Children’s social care questionnaires 2025
Published 6 October 2025
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2025
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-social-care-questionnaires-2025-what-children-and-young-people-told-ofsted/childrens-social-care-questionnaires-2025
Summary of findings
This year, we received 48,240 survey responses from across all audience types, including a record 8,880 from children – an increase of 27% from 2024 (6,995) and 34% from 2023 (6,615).[footnote 1]
These are our main findings:
- Children’s responses this year were generally similar to those from last year across all groups. However, children in residential special schools had more positive responses to each question than last year.
- Most children gave positive feedback about the places where they live or stay and the people who care for and support them.
- Nearly all children reported feeling safe where they live.
- Children in children’s homes were the most likely to report difficulties in getting along with other children, and their participation in fun activities has declined slightly since 2023.
- While most children in supported accommodation said that they have good relationships with staff, they were the least likely to spend time with people who matter to them and to do fun activities.
- Children in foster care consistently reported positive relationships with carers and other children in the household, and they were the most likely to say that they feel listened to and that foster carers ask about things that matter to them.
- Children in boarding schools and further education (FE) colleges were among the least likely to feel listened to, to get along with others or to do fun activities.
Background
We use online surveys to gather views about children’s homes, secure children’s homes, adoption services, fostering services, supported accommodation, residential family centres, boarding schools, residential special schools, and FE colleges with residential provision.[footnote 2]
The surveys are designed for a range of audiences, including:
- children and young people
- parents
- foster carers and kinship carers
- adopters and adults receiving adoption support
- staff
- other professionals, such as social workers and independent reviewing officers
We asked providers to share the survey links with these groups on our behalf.[footnote 3] This year, we circulated the survey to 5,520 providers. We received a total of 48,240 responses from all audience types, representing 3,995 providers, which means the response rate this year was 72%.
The survey was open for 7 weeks, from 4 February to 23 March 2025.
Each survey was tailored to the respondent group and the type of provider. Surveys for adults contained up to 6 questions, using both closed- and open-ended formats. The children’s survey included 8 questions: 6 used a 4-point scale (‘Always’, ‘Most of the time’, ‘Sometimes’ or ‘Never’), 1 required a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer, and the final question was open-ended to allow for free comments. This report focuses solely on responses from the children’s survey.
The questions used in 2025 are the same as those asked in the surveys of the previous 2 years. They focus on the most important things we want to know about children’s experiences. In 2024, we included children and young people who live in supported accommodation, as Ofsted started to register this new type of service in April 2023. This year, we received 2,180 responses from children and young people who live in supported accommodation, compared to 455 last year. We also introduced a new survey, this year, that is specific to kinship carers (relatives or close friends who look after a child when their biological parents are unavailable or unwilling to do so). We received 580 responses from kinship carers.
We use survey responses, along with other information we have, such as previous inspection findings and any concerns we receive, to decide the timing of the next inspection and what to focus on when we inspect.
Trained staff read the responses as soon as they come in, to identify any potential safeguarding concerns. If they note any concerns, they immediately refer them to the inspectors and their managers, who decide on the appropriate action to ensure children’s safety. If any responses raise serious concerns, we take appropriate action immediately.
As in previous years, we are publishing the data from adult respondents separately.
Who are the children we are talking about?
The Department for Education has reported that almost 84,000 children are looked after.[footnote 4] Two in 3 looked-after children live with foster carers. One in 10 live in children’s homes, including secure children’s homes, and approximately 1 in 14 looked-after children live in supported accommodation.[footnote 5] This year, 8,880 children told us about the place where they live or stay, for example their foster home, children’s home, or a boarding school. Not all these children are looked-after children.[footnote 6]
What we found in 2025
Do you feel safe where you live or stay?
First, we asked children whether they feel safe in the place where they live or stay. If the answer was ‘sometimes’ or ‘never’, children had the opportunity to provide additional comments, which allowed us to identify any potential safeguarding concerns.
Overall, 95% of children who responded to the survey said that they feel safe where they live ‘always’ or ‘most of the time’. Children living in foster care reported the most positive experiences, with 89% selecting ‘always’ and 99% giving a positive response overall, in line with the previous 2 years. Ninety-six per cent of children living in residential special schools reported feeling safe, an improvement from the last 2 years when it was 93% in 2024 and 92% in 2023.
This year, we received a much larger number of responses from children living in supported accommodation: 2,180, up from 455 in 2024. This reflects the greater number of supported accommodation settings that we have now registered. Of those who replied, 95% of children reported that they feel safe where they live.
