Resource Centre
Practical guidance for opening and running a children's home
Independent, evidence-led resources covering registration, daily care, safeguarding, leadership, staffing and regulation. Written to be understood and used.
Where are you?
Browse by where you are in your journey
Choose the stage that fits your situation and we will take you to the most relevant resources.
Thinking about opening
You're exploring whether opening a children's home is right for you, researching the sector and understanding what's involved.
Preparing for registration
You've decided to open a home and are working through the practical and regulatory steps before applying to Ofsted.
Opening my home
You're in the final stages before opening your doors, preparing the property, team, documents and systems.
Running a home
Your home is open and you're managing day-to-day operations, care, compliance and continuous improvement.
Registered Manager
Resources specifically for Registered Managers leading the care, compliance and culture of a children's home.
RI / Provider
Resources for Responsible Individuals and providers with governance, oversight and quality assurance duties.
Preparing for Ofsted
You're preparing for an Ofsted inspection, responding to inspection findings or working through enforcement action.
Browse by topic
Explore the nine resource areas
Each area brings together the guides, tools and checklists for that part of running a children's home.
Starting a Children's Home
For people researching, planning, registering or preparing to open a children's home. Covers registration, Statement of Purpose, Children's Guide, location, property, planning, business planning and pre-registration preparation.
Running a Children's Home
Day-to-day operational management. Covers admissions, discharges, records, medication, routines, notifications, transport, children's money, emergency planning and operational systems.
Safeguarding & Risk
Protecting children and responding to harm. Covers safeguarding, exploitation, missing children, allegations, self-harm, bullying, surveillance, searches, restrictive practice, risk assessment and serious incidents.
Children's Rights & Care
The experience of children living in the home. Covers views, wishes and feelings, privacy, contact, family, advocacy, complaints, dignity, bedrooms, communication, education, health, activities and independence.
Behaviour & Relationships
Supporting behaviour without creating an institutional culture. Covers positive relationships, behaviour management, restraint, consequences, sanctions, rewards, restorative practice and de-escalation.
Staffing & Workforce
Recruiting, developing and supporting the adults caring for children. Covers safer recruitment, Schedule 2, qualifications, induction, training, supervision, appraisals, workforce planning, agency staff, whistleblowing and staff allegations.
Ofsted & Regulation
Understanding regulatory duties and inspection. Covers Ofsted registration, inspections, Regulation 40, serious notifications, enforcement, action plans, SCCIF and regulatory changes.
Leadership & Governance
For Registered Managers, Responsible Individuals and providers. Covers Registered Manager oversight, Responsible Individual duties, Regulation 44, Regulation 45, provider governance, auditing, quality assurance, financial viability, multi-home providers and compliance calendars.
Premises, Safety & Operations
Keeping the physical home safe and functioning. Covers fire safety, health and safety, property, maintenance, location risk, utilities, business continuity, vehicles, cyber security and data protection.
How to Open a Children's Home in England
Opening a children's home is not simply a case of finding a suitable property and applying to Ofsted.
Read the guideMore recommendations
Complete Guide
The 9 Quality Standards for Children's Homes: What They Mean, What Good Practice Looks Like & How Ofsted Uses Them
A practical guide to the nine Quality Standards in Regulations 6 to 14, plus the separate overarching Regulation 5 duty concerning engagement with the wider system, what each standard means, what good practice looks like, how the standards overlap, and how Ofsted inspects children's homes.
Complete Guide
How to Register a Children's Home with Ofsted: SC1, SC2, Interviews, the Registration Visit and the 2026 Priority System
A step-by-step guide to registering a children's home with Ofsted, current as at August 2026, covering the three registration stages, the July 2026 priority system, SC1 and SC2 forms, required documents, fees, suitability checks, the registration interview and visit, and the Ofsted decision.
Complete Guide
The Registered Manager of a Children's Home: A Practical Guide to Regulation 28, Leadership and Management
The Registered Manager is not simply the most senior person on the rota, they are responsible for leading a service where children live.
All resources
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Missing From Care: Prevention, Response, Return Interviews and Ofsted Expectations
A practical deep dive into missing-from-care practice for children's homes in England, covering what "missing from care" means, missing vs away withou…
The Responsible Individual in a Children's Home: A Practical Guide to Regulation 26, Oversight and Governance
The Responsible Individual, usually shortened to RI, has one of the most important governance roles within an organisation operating a children's home…
Planning Permission for a Children's Home: C2, C3 and Change of Use
A practical guide to planning permission for children's homes in England, covering C2 and C3 use classes, the application process, common reasons for…
The Children's Guide: What It Must Include and How to Make It Accessible
The Children's Guide helps children understand the home they may be living in and what they can do if something is wrong.
