Social care · Social care assurance visit
Children's Home run by Lighthouse Collaborative Care Limited in Oldham
Summary
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- Group verified
Lighthouse Collaborative Care Limited
- Inspection date verified
12 Mar 2026
- Inspectors verified
Nicola Forrester
- Name on report verified
2847720
- URN verified
2847720
Deep dive
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Strengths
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No standout praise found.
Concerns
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Next steps
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- In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff clearly understand their roles and responsibilities. p.5
- Risk assessments and behaviour management plans must set out 26 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2847720 6 risks for children and clear actions for staff to follow, specifically relating to vaping. p.5
- In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is clear oversight of incidents and children’s records to review the quality of care. 26 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2847720 7 p.6
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Anatomy of the report
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- Pages
- 8
- Words of findings
- 484
- about usual (typical 479)
- Reading level
- Hard
- Flesch 49, typical 47
- Average sentence
- 18 words
- Next steps
- 3
- typical 4
- Hedged sentences
- 0%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2847720 1 Registered provider: Lighthouse Collaborative Care 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 privately owned and provides care for up to 4 children who experience social and/or emotional difficulties.
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Information about this children’s home
At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.
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Inspection date: 12 March 2026
Date of last inspection: 17 December 2025
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Inspection date: 12 March 2026
Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good
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Inspection date: 12 March 2026
Enforcement action since last inspection: none
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Information about this inspection
At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:
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Information about this inspection
the care of children the safety of children the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2847720 2
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Findings from the inspection
We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.
p.2
Findings from the inspection
The child lives in a well-maintained home that is decorated to a high standard. The kitchen and dining areas serve as a central location where the child routinely spends time with staff. The child reported being satisfied with their bedroom and said they received assistance in personalising it, which includes LED lighting and access to an en-suite bathroom. Communal areas are well presented, and the large outdoor space offers opportunities for the child to spend time alone or with others in a calm and well-kept environment.
p.2
Findings from the inspection
When children move into the home without an education provision, staff encourage them to access weekly tutoring. Leaders and managers continue to advocate for an appropriate education placement and work closely with the headteacher of the virtual school to progress this. Staff are supporting the child living at the home, at their request, to sit mathematics, English and science examinations this year, including functional skills assessments. As a result, the child is re-engaging with learning and making progress towards achievable qualifications.
p.2
Findings from the inspection
The child responds well to clear boundaries, structure and routine, and staff use these consistently to support stability. The child attends boxing with staff three times each week, which helps them to build positive relationships. Staff also encourage the child to follow a healthy and balanced diet. This helps the child develop healthier routines.
p.2
Findings from the inspection
When concerns arise, staff take appropriate action to safeguard the child. Leaders and managers respond promptly and take decisive steps to reduce risk. Following one serious incident, leaders identified shortfalls in staff practice and ensured that the child was cared for away from the home by staff known to them to maintain their safety. A management investigation was carried out, resulting in the dismissal of the staff member whose practice did not meet expected standards.
p.2
Findings from the inspection
The child has raised a formal complaint and is consistently encouraged to voice any concerns. Leaders and managers ensured that the child’s complaint was heard and explored with them. Supervision was used to address the identified shortfalls in staff practice, and the issue was further discussed during a team meeting to strengthen staff practice. The child was informed of the outcome. This approach demonstrates that the child’s views are valued and result in action.
p.2
Findings from the inspection
The child receives information about the health risks of vaping, and staff talk to them about why it is unsafe. However, the approach is inconsistent, as the child is allowed to use vapes in the grounds of the home, despite this being unlawful for them and not in accordance with safeguarding responsibilities. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2847720 3 When the child has been missing from the home, staff have taken action to safeguard them. However, records do not always clearly reflect the actions staff have taken. Furthermore, management oversight is not consistently recorded. This is a missed opportunity to strengthen practice and ensure that safeguarding actions are fully evidenced.
p.2
Findings from the inspection
Leaders have identified a manager for the home, and they are in the process of onboarding. The child has had the opportunity to meet them and has been involved in the recruitment process.
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Findings from the inspection
The requirements raised at the full inspection have been met. Two further requirements were raised at this inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2847720 4
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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement
17/12/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2847720 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
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
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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))
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Requirement Due date
In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff clearly understand their roles and responsibilities. Risk assessments and behaviour management plans must set out 26 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2847720 6 risks for children and clear actions for staff to follow, specifically relating to vaping.
p.5
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
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Requirement Due date
In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—
p.6
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’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;
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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)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))
p.6
Requirement Due date
In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is clear oversight of incidents and children’s records to review the quality of care. 26 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2847720 7
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Children’s home details
Registered provider: Lighthouse Collaborative Care Limited
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Children’s home details
Registered provider address: 5 St Asaphs Drive, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 8UB
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Inspector
Nicola Forrester, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2847720 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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Inspector
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Inspector
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Inspector
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Inspector
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