Figure 1: Do you feel safe where you live or stay?
1. Figure 1 is a breakdown of children’s responses to the question ‘Do you feel safe where you live or stay?’ in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 2.
Figure 2: Do you feel safe where you live or stay? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
1. Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
2. Data labels are shown only for segments representing greater than or equal to 2% of the total.
View data in an accessible table format.
What children told us about feeling safe where they live or stay:
“The place where I stay is warm safe and people in the environment are willing to help me to progress things in the future, such as helping me find a football team to play for getting into a music studio and helping me continue my carpentry. The reason I like living here is because the staff here are helpful and like to see kids like me have a brighter future and enjoy what life gives us.”
(Child in supported accommodation)
“I feel safe and well cared for I have lots of time with staff and family doing different activities that i enjoy.”
(Child in children’s home)
“I have a big bedroom and I feel welcome and safe. When I arrived they were welcoming to me and I have been going out in the local area to get used to it.”
(Child in foster care)
“Everyone here is so united it feels like a family gathering all the time, and I feel safe, because the teachers take my wellbeing and health into consideration and my safety is always their top priority, and I love all the activities and fundraisers that are set up through the year. I always have something to look forward to.”
(Child in a boarding school)
“I think it’s a very safe and comfortable place. And I like it here. I like the beds and it’s got a lot of space.”
(Child in residential special school)
Do you get along with the staff where you live or stay?
We asked children how they feel about their relationships with staff or carers where they live or stay. Most children (91%) reported that they get along with staff or carers ‘always’ or ‘most of the time’, which is consistent with last year’s results.
Over the past 3 years, positive responses from children living in children’s homes have remained stable, at 90%, and in foster care, at 97%. Following a dip last year, more children in residential special schools reported positive relationships with staff, rising to 91% from 89%.
However, children in boarding schools continued to report the lowest satisfaction, with 14% of children saying they ‘sometimes’ or ‘never’ get along with staff. Similarly, in FE college residential accommodation, 12% of children responded ‘sometimes’ or ‘never’ to the same question – an increase from 7% in 2024 and 9% in 2023.
Figure 3: Do you get along with the staff where you live or stay?
1. Figure 3 is a breakdown of children’s responses to the question ‘Do you get along with the staff where you live or stay?’ in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 4.
Figure 4: Do you get along with the staff where you live or stay? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
1. Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
2. Data labels are shown only for segments representing greater than or equal to 2% of the total.
View data in an accessible table format.
What children told us about getting along with staff:
“I like my bedroom, the house is nice. The staff care about me. I always get to see my dad and nannie whenever I want. Staff enjoy watching me on my scooter. I like the food everyone makes. Staff encourage me to go to school and keep it up. Staff feel like friends and family.”
(Child in children’s home)
“I really enjoy staying at the college. The staff are very helpful and there is always someone there if you need to talk to someone. There is a large variety of activities so that means there is always something that’ll interest you and you can take part in social activities outside of the classroom. This provides me with a chance to try new things and to make friends or develop friendships I already have.”
(Child in FE residential)
“Its very nice and I enjoy it, but some people don’t know how to clean up after themselves [for example] leaving the community kitchen in a dirty state, and this is maybe not dealt with as best as possible by staff”
(Child in FE residential)
“It’s a smaller community compared to other boarding schools which I like. The staff are generally friendly, but as it’s normal to assume, I’m closer to some more than others for no reason other than we get on just a bit better. The staff are interested in our lives, sweet to talk to and do whatever they can to make life a bit easier for us. Boarding for sixth form has easily been the best part of my school life so far, and I’ll be sad to leave.”
(Child in boarding school)
“I feel safe where I stay. The staff are really supportive and I know how to go to if I am worried about anything.”
(Child in residential special school)
“I am happy where I live and I feel safe, and like part of the family. I have been allowed to decorate my own bedroom with things from my own country like a flag, and I have a night light that shine stars on my walls and ceiling. Also, I have my own fridge and I am able to eat my own traditional foods whenever I want. I can talk to my foster Carer about anything, and I get support to go boxing and to the gym. Also, when I am not feeling well she takes good care of me.”
(Child in foster care)
Do you get on with the other children where you live or stay?
We asked children about their relationships with their peers in the places where they live or stay.
This year, 83% of all children said that they get on well with others ‘always’ or ‘most of the time’, an increase from 82% last year. Children in foster care were the most likely to report positive relationships with other children in the household (88%); however, this has decreased from 91% in 2024 and 90% in 2023.
