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 may have had adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2025 and is currently working towards achieving 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 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: requires improvement to be 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

01/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/07/2023 Full Good 03/05/2022 Full Good 08/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC367551 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children were happy to participate in the inspection. Children spoke positively about their experiences. They enjoy living at the home and have developed positive relationships with staff. One child has lived at the home for over two years. Another has lived at the home for nearly a year, and a third child has recently moved in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment has significantly improved and now provides a warm, welcoming and homely atmosphere for children. Further developments are planned, demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement. Children’s sense of identity and belonging is actively promoted through the display of photos capturing key events and activities they have enjoyed. Children’s bedrooms are well maintained and highly personalised, reflecting their individual interests, achievements and family connections.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a strong culture of listening to children and valuing their views. Staff actively incorporate children’s interests into plans. This enhances children’s engagement and sense of ownership in their care, and it has led to individualised care that positively impacts their experiences and progress. Creative strategies, such as personalised reward schemes, are used to motivate and support children. Additionally, the creation of a ‘superpower shield’ for one child using fictional characters is being used to support positive behaviour changes. This creative and collaborative approach demonstrates innovative, child-centred practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making sustained progress with their learning. One child is showing improved engagement with a tutor, and another has increased school attendance and is achieving better academic outcomes. Strong, collaborative relationships between staff and education professionals underpin this progress and contribute to positive educational experiences for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s physical health is promoted. They are encouraged to maintain a balanced diet and participate in regular physical activity, such as cycling and gym sessions. These routines are embedded into daily life and support children’s overall well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from regular and meaningful contact with their families. Staff recognise the importance of family relationships and work proactively with families to facilitate positive experiences. For one child, increased time with family members has led to noticeable improvements in their emotional well-being and further opportunities for connection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to pursue their hobbies and interests, which enhances their enjoyment and personal development. One child regularly participates in football, and children’s enthusiasm for gaming is nurtured through visits to local gaming centres. Staff also support children in planning memorable experiences, such as a trip to Paris, and in Inspection report for children’s home: SC367551 4 participating in charitable activities. This encourages community involvement and social responsibility.

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

Staff demonstrate a strong understanding of the risks faced by children and implement structured routines that provide consistency and reduce anxiety. This approach has helped children feel safe and secure in the home, contributing to a noticeable reduction in incidents.

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

The response to allegations of harm against staff is robust. Staff share relevant information with safeguarding agencies, carry out thorough investigations, and take appropriate action when necessary. Children feel listened to and valued because of this proactive and transparent approach. There is a clear understanding of safeguarding procedures, which contributes to a culture of safety in the home.

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

The response to incidents of children going missing from home is highly effective. Staff follow established protocols and make determined efforts to locate children, including searching known locations and working closely with families and professionals. There has been a significant reduction in missing-from-home incidents, reflecting the positive impact of these coordinated efforts.

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

There have been isolated incidents of peer-on-peer abuse involving children in the home. However, staff have responded swiftly to safeguard those involved and prevent significant harm. Individualised follow-up work and safety planning have been implemented effectively. Despite these concerns, children have made progress and are experiencing positive outcomes in the home.

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

Recruitment practices are safe and effective. Only staff who have been appropriately vetted are employed to work with children, ensuring that safeguarding standards are upheld from the outset.

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

The use of physical restraint is infrequent and has declined since April 2025. However, on one occasion, restraint was used to control a child’s movements, rather than as a last resort. The manager failed to identify or address this shortfall. In a separate incident, the use of negative consequences escalated a child’s behaviour, increasing the risk of harm to others. Again, this was not recognised during the manager’s review. This highlights the need for stronger managerial oversight and more reflective behaviour management practices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager demonstrates a strong commitment to the development of the home, the staff and the children. He has a clear and ambitious vision, underpinned by high expectations for children’s progress and achievements. The manager ensures that children are central to their care planning and feel listened to. He is also highly committed to his own professional development and driving continuous improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: SC367551 5 Leaders and managers have implemented effective monitoring systems. Although some areas of improvement were identified, overall, the manager has good oversight with regular audits taking place to ensure compliance. Additionally, the manager has processes in place to track children’s progress across key areas, ensuring that children receive individualised care that promotes positive outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staffing arrangements are consistent and well managed, providing children with stability and continuity of care. This has enabled children to form trusted relationships with staff. A core team of staff remain in post, which has helped minimise the impact of any staffing changes. Staff say they enjoy working at the home and feel well supported by the manager. One member of staff described the manager as being ‘the best’ they have ever worked with.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported in their work. They are equipped with the knowledge and skills they require for their roles through a well-structured induction programme and a combination of online and in-person training. The manager promotes theory-informed practice to strengthen staff understanding and improve care delivery. Professional supervision is reflective and child focused, providing meaningful opportunities for staff to build confidence and develop their skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager maintains a coordinated and proactive multi-agency approach that supports children’s safety, welfare and progress. Effective partnerships with external professionals, including health, education and safeguarding teams, ensure that care planning is informed, consistent and responsive to children’s needs. Timely and effective communication supports joined-up working, promotes positive outcomes and ensures that the home continues to meet expected standards of care and support. 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

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or

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Requirement Due date

a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that any use of physical intervention with children is necessary and proportionate. 23 October 2025

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that systems are in place to identify poor practice and to provide staff with appropriate challenge, reflection and learning 23 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC367551 7 opportunities following incidents that involve physical intervention with children.

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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 8

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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

Carl Wilton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC367551 9 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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