Children's home run by Crystal Care Solutions Limited in Cheshire East

Inspection report for children’s home: SC477724 1 SC477724 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

This home is owned and operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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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: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC477724 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/04/2024 Full Outstanding 06/07/2023 Full Outstanding 16/08/2022 Full Good 07/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC477724 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children who had lived at the home for several years have moved out. There are two children currently living at the home. One child has lived at the home for several years, while the other has recently moved in. Both children talked about their experiences with the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are afforded consistent care and staff are committed to ensuring that they are provided with stability. Children have positive relationships with staff who speak about them with warmth. These relationships are sustained beyond living in the home and children who have left remain in touch with staff. One child shared that they ‘miss them’ when speaking of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children leave the home, transitions are managed well to ensure that they feel prepared and supported. The registered manager is a strong advocate for children and ensures that they receive the necessary packages of support. This means that children are ready and able to take their next steps towards independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with their families and friends. This ensures that they retain relationships with people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a well-maintained home. There are photos of shared experiences and children’s artwork on the walls. Children’s bedrooms are personalised to their taste and they are involved in decorating and furnishing them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide safe and consistent care for children. However, children’s experiences at the home are not always positive because staff do not consistently manage incidents effectively.

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

Children say that they are happy at the home and that they get on well with staff. Children can identify people who they can share any worries or complaints with. When children make allegations, these are addressed promptly and explored fully. Children are kept up to date and informed of outcomes to ensure that they feel valued and listened to.

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

Staffing at the home is stable and a number of staff have worked at the home for several years. Staff have a good understanding of children’s risks and know how to support children to ensure that they are safe. Staff talk to children about their risks and work closely with other professionals to maintain and support their well-being. Inspection report for children’s home: SC477724 4 Children are supported to access therapeutic services and staff work closely with these services to share ideas and strategies to help children. Staff are open to trying new ways of working to the benefit of the children they care for.

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

Behaviour management is not always consistent and in line with children’s plans. Strategies used by staff are not always effective and some physical interventions involve children being held for prolonged periods. Certain incidents have escalated or continued for a long time. Managers are committed to ensuring that staff use consistent and effective strategies to support children when they are distressed. Positively, the number of incidents and physical interventions is reducing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is dedicated to the home and children. She is supported by a strong deputy manager. Professionals and parents are very complimentary about the registered manager and staff. One parent said that ‘they were amazing’ and they were ‘always fantastic with [name of child]’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they feel well supported by leaders and managers of the home. They are supported with regular, well-planned team meetings and annual appraisals. The frequency of staff supervisions has increased so they now take place more often. This means that staff have adequate time and space to reflect on their practice and the progress of children on a regular basis.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has oversight of all incidents and events in the home and is evaluative in her response. Where the manager identifies areas for development in staff practice, these are acted on. The registered manager has robust monitoring and reviewing systems in place to ensure that children are cared for effectively and any gaps in practice are addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is knowledgeable and uses research to inform her understanding of children’s needs and the care that they receive. She is creating a culture of research-based practice to improve the quality of care for children. However, this is not yet fully embedded across the staff team. Inspection report for children’s home: SC477724 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 registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the behaviour management strategy is understood and applied at all times by staff and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate. 5 December 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: SC477724 6

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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

Danielle Allen, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC477724 7 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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