Children's Home run by Pinnacle Care NW Ltd in St Helens

Inspection report for children’s home: 2847722 1 Registered provider: Pinnacle Care NW Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private organisation and provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in July 2025. This is the home’s first inspection since registration.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since November 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, no child was living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2847722 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

This inspection was brought forward in line with the social care common inspection framework in order to address specific concerns received by Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child who lived in this home moved out of the home in September 2025. During their time in the home, the child’s experiences and progress were hindered by ineffective care planning and serious shortcomings in safeguarding practices, as well as poor leadership and management of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child moved into the home before the home was registered. Leaders and managers failed to robustly consider the child’s known risks, vulnerabilities and complex needs. This resulted in staff not fully understanding or considering the child’s needs and failing to put in place effective staff practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Care planning was poor, resulting in an escalation in incidents. This left the child at significant risk of harm. This resulted in the placing authority moving the child out of the home to ensure the child’s safety and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child who lived in the home did not have an education placement at the beginning of the school year. Although the responsible individual escalated this to the placing authority, this did not resolve the issue as the child’s education, health and care plan needed to be updated. This lack of structure and routine resulted in an increase in incidents and hampered the child’s educational outcomes, aspirations and future opportunities.

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

Leaders and managers failed to understand the level of risk to the child before the child moved into the home. Ineffective risk management plans did not enable staff to have sufficient strategies to minimise the risk to the child.

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

Staff did not follow the child’s placing authority care plans. On occasion, the child was allowed to keep their mobile phone overnight. Staff took the child to addresses not permitted in the child’s care plan. This placed the child at significant risk of harm and did not promote their welfare.

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

The child went missing from the home on several occasions. Although staff took action to try to locate the child and to report them to the police to support their safe return home, this was not always effective.

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

Not all serious safeguarding incidents have been reported to Ofsted. This means the regulator does not have sufficient oversight and scrutiny in a timely manner. Inspection report for children’s home: 2847722 3 Allegations against staff have not been managed in line with safeguarding procedures. The child’s concerns about staff conduct and practice were not reported in line with safeguarding procedures. This meant the allegations were investigated prior to them being shared with the local authority designated officer (LADO). This failed to ensure effective action being taken with staff members. The responsible individual had concerns about the previous registered manager’s practice. The responsible individual did contact LADO to share information. However, the responsible individual did not notify the LADO through the correct channels. This allegation has now been reported in line with safeguarding procedures.

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

The previous registered manager identified some shortfalls in staff’s safeguarding practice but failed to adequately address these through the appropriate procedures. As a result, the potential risks that staff might pose were not assessed, and they continue to work both at the home and in the wider organisation.

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

Leaders and managers lack professional curiosity and risk assessment skills. Poor recruitment practice has led to staff working in the home without all relevant recruitment checks being conducted. This fails to ensure that only suitable adults work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager submitted a voluntary cancellation, which means that the home does not have a registered manager. The manager shared concerns with Ofsted. These concerns specifically referred to the lack of support and supervision from the responsible individual. The deputy manager has taken on the role of interim manager and has submitted an application to register. Leaders and managers were unable to demonstrate that they have effective oversight of the care that staff provide to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not understand their responsibilities in providing safe care for children. They do not show any evidence of learning from significant incidents as practices and processes have remained unchanged.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers fail to operate the home in accordance with the aims outlined in its statement of purpose, policies and procedures. Furthermore, staff information is not correct or up to date in the statement of purpose and no update has been shared with Ofsted. This is misleading in terms of the current staffing situation in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The management team has failed to ensure that all staff receive adequate training to meet the needs of the child in their care. For example, no training has been given to the staff on substance misuse, vapes, professional boundaries and internet safety. This has resulted in staff failing to understand how to appropriately support the child to meet their complex needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff say that they feel supported by the responsible individual and the new interim manager but did not feel supported by the previous registered manager. The current Inspection report for children’s home: 2847722 4 management team was unable to show what effective support was put in place to support the previous manager and the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

During the inspection, concerns arose regarding the integrity of the management team. It became evident that documents requested by the inspector were being typed to falsely represent earlier documents. These documents included care-planning meeting minutes, records of staff concern about the previous manager, and the previous manager’s supervision notes. When questioned, the acting manager admitted to this practice; however, the responsible individual did not accept accountability, even when presented with evidence. The responsible individual did share two calendar invites for the previous registered manager’s supervision. However, records did not demonstrate that this took place. As a result, it remains unclear which care-planning meetings took place to support a multi-agency approach for the child and what support the previous manager genuinely received.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not regularly seek feedback from professionals, family members or staff. They do not use research to inform their practice. Internal quality assurance and auditing tools are basic and of poor quality. They fail to effectively measure the quality of care provided to the child. This is a missed opportunity for leaders and managers to identify and reflect on themes, patterns, trends and shortfalls in practice. As a result, poor and inconsistent practices continue to go unaddressed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2847722 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, 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;

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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 located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(c)) 4 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2847722 6 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;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) 4 January 2026

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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

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; 4 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2847722 7 if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 are incomplete;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2;

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the circumstances are exceptional; and

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Requirement Due date

the registered person ensures that the individual is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties, pending receipt of any outstanding information on the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2, which is then considered satisfactory by the registered person.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that any individual who is working at the home and who does not fall within paragraph (2)(a) and (b) is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d) (8))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 4 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2847722 8 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that, subject to regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), contact between each child and the child’s parents, relatives and friends, is promoted in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(d)(e)(i)(ii))

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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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child— 4 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2847722 9 is instigated; or

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 4 January 2026

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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: 2847722 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pinnacle Care NW Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sinclair Accounting Co Ltd, 300 St Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rachel Springford

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Inspector

Julie Elder, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2847722 11 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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