Restraint and Restrictive Practice: Practical Scenarios and Incident Reference
The practical companion to the Regulation 20 guide. Worked scenarios for common situations, the incident response sequence, a physical intervention ri…
Positive Behaviour Support in Children's Homes: Relationships, De-escalation & Behaviour Plans
A practical guide to positive behaviour support in children's homes in England, covering behaviour as communication, trauma-aware and attachment-aware…
Fire Safety, Emergency Planning & Regulation 25 in Children's Homes: Fire Risk Assessments, Evacuation, Drills, Fire Doors, Alarms, Individual Needs & Ofsted Expectations
A practical guide to fire safety and emergency planning in children's homes in England, covering Regulation 25, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Or…
Restraint, Restrictive Practice and Deprivation of Liberty in Children's Homes
The definitive guide to Regulation 20 of the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015. What restraint legally means, when it can be used, necessity…
Regulation 41: Admissions and Discharges Notifications to the Local Authority
The complete guide to Regulation 41 of the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015. Covers admission and discharge notifications to the host local…
Staff Induction, Supervision, Training and Development in Children's Homes
How to meet the workforce development requirements in the Children's Homes Regulations: induction, supervision, training, qualifications and appraisal…
Preparing for Ofsted Inspection: Understanding the SCCIF for Children's Homes
How Ofsted inspects children's homes under the Social Care Common Inspection Framework: the three judgement areas, how evidence is gathered and how to…
Safeguarding Beyond Regulation 12: Exploitation, Self-Harm, Online Safety and Peer Harm
The specific safeguarding risks that children in residential care face: exploitation, self-harm, online harm and peer-on-peer harm, and how staff shou…
Commissioning, Contracts and Local Authority Relationships for Children's Homes
How children's home providers should manage the relationship with placing authorities, from placement enquiries and information gathering through to c…
Regulation 40: Serious Incident Notifications to Ofsted in Children's Homes
The definitive guide to Regulation 40 notifications for children's homes in England. What must be reported, the legal duty to notify without delay, se…
The Registered Manager of a Children's Home: A Practical Guide to Regulation 28, Leadership and Management
The Registered Manager is not simply the most senior person on the rota, they are responsible for leading a service where children live.
Monitoring, Surveillance, CCTV & Regulation 24 in Children's Homes: CCTV, Door Alarms, Audio Monitoring, Location Tracking, Privacy, Consent, Data Protection & Ofsted Expectations
A practical guide to Regulation 24 monitoring and surveillance in children's homes in England, covering the four statutory tests, CCTV, door alarms, a…
How Much Does It Cost to Open and Run a Children's Home?
There is no single reliable figure for the cost of opening a children's home. A two-bed home operating from a leased property with relatively straight…
The Information Sharing Duty: What Children's Homes Need to Know from 30 September 2026
A practical guide to the statutory information-sharing duty in section 16LA of the Children Act 2004, including scope, decision-making, data protectio…
Sanctions, Consequences, Rewards & Prohibited Measures: Regulation 19
The canonical guide to Regulation 19 of the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015. Covers the legal framework, the ten prohibited disciplinary m…
Privacy, Bedrooms, Personal Space, Searches & Access Restrictions in Children's Homes: Regulation 21, Bedroom Privacy, Room Searches, Possessions, Locked Areas, Dignity, Restrictions & Ofsted Expectations
A practical guide to Regulation 21 in children's homes in England, covering privacy, bedrooms, personal space, possessions, staff entering bedrooms, r…
Allegations Against Staff, LADO and Whistleblowing in Children's Homes
A practical deep dive into managing allegations against staff in children's homes in England, covering what counts as an allegation, the four Working…
Regulation 47: Financial Position
Regulation 47 financial viability duties for children's homes, plus the separate 2026 financial oversight framework for strategically significant prov…
Common Reasons Children's Home Registration Applications Are Delayed
Understand issues that can delay a children's home registration application, how to prepare stronger evidence and what applicants remain responsible f…
Do You Need a Consultant to Open a Children's Home?
A practical guide to deciding whether you need a consultant when opening a children's home, what support may be useful and what remains your responsib…
How to Open a Children's Home in England
Opening a children's home is not simply a case of finding a suitable property and applying to Ofsted.
