Children's Home run by Pinnacle Care Provisions Ltd in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2653112 1 Registered provider: Pinnacle Care Provisions Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home, which provides care for three children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this monitoring visit, the registration of the home was suspended. Therefore, there were no children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2023.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate after a further visit when inspectors returned on 25 October 2024 to gather additional evidence in line with the Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy, due to safeguarding concerns that had been raised.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors identified serious concerns in relation to staff safeguarding practices and poor and ineffective leadership and management arrangements. Following the inspection, a notice to suspend the home’s registration was issued and compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, were issued.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor the suspension notice and review the action taken by the provider to meet the compliance notices. Ofsted found that the provider has complied with the suspension notice. The provider has not taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers have taken action to improve the home environment. The home has been redecorated throughout and the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2653112 2 previous damage has been repaired. Work has been completed to fix all fire doors, and these are now in working order.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have attended further safeguarding training. They have completed a variety of training courses including on exploitation, professional curiosity and reporting and recording. However, it is unclear how effective this is in practice to help staff understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not carried out any lessons learned exercises following significant safeguarding incidents. Staff are not provided with any opportunities to reflect and improve safeguarding practices.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, there have been some changes in the leadership team. However, the current leadership arrangements are unclear.

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This monitoring visit

A regional manager has been supporting the registered manager and responsible individual. Leaders and managers have introduced auditing systems to improve their monitoring of children’s care in the home. However, despite the introduction of new documentation, processes and monitoring systems, it is not clear how effective these changes will be in practice.

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This monitoring visit

It is Ofsted’s view that it is unsafe to admit any children into the home while this level of risk and instability continues. Further compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, have been issued.

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This monitoring visit

The other requirements were not reviewed at this monitoring visit.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/10/2024 Full Inadequate 29/11/2023 Full Good 07/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/06/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2653112 3

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that all known information relating to shortfalls in fire safety at the home are considered in the fire risk assessment. 12 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2653112 4 Also, to ensuring that all fire doors and smoke alarms are in working order and that health and safety monitoring systems are reviewed. Any risks identified in the physical environment of the home must be addressed.

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Requirement Due date

Also, to ensuring that staff have the skills and knowledge to identify and act on signs that a child is at risk of harm. Ensure that staff take effective action to safeguard children.

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Requirement Due date

Also, to ensuring that all staff understand whistle-blowing procedures.

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Requirement Due date

Also, to ensuring that managers and staff challenge and follow the escalation policy if other agencies are not meeting children’s needs.

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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; 12 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2653112 5 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)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that management monitoring and review systems are effective.

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Requirement Due date

Also, that the systems in place enable them to have effective oversight of staff practice and the impact this has on children’s experiences.

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Requirement Due date

Also, to managers ensuring that when shortfalls are identified in staff practice, action is taken to enable staff to learn, develop and improve their practice.

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Requirement Due date

Also, to the registered person ensuring that relevant professionals are informed when there are concerns that staff have failed to safeguard children.

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Requirement Due date

Also, to ensuring that staff risk assessments are followed and active.

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Requirement Due date

Also, to ensuring that when staff risk assessments are in place, these are reviewed and updated as required.

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Requirement Due date

Also, to ensuring that all staff have the knowledge, skills, experience and ability to meet the assessed needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study; 6 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2653112 6 promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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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)(i)(ii)(v)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that safer recruitment checks are adhered to before staff start working in the home. 6 January 2025

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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))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person notifying Ofsted of any incidents which they consider to be serious. 6 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2653112 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pinnacle Care Provisions Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 399 Hollins Road, Oldham OL8 3BD

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Inspectors

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Nicola Rutherford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2653112 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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