Children's Home run by Crystal Care Solutions Limited in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report children's home: SC367551 1 SC367551 Registered provider: Crystal Care Solutions Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company. It provides care and accommodation for up to three children who have had adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2021. She holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management in health and care services.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 2 February 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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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: Good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children's home: SC367551 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/05/2019 Full Good 10/09/2018 Full Good 19/09/2017 Full Good 19/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC367551 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a very positive view of the children who they look after. Despite the challenging behaviour that children can present, the staff work hard to engage them. This support helps children to feel confident about their relationships with staff and improves their progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children have access to a range of health services to promote their physical and emotional well-being. Medical consents are in place and staff are clear about the health decisions and responsibilities that are delegated to them. The arrangements for the controlled storage and administration of children’s medication are safe and effective. Staff work closely with all health professionals and specialist services to promote children’s positive health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend a variety of educational settings, according to their needs and abilities. One child was not engaging with education before living at the home and is now making good progress. Staff work positively and proactively with schools and colleges to promote children’s learning and educational achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager works closely with placing authorities to promote time with family and friends that is both positive and safe for children. This ensures that children continue to build relationships and attachments with those significant to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child’s bedroom does not have a wardrobe or facilities to store his clothes. These clothes are piled in a corner or located in plastic bags around his bedroom. Managers have not acted quickly to address this. This delay leaves the child’s room in a less than suitable condition and is not conducive to creating a homely environment where children feel valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive information about the home in a children’s guide. This is given to them before they are accommodated in the home. However, the guide does not provide children with information on the home’s complaint process. This does not enable children to feel confident in reporting any concerns or issues they may have.

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

Children said that they feel safe. The staff team receives regular safeguarding training and has a good understanding of its duties in promoting children’s welfare. This ensures that staff are confident in the procedures to follow should any concerns arise.

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

Staff ensure that tailored risk management plans help to identify potential dangers and risks associated with children’s activities. These are kept under regular review to ensure that the strategies remain effective. Inspection report children's home: SC367551 4 The manager ensures that staff comply with locally agreed protocols for children that go missing from care. When children go missing, staff liaise with the police and complete detailed records of actions taken. Children have access to an independent person to speak to on their return home. This helps staff to consider any information that may help to protect children from going missing again.

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

Staff manage children’s challenging behaviour well and in line with their individual risk assessments. The use of physical intervention is only carried out by trained members of staff and as a last resort. Sanctions are fair, proportionate and help children to understand the effect of their behaviour on themselves and others. Staff offer rewards to children to celebrate their achievements and to promote positive behaviour.

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

The manager ensures that children benefit from living in a safe environment. Staff make sure that the home is kept safe by carrying out regular health and safety checks and making sure that equipment is serviced. Staff also practise the home’s fire evacuation procedure and test the system on a regular basis. Children also participate in fire evacuation so that they know what to do in the event of a fire or other emergency situations, which helps to keep everyone safe.

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

Children are protected by the organisation’s robust recruitment practice. Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment is made. This procedure promotes the safety of the children by preventing unsuitable adults from working with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been a change of manager since the last inspection. The new manager is suitably experienced and qualified and demonstrates a clear commitment to improving outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are competent and have a good understanding of their responsibilities. All staff are qualified or working to gain relevant qualifications for their roles. Staff report that they feel well supported. They have regular, formal supervision sessions that enable them to discuss their development needs as well as the care of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training records show that staff benefit from a diverse range of appropriate training to develop their knowledge, skills and professional practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Collaborative working relationships help to promote children’s welfare. One placing social worker told the inspector, ‘The home communicates very effectively with me. I am in constant communication with [name of child]’s keyworker. The staff always attend meetings in relation to [name of child] and are proactive in meeting his needs holistically.’ Inspection report children's home: SC367551 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, 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the environment in one child’s bedroom. 30/10/2021

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 30/10/2021 Inspection report children's home: SC367551 6 keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about—

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Requirement Due date

how to make a complaint or representations in relation to the home or the care the child receives and how any such complaint or representations will be dealt with. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c)(d)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to making the complaint process clear in the children’s guide.

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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 children's home: SC367551 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Crystal Care Solutions Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bank House, Market Square, Congleton, Cheshire CW12 1ET

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Inspector

Dave Carrigan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC367551 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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