand and meet their needs. The child was also able to visit the home and stay overnight before deciding to move in. This helped the child feel comfortable and supported a smooth transition into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to attend and engage in education. Both children attend school regularly. One child recently moved to a new school closer to the home, and staff work closely with school staff to help them settle in and ensure their Inspection report for children’s home: 2682524 4 needs are understood and met. As a result, the child is receiving the support they need to make a positive start at their new school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a variety of activities that match their interests. Staff also encourage them to try new experiences and activities they may not have considered before. For example, children have enjoyed attending music concerts, going to the cinema, visiting motorbike museums and spending time at theme parks. Consequently, these opportunities help children broaden their experiences, build confidence and enjoy new interests.

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

A strong safeguarding culture is promoted in the home. Staff understand their responsibilities for keeping children safe and take appropriate action when concerns arise. Managers and staff work closely with other professionals and maintain regular communication to ensure children receive the right support and protection. As a result, children benefit from a coordinated approach to safeguarding.

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

Children are supported by staff who have developed positive and trusting relationships with them. This is reflected in the warm, caring and respectful interactions observed between staff and children. Staff provide encouragement in a calm and patient way, helping children to feel safe, secure, valued and listened to.

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

Allegations are taken seriously and responded to promptly in line with local authority designated officer procedures. Investigations are completed in a timely manner, with clear records of outcomes and the reasons for actions taken. Any learning identified through these investigations is shared with staff to improve practice. As a result, staff accountability is strengthened and the home’s safeguarding practice continues to develop.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the factors that can influence children’s behaviour and emotional wellbeing. Staff work closely with specialist services and encourage children to develop healthy coping strategies to manage difficult situations and emotions. In response, children’s mental health is improving, and they are becoming more resilient and better able to manage challenges in a positive way.

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

Staff help children build independence at a suitable pace. Because of this support, children are getting better at self-care skills, cooking skills and travelling safely and independently in the community. These improvements have helped them feel more confident and more engaged in the activities.

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

Children are supported to stay safe online through clear boundaries and appropriate monitoring that helps prevent access to unsuitable content. Staff have regular, open conversations with children about their online activity and take an interest in what they are viewing and sharing. This helps children to engage positively in discussions about online safety, while enabling staff to identify and respond to any potential risks. Inspection report for children’s home: 2682524 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is being sold to another organisation because the current provider is no longer financially viable. A restriction notice remains in place, meaning no additional children can move into the home until the change of ownership is completed and the home has been re-registered with Ofsted. Despite this, managers are maintaining stability and continuity of care for the children currently living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff report feeling well supported throughout the organisational change. Staff said that the registered manager has communicated clearly and regularly during the transition, helping to provide reassurance and maintain stability. As a result, staff remain engaged and confident, enabling them to continue providing consistent care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager knows the children well. They advocate strongly for children and are very proactive. For example, their advocacy led to a change in school and for specialist assessments for a child whose needs were not being understood; this is now informing future planning for the child that is aligned to their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is held regularly and staff feel able to seek support from the manager whenever needed. Staff describe the manager as approachable and supportive. One new member of staff said they were being supported to learn their role and that any challenge was constructive and focused on development. Staff feel valued and listened to, enabling them to provide consistent and effective care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from external professionals is positive. One professional described communication with the home as ‘very effective’ and reported that a child was making good progress as a result of the support provided by staff. This demonstrates positive partnership working and the ability of managers and staff to support children well. Inspection report for children’s home: 2682524 6

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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: 2682524 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sportfit Support Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Brooklands Place, Brooklands Road, Sale, Cheshire M33 3SD

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Inspector

Chido Mangava, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2682524 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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