Children's Home run by Crystal Care Solutions Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC480594 1 SC480594 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 registered to provide care for up to 5 children who display complex behaviours because of early childhood trauma.

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Information about this children's home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since January 2025. She holds a relevant level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, 3 children were living in the home. The inspector observed and spoke with all 3 children.

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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

Date of last inspection: 18 February 2025

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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: SC480594 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/02/2025 Full Good 22/11/2023 Full Outstanding 07/12/2022 Full Outstanding 29/06/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC480594 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to settle into the home through carefully planned moves that take account of their individual needs and preferences. Where possible, children visit the home and meet staff prior to moving in, which helps to reduce anxiety and build familiarity. This thoughtful and proactive approach promoted the children’s emotional well-being and helps them to adjust positively during a period of change. Where moves are planned, children are involved in the process, helping them feel prepared and reassured.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Five children have moved on from the home since the last inspection. Three children moved in line with their care plans. Two other children moved to homes more suitable to their emerging needs. These decisions were made in consultation with the relevant professionals. All four children experienced well-managed, planned moves. Clear arrangements helped them feel prepared and reassured, and ongoing contact with staff has supported continuity of relationships and emotional stability. One child said, "the best thing about the home are the wonderful staff’ .

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm, comfortable environment that supports children’s wellbeing and sense of belonging. Communal spaces are welcoming and well furnished, enabling children to relax and spend meaningful time with staff. Children’s bedrooms are highly personalised and each child has access to their own bathroom, promoting dignity, privacy, and comfort. Photographs displayed throughout the home reinforce children’s identity and help them feel that this is their home. A self-contained annex offers one child a safe and suitably adapted living space, with staffing and environmental arrangements that meet their individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have strong, trusting relationships with staff, which promote their emotional security and sense of belonging. Staff know the children well and invest time in building meaningful, nurturing relationships. As a result, children feel safe, valued, and well supported.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff consistently protect and promote children’s welfare and are creative in helping them develop strategies to understand and manage their emotions. For example, children are supported to use self-journaling, positive affirmation jars, and self-reflection mirrors. Children also benefit from personalised positive messages displayed outside their bedrooms, which reinforce their self-worth and confidence. Consequently, children receive emotionally attuned support that strengthens their emotional wellbeing and contributes to increased stability and resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's health needs are well supported. Staff encourage attendance at medical appointments. When a child needed additional support with their emotional wellbeing. The registered manager advocated on their behalf, leading to the completion of a health Inspection report for children's home: SC480594 4 assessment. The child now has access to therapeutic support from both internal and external therapists, which promotes their emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place a strong emphasis on supporting and promoting relationships that are important to children. They work proactively with families to help children maintain and strengthen positive connections. As a result of this focused support, one child has recently re-engaged with family members they had not seen for a significant period. Where appropriate, parents are welcomed into the home, and staff take thoughtful and purposeful steps to ensure visits are positive and inclusive. These practices help children to sustain meaningful, emotionally enriching relationships, which support their sense of identity, security and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are sensitively supported to understand when it is not possible to act on their wishes and why alternative decisions are made in their best interests. For one child, this has included the introduction of specific restrictions to ensure their safety. The child also has access to a guardian who advocates for them and ensures that their rights and best interests remain central to all decision-making.

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

Staff are committed to keeping children safe. Clear and detailed individual support plans guide staff practice and set out the actions required to safeguard children effectively. These plans are regularly reviewed and updated by managers and staff, ensuring they remain responsive to children’s changing needs. They appropriately reflect the views of children and partner agencies, which supports a coordinated and consistent approach to safeguarding.

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

The provider's commissioned specialist service provides staff with regular, high-quality input that promotes research-informed practice. This equips staff with an excellent understanding of trauma, attachment difficulties and harmful sexual behaviour. As a result, children are learning how to manage their emotions and behaviour more effectively. This supports children to develop greater self-control, resilience and confidence, which positively impacts their overall well-being and future life chances.

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

Staff are confident and skilled in addressing sensitive and challenging subjects with children. They use purposeful, age-appropriate discussions to empower children and develop their understanding of key issues. As a result, children gain increased insight into their own experiences and are better equipped to make positive, informed choices in their lives.

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

Overall staff respond to missing-from-home incidents in line with agreed protocols. They make proactive efforts to search named areas so that children can be returned safely and without delay. On return, children are welcomed warmly and with affection, helping them feel valued. An incident occurred where a child returned to the home without staff’s knowledge, resulting in children being unsupervised together. The registered manager acted promptly, informed relevant professionals, and facilitated staff reflection. Inspection report for children's home: SC480594 5 Learning from the incident has been embedded, and staff guidance has been updated to remain current and responsive to children’s needs.

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

The use of physical intervention has been high due to one child experiencing significant difficulties in managing their emotions. On some occasions, restraint has not been effective. In response, the registered manager acted promptly to secure additional training to ensure that staff are appropriately skilled and able to use physical intervention safely and in line with the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and deputy work collaboratively to provide strong and effective leadership. They know the children well and ensure that plans are detailed, comprehensive, and tailored to meet individual needs. This approach promotes consistency in care and supports children’s safety, emotional well-being

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal monitoring systems are highly effective. The registered manager has developed strong, trusting relationships with the children. Children feel safe to share their views and experiences of care. As a result, this monitoring provides an additional layer of safeguarding oversight and strengthens children’s safety. The quality of these relationships enables children to speak openly and confidently about their experiences, ensuring that their voices are heard and acted upon

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that staff access specialist training that is tailored to meet children’s individual and complex needs. Learning from this training is effectively embedded into day-to-day practice. Regular supervision and clinical meetings provide structured opportunities for leaders and staff to review children’s progress, reflect on emerging behaviours and adapt support accordingly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has experienced staffing changes since the last inspection; however more recently there is stability within the team. While not all staff are experienced, the registered manager ensures that new staff receive support from competent and experienced colleagues, promoting safe and consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a strong advocate for children and consistently maintains a child-focused approach. For example, she challenged plans for one child to step down into independence when the proposed home was not in their best interests. Her persistence ensured that the child moved to a more suitable home that could meet their needs safely and consistently, resulting in improved stability and a safer, more supportive environment for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

For another child, following concerns about their safety, notice was served on their placement. While the registered manager has demonstrated sustained challenge and advocacy with the local authority, she needs to ensure that concerns are escalated higher. Strengthening escalation will help secure timely decisions that better protect the child and promote safer, more positive outcomes. Inspection report for children's home: SC480594 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, 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child's placing authority effectively in the child's care, in accordance with the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority's or a relevant person's performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child's needs are met in accordance with the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to the registered manager ensuring that there is clear, continuous communication and escalation to the child's placing authority to ensure that each child's needs are met. 28 Feb 2026

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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: SC480594 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

Julia Tompson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC480594 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 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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