Children's Records and Regulation 36: Case Records, Daily Notes, Chronologies and Retention
Regulation 36 requires children's homes to maintain case records for every child, containing the information and documents in Schedule 3, kept up to d…
Medication Management and Regulation 23 in Children's Homes
A practical deep dive into medication management in children's homes in England, covering Regulation 23, Regulation 23 vs Regulation 10, medication po…
Contact, Communication, Family & Friends in Children's Homes: Regulation 22, Family Contact, Private Calls, Phones, Social Media, Restrictions, Advocacy & Ofsted Expectations
A practical guide to Regulation 22 contact and communication in children's homes in England, covering family and friend contact, private phone calls,…
Regulation 40: Worked Scenarios, Decision Tools and Audit
The practical companion to the definitive Regulation 40 guide. Twenty worked scenarios, the Hub Seriousness Test, decision recording, notification tem…
Complaints, Advocacy and Regulation 39 in Children's Homes
A practical deep dive into complaints and advocacy in children's homes in England, covering Regulation 39, what counts as a complaint, complaints vs e…
Regulation 14: The Care Planning Standard: Referrals, Matching, Placement Plans, Reviews, Stability, Transitions and Positive Endings
A practical guide to Regulation 14 for children's homes in England, covering care plans and placement plans, the Statement of Purpose as the first adm…
Regulation 12: The Protection of Children Standard: Safeguarding, Risk, Missing, Exploitation, Allegations and Helping Children Become Safer
A practical guide to Regulation 12 for children's homes in England, covering safeguarding, risk assessment, missing from care, exploitation, self-harm…
Regulation 11: The Positive Relationships Standard : Trust, Behaviour, Boundaries, Conflict, Friendships & Enduring Relationships
A practical guide to Regulation 11, the Positive Relationships Standard, covering trust, behaviour as communication, boundaries, de-escalation, restor…
Regulation 10: The Health and Well-being Standard : Physical Health, Mental Health, Medication, Health Plans & Healthy Lifestyles
A practical guide to Regulation 10, the Health and Well-being Standard, covering health plans, GP and dental registration, mental health, CAMHS, self-…
Developing Your Children's Home Model of Care
Before choosing a property, writing policies or completing an Ofsted application, you should be able to clearly explain what your children's home is a…
Understanding Local Need and Demand for a Children's Home
A practical guide to assessing local need and demand before opening a children's home, covering where to find data, how to read commissioning landscap…
Choosing the Right Property for a Children's Home
A large house with enough bedrooms is not automatically a suitable children's home. The property needs to work for the children you intend to care for…
Children's Home Policies and Procedures: The Complete Guide
Which policies does a children's home in England actually need? This complete guide separates policies explicitly required by the Children's Homes Reg…
Regulation 6: The Quality and Purpose of Care Standard : What It Means, What Good Care Looks Like & How to Evidence It
A practical guide to Regulation 6, the Quality and Purpose of Care Standard, covering the Statement of Purpose, personalised care, dignity, choice, tr…
Regulation 7: Children's Views, Wishes & Feelings: Listening, Participation, Privacy, Advocacy & Children's Voice
A practical guide to Regulation 7, the Views, Wishes and Feelings Standard, covering children's voice, consultation, advocacy, complaints, privacy, co…
Regulation 8: The Education Standard: Education, PEPs, EHCPs, Attendance, Exclusions & Educational Progress
A practical guide to Regulation 8, the Education Standard, covering PEPs, EHCPs, Virtual School Heads, school attendance, exclusions, children without…
Regulation 9: The Enjoyment and Achievement Standard: Activities, Hobbies, Friendships, Community, Fun & Ordinary Childhood Experiences
A practical guide to Regulation 9, the Enjoyment and Achievement Standard, covering activities, hobbies, friendships, community involvement, celebrati…
The Deputy Manager Role in a Children's Home: Delegated Authority, Shift Leadership and Developing Towards Management
The Deputy Manager role in a children's home: delegated authority, shift leadership, staff supervision, acting in the RM's absence, professional bound…
Regulation 5: Engaging with the Wider System to Ensure Children's Needs Are Met
Regulation 5 is an overarching requirement that runs across all nine Quality Standards. It requires the registered person to engage with the wider sys…
Regulation 37: Other Records
Regulation 37 requires the registered person to maintain the records set out in Schedule 4 to the Children's Homes Regulations 2015, keep them up to d…
Regulation 52: Short Breaks and Secure Children's Homes
Regulation 52 applies the Children's Homes Regulations with modifications to children placed in series of short breaks and to secure children's homes,…
Regulation 51: Death of Registered Person
Regulation 51 requires notification to HMCI of the death of a registered person and sets out the duties of surviving registered persons and personal r…
Regulation 50: Appointment of Liquidators etc.