In children’s homes, 1 in 4 children said they only ‘sometimes’ or ‘never’ get on with others. This was the lowest satisfaction rate across all provision types, though slightly improved from 27% in 2024. Nearly 1 in 6 children living in group settings, such as FE colleges or residential special schools, reported difficulties in getting along with other boarders.
Figure 5: Do you get on with the other children where you live or stay?
1. Figure 5 is a breakdown of children’s responses to the question ‘Do you get on with the other children where you live or stay?’ in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 6.
Figure 6: Do you get on with the other children where you live or stay? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
1. Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
2. Data labels are shown only for segments representing greater than or equal to 2% of the total.
View data in an accessible table format.
What children told us about getting on with the other children:
“Everyone has been really welcoming since joining boarding at the start of this academic year after previously being a day pupil at another school.”
(Child in boarding school)
“The staff are very nice most of the time and will give you respect. On the odd occasion it feels like you speak to a brick wall. But mostly positive things.”
(Child in FE residential)
“I like living here because the staff are really nice to me and the other kids i get on really well with and i have easy access to school and the local shops my room is really good and massive and is what i like about it the most.”
(Child in residential special school)
“I get on with some of the people I live with. I get to choose things to do and places I want to go. I am getting help and there are always people here I can talk to. Member of staff is the best cook our dog is great.”
(Child in children’s home)
Do the staff where you live or stay ask you about things that are important to you?
Overall, 83% of children who responded to the 2025 survey said that staff ‘always’ or ‘most of the time’ ask them about things that are important to them. However, responses varied across different types of settings.
Children in foster care and supported accommodation reported the highest levels of positive responses, at 93% and 91% respectively.
Sixty-three per cent of children in boarding schools and FE colleges said that staff regularly ask about what’s important to them. This marks an improvement for children in boarding schools, from 58% reported last year, but a decrease of 1 percentage point for those in FE colleges.
Figure 7: Do the staff where you live or stay ask you about things that are important to you?
1. Figure 7 is a breakdown of children’s responses to the question ‘Do the staff where you live or stay ask you about things that are important to you?’ in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 8.
Figure 8: Do the staff where you live or stay ask you about things that are important to you? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
1. Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
2. Data labels are shown only for segments representing greater than or equal to 2% of the total.
View data in an accessible table format.
What children told us about staff asking about things that are important to them:
“I think that the staff are all supportive and i get on well with most of them, they’ve made me feel comfortable in the placement and i feel like i can be open and honest with them.”
(Child in supported accommodation)
“It’s a good place to stay and it’s a safe environment. The older people are nice and always ask how you are.”
(Child in boarding school)
“It’s very friendly and up beat I feel that my foster carer is amazing and I’m lucky to be part of her family as they have welcomed me with open arms and are very supportive of me and my choices, I hope I get to stay with them for the rest of my journey in foster care as this will be the best thing for me.”
(Child in foster care)
“It’s a great place where the staff are supportive and all the help that I need is provided when or if I need it. the young people that I live with can be rather dramatic and like siblings rather frustrating to live with but that just comes with the nature of everybody living together 24/7.”
(Child in FE residential)
“Seeing family is important to me and staff help me as much as I can to do that.”
(Child in secure children’s home)
“The staff are fun and listen to me, they ask me about important things even if sometimes I don’t want to talk about them. I’m finding more fun things to do around where I live. I often get on with the others I live with.”
(Child in children’s home)
Do the staff where you live or stay listen to you?
We asked children whether they feel listened to in the places where they live or stay, and this year 89% of children said ‘always’ or ‘most of the time’, which is consistent with last year’s figure of 88%.
Children in foster care and supported accommodation reported the most positive experiences, with 96% and 93% respectively saying that they feel listened to ‘always’ or ‘most of the time’.
The highest proportion of children who said that staff listen to them ‘sometimes’ or ‘never’ was among boarders in boarding schools, at 20%. While this is a slight improvement from 22% in 2024, it is a slight decline from the 2023 level of 19%. In FE colleges, 16% of children gave the same response, which is a decline from 12% in 2024, although an improvement on the 2023 figure of 18%.
Figure 9: Do the staff where you live or stay listen to you?
1. Figure 9 is a breakdown of children’s responses to the question ‘Do the staff where you live or stay listen to you?’ in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 10.
Figure 10: Do the staff where you live or stay listen to you? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
1. Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
2. Data labels are shown only for segments representing greater than or equal to2% of the total.
View data in an accessible table format.
