Feasibility and care model
Test the need, proposed service, referral profile and financial assumptions before making major commitments.
Plan your model of careChildren's home consultancy
Children's home consultancy for setting up and opening your home
Get practical support across feasibility, property and planning, Ofsted registration, documents, recruitment and opening readiness. Start with free, source-led guidance, then tell us where you need one-to-one help.
The guidance on this site is free. A consultant's own services may be chargeable; agree the scope and fee directly with them before work starts.
A transparent way to find support
We are currently building our consultant network. Any consultant we introduce will have completed relevant checks against our published standard. If we do not have a suitable checked consultant available, we will tell you and point you to free guidance.
See what CHH checksSetting up a children's home
Consultancy support from feasibility to opening
Opening a home involves connected commercial, regulatory and operational decisions. Specialist support can help you test assumptions, organise the work and prepare stronger evidence, while responsibility for decisions and compliance remains with the provider.
Property, location and planning
Assess whether a property is suitable and establish the planning position, local context and evidence you may need.
Understand planningBusiness plan and cashflow
Build realistic start-up, operating and contingency assumptions, including the period before placements begin.
Review costs and feasibilityDocuments and policies
Develop a coherent Statement of Purpose, Children's Guide and policy framework that reflect how the home will operate.
Explore document supportPeople and Ofsted application
Prepare the provider structure, Registered Manager and Responsible Individual arrangements, application evidence and interviews.
Explore registration supportOpening readiness
Check that premises, staffing, systems and evidence are ready for registration activity and the home's first months of operation.
Use the opening trackerNeed help across several stages?
Tell us where your project is now and what is holding it back. We will explain the relevant free guidance and whether suitable checked consultant support is available.
Start with the free guidance
Get a clearer view of your next step
You may be able to answer your question from the Hub's source-led guides and free tools. These are useful whether you are opening a home or improving an existing service.
Opening a home
How to open a children's home
A step-by-step guide from the first idea through to registration and opening.
Read the guide OfstedRegistration with Ofsted
Understand the application, key documents, checks and what happens next.
Read the guide PlanningCosts and financial feasibility
Plan start-up costs, operating costs and the cash needed before placements begin.
Read the guideWhen specialist help may be useful
Support across the life of a children's home
Opening a children's home
Planning to open a children's home in England? Explore start-up consultancy, feasibility, property and staffing support, with free guides and a CHH enquiry route.
Explore this supportOfsted registration support
Understand children's home registration consultancy: SC1 and SC2 preparation, document reviews, interview preparation and readiness. Ask CHH about specialist support.
Explore this supportRegulation 44 visits
Looking for a Regulation 44 independent visitor? Read what to check, how to compare visit and report scopes, and ask CHH about suitable consultant availability.
Explore this supportMock inspections and readiness
Explore independent mock Ofsted inspections for children's homes: SCCIF review, evidence sampling, staff discussions and action planning. Enquire about support.
Explore this supportRegulation 45 review support
Help scoping a Regulation 45 quality of care review: evidence, consultation, analysis and improvement planning for children's homes. Free guidance and support enquiries.
Explore this supportStatement of Purpose and policies
Find guidance on scoping children's home policy consultancy, Statement of Purpose reviews and Children's Guides. Start with free resources or enquire with CHH.
Explore this supportRI and registered manager support
Explore children's home leadership consultancy, RI mentoring and registered manager support: oversight, supervision and improvement. Free guides and support enquiries.
Explore this supportCompare before you appoint
Independent guides to scope and fees
Understand what should be included, which questions to ask and how to compare written quotations without relying on headline prices.
Consultant costs and fees
Understand children's home consultant fees, common pricing models, quote exclusions and how to compare the total cost of support in England.
Read the comparison guideChoosing a consultant
A practical checklist for choosing a children's home consultant: relevant experience, independence, scope, evidence, fees, references and warning signs.
Read the comparison guideRegistration package costs
Compare children's home registration consultancy packages, including document reviews, interview preparation, site readiness, exclusions and payment terms.
Read the comparison guideRegulation 44 visitor costs
Compare Regulation 44 visitor fees for children's homes, including preparation, travel, monthly visits, reports, follow-up, cover and contract terms.
Read the comparison guideMock inspection costs
Compare mock Ofsted inspection costs for children's homes by scope, time on site, evidence sampled, report, action plan, travel and follow-up.
Read the comparison guideHow it works
A straightforward route to the right next step
- 1
Tell us what you need
Share the type of support, where you are in the process and your timescale. Please do not include children's names or confidential details.
- 2
We review the request
We will respond with relevant free Hub guidance or discuss whether a suitable consultant with completed CHH checks is available.
- 3
You decide whether to proceed
If an introduction is appropriate, we explain what was checked and any relevant commercial relationship. You agree scope and fees directly with the consultant.
What “checked” means
CHH checks are specific to the evidence reviewed, such as identity, business details, insurance, experience, qualifications or references. They are not a statutory accreditation and do not guarantee future performance or outcomes.
We do not rank consultants by payment. Any introduction should be based on fit for the request, relevant checks, location and availability. Providers should carry out their own due diligence and agree terms directly.
See how CHH checks consultantsAsk about support
Tell us what you are working on
There is no charge to ask us about the next step. We will review your request and reply with useful guidance or, where there is a suitable checked consultant available, explain how an introduction could work.
Hub resources remain free to use.
You choose whether to contact a consultant.
Please share a region or town, not a child's address.
Common questions
Children's home consultant support
What does a children's home consultant do?
A consultant may provide specialist support with feasibility, property and planning, Ofsted registration, documents and policies, staffing, compliance, inspection preparation or leadership. The right scope depends on your situation and should be agreed directly with the consultant.
Can a consultant help me set up a children's home from start to finish?
A consultant may support several stages, but you remain responsible for your provider decisions, application and ongoing compliance. Ask for a written scope that clearly states what is included, who is responsible for each task and any assumptions or exclusions.
How long does Ofsted registration take?
Timescales depend on the current Ofsted arrangements, the type and priority of the application, and whether it is complete and ready to progress. No consultant can guarantee a registration date. Check the Hub's current registration guidance before planning your opening date.
Do I always need planning permission for a children's home?
The planning position depends on the property, proposed use, occupancy, local facts and the relevant planning authority's view. Do not rely on a blanket answer. Establish and retain evidence of the correct position for your project.
Do I have to pay to use the Hub's guidance?
No. The Hub's published guidance and resources are free to use. A consultant's separate professional service may have a fee; ask for a written scope and price before agreeing to work.
How does CHH check consultants?
CHH reviews evidence against its published Consultant Entry Standard. Checks are specific to claims and evidence; they are not a statutory accreditation or a guarantee of performance. We explain the checks relevant to any introduction.
Will you share my enquiry with a consultant?
Only if you opt in to sharing in the form. We first review what you need and whether a suitable consultant with completed checks is available. Our network is being built, so an appropriate consultant may not yet be available.
Does CHH guarantee registration or an Ofsted outcome?
No. Ofsted makes registration and inspection decisions. No consultant can guarantee an outcome. CHH provides independent information and can discuss a suitable introduction where one is available.