Regulation 50 applies to liquidators, receivers, managers and trustees in bankruptcy appointed in relation to a registered provider. It requires them…
Regulation 49: Notice of Changes
Regulation 49 requires the registered person to give HMCI written notice of specified changes affecting the home, including changes of provider, manag…
Regulation 48: Notice of Absence
Regulation 48 requires the registered person to give HMCI written notice if the person in day-to-day charge of the home is absent for 28 days or more.…
Regulation 42: Notification of Offences
Regulation 42 requires the registered provider, registered manager, responsible individual, directors and partners to notify HMCI in writing without d…
Regulation 27: Appointment of Manager
Regulation 27 requires the registered provider to appoint a person to manage the children's home where there is no registered manager and the provider…
Staff Wellbeing, Retention and Culture in Children's Homes
How workforce stability, wellbeing and team culture affect what children experience in residential care, and how leaders can create a culture where st…
Regulation 15: Duty to Have Regard to Statements of Standards Under Section 23 of the Care Standards Act 2000
Regulation 15 requires the registered person to have regard to any statement of standards published by the Secretary of State under section 23 of the…
Regulation 3: Excepted Establishments and the Scope of the Children's Homes Regulations
Regulation 3 defines which establishments are excepted from the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and do not need to register as children's…
Children's Home Location Assessments and Regulation 46
A children's home location assessment should answer a deceptively simple question: is this the right place for this home and the children it intends t…
Writing Your Children's Home Statement of Purpose
A Statement of Purpose should answer three fundamental questions: Who is this home for? What are we trying to achieve? How will we actually do it? Reg…
Staffing a Children's Home: Ratios, Rotas, Qualifications & Workforce Planning
There is no universal Ofsted staff-to-child ratio. Regulation 13 requires sufficient staffing based on children's actual needs.
Recruiting Staff for a Children's Home: Safer Recruitment, DBS, References & Schedule 2
Regulation 32 requires children's home staff to be recruited using procedures designed to ensure children's safety.
How to Register a Children's Home with Ofsted: SC1, SC2, Interviews, the Registration Visit and the 2026 Priority System
A step-by-step guide to registering a children's home with Ofsted, current as at August 2026, covering the three registration stages, the July 2026 pr…
The 9 Quality Standards for Children's Homes: What They Mean, What Good Practice Looks Like & How Ofsted Uses Them
A practical guide to the nine Quality Standards in Regulations 6 to 14, plus the separate overarching Regulation 5 duty concerning engagement with the…
Regulation 44: Independent Visits to Children's Homes : Independent Visitors, Monthly Monitoring, Safeguarding Scrutiny, Reports & Ofsted Expectations
A practical deep dive into Regulations 43 and 44 of the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 : independent visits to children's homes : coverin…
Regulation 45: Review of Quality of Care : Six-Monthly Quality Review, Children's Outcomes, Consultation, Analysis & Continuous Improvement
A practical deep dive into Regulation 45 of the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 : the six-monthly quality-of-care review : covering review…
Regulation 13: The Leadership and Management Standard: Governance, Staffing, Supervision, Quality Assurance, Regulation 44, Regulation 45 and Continuous Improvement
A practical guide to Regulation 13 for children's homes in England, covering leadership culture, the registered person framework, management visibilit…
Choosing Your Children's Home Provider Structure and Understanding the Key Roles
Before applying to register a children's home, you need to establish who is actually going to carry on the home.
Recently updated
Freshly reviewed guidance
Resources most recently checked against the latest regulations and guidance.
The Information Sharing Duty: What Children's Homes Need to Know from 30 September 2026
A practical guide to the statutory information-sharing duty in section 16LA of the Children Act 2004, including scope, decision-making, data protectio…
Allegations Against Staff, LADO and Whistleblowing in Children's Homes
A practical deep dive into managing allegations against staff in children's homes in England, covering what counts as an allegation, the four Working…
Regulation 47: Financial Position
Regulation 47 financial viability duties for children's homes, plus the separate 2026 financial oversight framework for strategically significant prov…
Common Reasons Children's Home Registration Applications Are Delayed
Understand issues that can delay a children's home registration application, how to prepare stronger evidence and what applicants remain responsible f…
Do You Need a Consultant to Open a Children's Home?
A practical guide to deciding whether you need a consultant when opening a children's home, what support may be useful and what remains your responsib…
Missing From Care: Prevention, Response, Return Interviews and Ofsted Expectations
A practical deep dive into missing-from-care practice for children's homes in England, covering what "missing from care" means, missing vs away withou…
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