Regulation 13: The Leadership and Management Standard: Governance, Staffing, Supervision, Quality Assurance, Regulation 44, Regulation 45 and Continuous Improvement

The standard is supported by Regulation 13 of the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the DfE Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations including the Quality Standards. It also intersects with Regulation 31 (staffing of children's homes), Regulation 32 (fitness of workers), Regulation 33 (employment of staff), Regulation 44 (independent visits), and Regulation 45 (review of quality of care).

Leadership Culture

Regulation 13 begins with leadership culture. The registered person, responsible individual, and registered manager set the tone for the home. A culture that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential is one where staff feel valued, children feel heard, and the home is always looking for ways to improve. Culture is not a document; it is the lived experience of children and staff.

The leadership team should be visible, approachable, and willing to listen. Children should know who the registered manager and responsible individual are, and should feel able to raise concerns with them directly. Staff should feel able to challenge poor practice and raise concerns without fear of reprisal.

The Registered Person Framework

The Children's Homes Regulations create a framework of roles: the provider (the registered person who owns the home), the responsible individual (who oversees the home on behalf of the provider), and the registered manager (who manages the home day to day). Each role has distinct responsibilities, and the effectiveness of the home depends on all three working together.

The provider is ultimately accountable for the home. The responsible individual provides oversight and reports to the provider. The registered manager is responsible for the day-to-day running of the home. Confusion about who is responsible for what is a common source of leadership failure.

Management Visibility and Capacity

Effective leadership normally requires the manager to maintain sufficient visibility and knowledge of practice in the home. A manager who is permanently in the office or constantly covering shifts may not be able to provide the leadership the standard expects. The provider and responsible individual should ensure that the manager has sufficient time and support to fulfil their leadership role.

Management visibility means being present on the floor, talking to children and staff, observing practice, and being available when needed. It also means being willing to step in when standards slip and to model the practice the home expects.

Sufficient and Skilled Staffing

Regulation 13 requires the registered person to ensure that staff are sufficient in number, suitably qualified, and competent. This connects to Regulation 31 (staffing of children's homes) and the home's staffing plan. The home must have enough staff to meet children's needs, and those staff must have the right qualifications, training, and support.

Staffing sufficiency is not just about numbers on a rota. It is about having the right people, with the right skills, available at the right times. The home should plan for absences, turnover, and the specific needs of the children currently living there.

Supervision and Appraisal

Supervision is a core leadership tool. Current DfE guidance states that systems should ensure all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. Arranging for all staff to receive regular supervision from the manager or a senior member of staff is one common way a provider may organise this, but it is not itself a universal statutory requirement. Supervision is not just a meeting; it is an opportunity to reflect on practice, identify training needs, and support staff wellbeing. Where the responsible individual provides supervision of the manager, this is a common governance arrangement rather than a universal statutory requirement.

Appraisal is the annual review of staff performance. It should be linked to supervision records, training records, and the home's improvement plan. The home should have a clear process for managing poor performance, including setting objectives, providing support, and taking action where standards are not met.

Quality Assurance

Regulation 13 requires the registered person to ensure that the quality of care is regularly reviewed. This connects to Regulation 44 (independent visits) and Regulation 45 (review of quality of care). The home should have a quality assurance process that draws on multiple sources: independent visits, staff observations, children's feedback, incident records, and outcome data.

Quality assurance is not about producing reports; it is about using information to improve practice. The home should have a clear process for identifying issues, taking action, and checking that the action has made a difference.

Continuous Improvement

Regulation 13 expects the registered person to work with others to continuously improve the service. This means using information from Regulation 44 independent visits and Regulation 45 quality-of-care reviews, complaints, incidents, and inspection feedback to identify areas for improvement and take action. Improvement should be planned, tracked, and evaluated.

The home should have an improvement plan that is living, not static. It should be updated as issues arise, reviewed regularly, and used to demonstrate progress. The plan should be shared with staff so that everyone understands what is being improved and why.

Child-centred question

Do the adults running this home know what you want from your time here, and are they helping you get there?

Inspection Relevance

Inspectors may explore how the home is led and managed, whether staff are supported, and whether the home is continuously improving. Evidence may include supervision records, appraisal records, the improvement plan, Regulation 44 independent visit reports and Regulation 45 quality-of-care review reports, and the views of children and staff. The SCCIF considers the effectiveness of leadership and management in driving improvement.

The home should not assume that having an improvement plan on file demonstrates effective leadership. Inspectors are likely to focus on whether the plan is being acted on, whether staff feel supported, and whether children are benefiting from the leadership of the home.

Tools to Help You

Manager and RI Checklist

Related Resources