Children's Homes Hub Research
Children's Home Workforce Research 2026
The first Children's Homes Hub recruitment and retention study helped establish what people working across children's residential care are experiencing.
This next study goes deeper. We're exploring where recruitment breaks down, how workforce pressures affect managers and homes, what appears to help people stay and where practical improvements could make the greatest difference.
Scope
What this study explores
The first study established what is happening. This study investigates why it is happening, where the recruitment process breaks down, how workforce pressure affects managers and homes, what the operational and financial consequences are, when staff are most likely to leave, what providers have actually tried and what appears to help.
Where recruitment breaks down
Why applicants are unsuitable, where candidates are lost and what causes the greatest delay.
Impact on managers
How many hours recruitment absorbs, how often managers cover shifts and what takes them away from children.
Operational & financial impact
How workforce shortages affect occupancy, admissions and the financial pressures on organisations.
Why people stay or leave
When staff are most likely to leave, what contributes to burnout and what providers have tried to improve retention.
Workforce development
Where the workforce most needs development and what change would make the biggest long-term difference.
Technology & practical support
Which workforce processes providers want to make quicker and what concerns them about automation.
Anonymous by design
The research questionnaire does not ask for your name, organisation name or email address as part of your survey response.
If you separately choose to join the Children's Homes Hub Research Community after completing the study, those contact details are stored independently and are not linked to your survey answers.
Your experience matters
The findings will contribute to the Children's Home Workforce Report 2026 and will be published openly through Children's Homes Hub.
Take part in the researchJoin the Children's Homes Hub Research Community
Join the Research Community and we'll let you know when the findings are published and when future research opens.
Your contact details are stored separately from your research responses and cannot be used to identify your survey answers.