Your journey
I'm thinking about opening a home
You're exploring whether opening a children's home is right for you, researching the sector and understanding what's involved.
9 resources
Start here
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.
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
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 pro
All guidance
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…
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.
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…
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…