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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2847722 1 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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Registered provider: Pinnacle Care NW Limited

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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 experiences social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in July 2025.

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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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This monitoring visit

The home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 18 and 19 November 2025. Due to the serious and widespread safeguarding failures and poor leadership and management of the home, Ofsted issued a notice suspending the registration of the home.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to monitor the provider’s compliance with the suspension notice and any action taken to address the shortfalls outlined in this notice.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has complied with the suspension notice, and no children have moved into the home. The provider has taken sufficient action to manage and reduce the risk of harm to children.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, a new and experienced manager has been appointed. He is now in post and was present at the visit. The new manager has previous experience of managing children’s homes. The manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual and interim manager have held a team meeting to address the shortfalls that led to the suspension notice and lessons learned. A full induction is planned for the whole team, including the interim manager and the responsible individual. This will cover a variety of training, such as safeguarding, Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2847722 2 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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This monitoring visit

mental health first aid, developmental trauma, physical intervention, attachment, the secure base model and missing from care.

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This monitoring visit

Two staff members spoken to during the visit reported feeling supported by the new manager and the responsible individual. They also described engaging in reflection and learning regarding the issues that led to the suspension notice. The responsible individual, interim manager and staff expressed confidence in their readiness to care for children and have established clear expectations, rules and boundaries to help them to provide effective care for children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are now recruited to the home safely to ensure that the adults who work with the children are safe to do so. The responsible individual is working with the local authority designated officer to address and resolve concerns relating to the previous registered manager’s practice.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has sought independent supervision and has had two supervision sessions since the last inspection. This has supported the responsible individual to reflect and look at the shortfalls that led to Ofsted suspending the home’s registration.

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This monitoring visit

The new manager has reviewed key documents and updated them. This will support him and the responsible individual to review, monitor and audit the operation of the home moving forward.

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This monitoring visit

Six requirements raised at the last inspection will be reviewed during the next full inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2847722 3 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/11/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2847722 4 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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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 with 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)) 22 February 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— 22 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2847722 5 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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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))

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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;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character; 22 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2847722 6 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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— 22 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2847722 7 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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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—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or 22 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2847722 8 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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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)) 22 February 2026

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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: 2847722 9 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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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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Inspectors

Julie Elder, Social Care Inspector Karen Andrews, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2847722 10 SENSITIVE-RECIPIENTS ONLY

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Inspectors

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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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