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

Inspection report for 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 for up to three children who have had adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since January 2023. He holds the required qualification.

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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 requires improvement to be 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 for children’s home: SC367551 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/05/2022 Full Good 08/09/2021 Full Good 07/05/2019 Full Good 10/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC367551 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home. Since the previous inspection, three children have moved in and four children have moved out. Two of the children who have moved on have done so in a planned way and have been able to achieve their goals, returning to live with a foster family or moving on to independence. Two children moved on in a less planned way when it was identified they could no longer be safely cared for in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand what children need to help them move on successfully into adulthood. They implement plans that support children to learn life skills they need for their future. These plans are kept under review. The independent reviewing officer for one child said, ‘The home has been so supportive of [name of child] and really understand him. I can’t fault how the home have been.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to make good educational progress. When children are not attending education, staff support them by trying different ways of engaging them in learning and schoolwork that relates to their personal interests. There is good communication with education professionals. One child has completed their first year at college and secured a place for a second year. The registered manager reviews children’s education formally with partner agencies when needed, to ensure that children maximise their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good support to meet their physical and emotional needs. One child has recognised they need some additional support and the home has re-engaged with the child’s previous health professional, who is starting to work with them again. However, when a health assessment has not taken place for another child, the manager has failed to escalate this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms have been personalised. However, there is damage to some areas of the home and the bathroom flooring is stained. One communal area has a lock on the door for staff. This lock is not required, as staff do not restrict children’s access to communal spaces. However, having the potential to lock internal doors detracts from the otherwise homely appearance of the house.

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

The registered manager and staff understand children’s individual risks. Staff follow detailed risk management plans. One social worker said, ‘Communication about missing episodes has been really good and you can tell [name of manager] really wants to help the child.’ However, the missing-from-home protocol for the child needs reviewing to ensure that there is a cohesive strategy for all staff to follow to minimise this risk.

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

When children go missing, staff keep detailed records. Staff actively look for children Inspection report for children’s home: SC367551 4 and share information received with relevant agencies. Children engage in their return home interviews. The manager has made requests to the relevant agency when these interviews have not taken place and recognises the importance of these in understanding incidents of children going missing.

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

Children say they feel listened to and have all that they want. Children’s meetings happen on a regular basis. However, records of children’s meetings are not always reviewed by the registered manager and do not contain a response for the children. This prevents children from seeing positive changes in their home as a result of their views being listened to.

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

Children who have self-harmed receive appropriate support. The manager is quick to respond appropriately and ensures that staff have the relevant skills to support the children. Children also have access to appropriate services and engage with them.

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

Restraint is only used as a last resort. Records are detailed and include debriefs with staff and children. The registered manager has reviewed the records of any physical intervention. However, debriefs completed by the registered manager do not challenge practice, which means staff’s practice is not reflected on to identify any learning.

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good

The manager has identified weaknesses in the home’s development. The manager carries out monthly audits and has oversight of any incidents. This is further supported by a monthly audit completed by a senior manager in the organisation. However, monitoring is not always effective and has not identified shortfalls highlighted by the inspection.

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good

Since the last inspection, several new staff have joined the team and some staff have left. The manager has ensured that new staff have had an effective induction and understand the home’s ethos and approach to caring for children. This has helped minimise the disruption for children when new staff start working in the home.

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good

The manager regularly carries out effective supervision sessions with staff, which consider children’s care. Staff told inspectors that they feel supported by the manager in his oversight of the team and feel that he is approachable.

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good

The manager has not consistently reported significant concerns to Ofsted in a timely manner. This impacts on Ofsted’s ability to assess risk and the actions taken in response to serious incidents.

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good

Children’s local authorities provided positive feedback about the manager’s communication with them and support of children. One independent reviewing officer stated that the manager advocated for the child they worked with whenever they had any challenges during their time living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC367551 5 When children or other individuals are unhappy and raise complaints, the registered manager listens to them and provides a response within the required timescales. However, records lack detail and a child-focused outcome. This prevents children and external professionals from understanding the process the manager has completed to determine the outcome. Inspection report for children’s home: SC367551 6

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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 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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that the needs of children living in the home are fully considered and they are provided with the support they require, including any professional assessment. 10 September

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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

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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

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; 10 September Inspection report for children’s home: SC367551 7 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;

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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)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that the manager implements systems to maintain oversight of records and practice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that damage to the home is repaired and the home is maintained, decorated and furnished to a high standard. In addition, every effort should be made to provide a homely environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met. Doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that children are provided with a clear outcome when they share their views and wishes and that they understand

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Recommendations

actions that have been taken as a result. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  The registered person should ensure that written plans for children who go missing include clear strategies to minimise the risk and guide staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.24) Inspection report for children’s home: SC367551 8

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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: SC367551 9

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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

Mark Dickinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC367551 10 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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