Children's home run by Crystal Care Solutions Limited in Newcastle-under-Lyme

Inspection report for children’s home: SC461938 1 SC461938 Registered provider: Crystal Care Solutions Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is one of several homes owned by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at the time of this inspection. The inspector spoke to both children about their experiences of living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted on 21 May 2013. The manager registered with Ofsted on 25 October 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 29 October 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC461938 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/10/2024 Full Good 06/02/2024 Full Good 06/02/2023 Full Good 20/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC461938 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children live in a home filled with warmth and nurture and their care is exceptional. Managers and staff have high ambitions for the children and their unwavering commitment to meeting their needs ensures that they make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s relationships with staff are built on trust and warmth. Two of the children have lived at the home for several years and they have been cared for by a consistent staff team. Children enjoy spending time with staff and share many moments of laughter. Children know their care is unconditional and this ensures their emotional growth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Managers and staff have a deep understanding of children’s needs. Children’s plans are beautifully written and consistently updated to reflect their changing needs. Children’s voices are front and centre of their own care planning, so children feel heard and empowered by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children attend full-time education with the support of staff. Education professionals say that staff take swift action to respond to any educational needs that arise for children. Children make excellent progress in their learning and have high ambitions for their future careers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are dedicated to supporting children with their health needs. When one child struggled to take part in activities due to their health, managers and staff were determined to overcome the barriers to ensure that the child was not excluded. Their persistence resulted in significant progress in the child’s health. The child now enjoys being an active teenager and their confidence has grown substantially.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s moves in and out of the home are meticulously planned. One child is supported by staff to develop their independence skills and they are now looking forward to moving out of the home into semi-independent accommodation. Staff respond to any emotional barriers the child experiences with sensitivity and empathy. The child is now excited for their move and feels well prepared.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Managers and staff take enormous pride in ensuring that children live in a beautifully kept home. Children take the opportunity to personalise their bedrooms and photos displayed around the home share stories of the children’s time living together. However, the sleeping arrangements for one staff’s bedroom is not appropriate, as it limits children’s access to communal areas at night.

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

Staff demonstrate a trauma informed understanding to managing risks present for children. They have a high level of professional curiosity, particularly when children become distressed. They seek to understand the emotions underneath children’s Inspection report for children’s home: SC461938 4 behaviour. This helps children to communicate their feelings without feeling judged. This calm and consistent approach means that incidents rarely occur.

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

Staff follow children’s risk plans which are highly individualised and regularly reviewed by managers. They are used as tools for reflective practice and all staff play a key part in developing strategies to support children. This proactive approach means that risks for children are identified early, managed and quickly reduced.

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

Staff work collaboratively with external therapists. If children are experiencing an emotionally difficult day, staff contact the therapist so they can better attune to the child’s needs. Staff mirror the strategies used by the therapists so that their response to children is unified and seamless.

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

Managers involve children when they are reviewing any changes in risks in the local area. This increases children’s understanding of how they can keep themselves safe in a way which is relevant and practical.

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

Staff respond to allegations made by children without blame or judgement. They act without hesitancy to ensure that managers are informed about any allegation. Allegations are thoroughly explored and escalated to the relevant safeguarding professionals by managers. There is a child-focused safeguarding culture within the home, which ensures that children can live their safely.

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

Leaders and managers ensure that staff training opportunities are tailored to the children’s needs. The registered manager is diligent in sourcing training for staff to further improve their skills. This frequently involves the expertise of external professionals, ensuring there is a strong multi-agency approach to safeguarding children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is meticulous in her organisation and planning for the home. She leads the team with a calm approach, yet a high level of energy. One child said that when they have a problem that no one else can sort out, they know that the manager will just get it done.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are powerful advocates for children. They are skilled at challenging decisions that are made by external professionals that may not be in the children’s best interests. This ensures the best outcomes for the children, as well as maintaining positive relationships with all professionals involved in the children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers embrace team meetings and supervisions for staff as learning opportunities. Research based practice is introduced to staff and regularly evaluated by managers to ensure that it is implemented effectively. Staff feel accomplished in their roles and there is a non-defensive approach to developing their skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The quality of children’s care is under constant review by managers. They use regular audits and feedback from the children to understand the strengths and areas of Inspection report for children’s home: SC461938 5 development for the home. Improvement plans for the home are consistently child centred and based on the voices of children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC461938 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 privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the sleep-in arrangements for staff does not restrict the children’s access to communal areas of the home at any time. 5 December 2025

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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: SC461938 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

Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC461938 8 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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