What children told us about staff listening to them:
“I like the house, I like my room. I do feel they do support me well and they listen to me. I do like the activities that I do, same as the football clubs and Friday football. I like that they support me to see my family and my social worker.”
(Child in children’s home)
“In the place I stay the other kids are very kind and I get on with them well but the staff don’t show much understanding towards me.”
(Child in boarding school)
“They treat me good they listen to me and we do so much as a family that I don’t feel like I’m in care, it’s just so chill n relaxed but at same time a good routine which I like. They help me with anything and they get on with my family which I like.”
(Child in foster care)
“It’s a pleasant environment majority of the young people are nice all the staff are usually friendly as well.”
(Child in FE residential)
“I like it here because i can always speak to somebody when i want to either staff or the friends I’ve made here so i don’t get bored. The staff always teach me stuff and help me with my money and shopping or i will spend it off straight away. I am working on this for when i get my flat and have to pay bills. I have done my universal credit as well with staff.”
(Child in supported accommodation)
Do you spend time with people who are important to you?
This year, 77% of children living in children’s homes said that they spend time with people who are important to them ‘always’ or ‘most of the time’. This is in line with responses in 2024 (77%) and 2023 (78%).
Children in residential special schools were the most likely to report positive experiences in this area. The proportion of children who responded ‘always’ or ‘most of the time’ has been steadily increasing over the past 3 years, from 84% in 2023 to 88% in 2025. Similarly, 78% of children living in foster care said they ‘always’ or ‘most of the time’ spend time with important people, reflecting a gradual improvement over the last 2 years.
The highest proportion of children who responded ‘sometimes’ or ‘never’ to this question was among children living in supported accommodation, at 27%, up from 26% in 2024. This was followed by children in children’s homes and FE colleges, where 24% gave the same response.
Figure 11: Do you spend time with people who are important to you?
1. Figure 11 is a breakdown of children’s responses to the question ‘Do you spend time with people who are important to you?’ in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 12.
Figure 12: Do you spend time with people who are important to you? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
1. Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
2. Data labels are shown only for segments representing greater than or equal to 2% of the total.
View data in an accessible table format.
What children told us about spending time with people who are important to them:
“It’s a good place to stay especially with the teaching and boarding side of things. We always get a chance to speak to family and friends using the phone so we are always in contact.”
(Child in boarding school)
“I really like where i live, the staff are supportive and i get to do lots of activities, see my family and they support my wellbeing.”
(Child in children’s home)
“We feel safe and cared for. We get to do fun stuff and we get lots of help with school and seeing our parents and family.”
(Child in foster care)
“Staff are always great, pupils are often pretty annoying but staff deal with issues well and if you don’t like someone you can always easily be away from them so I would say on a whole boarding is pretty good.”
(Child in residential special school)
“I am happy staying here. It is a clean and nice environment and nice people. But this sometimes difficult here because I don’t have friends and family in around here they are further away and will prefer to be closer to them.”
(Child in supported accommodation)
In the last week, did you do something fun?
We asked children whether they had done something fun in the past week. Among children living in children’s homes, 92% said that they had, which is the same as in 2024. The proportion of children in foster care saying that they had has remained steady over the past 3 years, at 96%. In residential special schools, 93% reported doing something fun, up from 91% in 2024.
While the majority of children across all settings gave positive responses, the proportion of those in FE colleges, supported accommodation and boarding schools reporting positively was slightly lower. These patterns are similar to those seen in previous years.
Figure 13: In the last week, did you do something fun?
1. Figure 13 is a breakdown of children’s responses to the question ‘In the last week, did you do something fun?’ in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 14.
Figure 14: In the last week, did you do something fun? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
View data in an accessible table format.
What children told us about doing something fun:
“It’s a very welcoming place and the staff are very supportive. We do fun activities such as cinema, bike riding and bowling.”
(Child in children’s home)
“i like the local park and lake and going shopping i like the house we live in and driving in the car and going out with my foster mum on trips.”
(Child in foster care)
“At our boarding house, its quite a lot of fun, but most weekends, everyone is just on there phones, no real fun activities that everyone actually enjoys. But now we are forced to do activities aren’t fun. e.g boring arts and crafts in different houses.”
(Child in boarding school)
“I like where I stay, I like my bedroom and I have my own bathroom. I like the activities cos we get to go to clubs, do shopping and Fun Swim. I also like to do the garden.”
(Child in residential special school)
What would you like to tell us about the place you live?
We asked children to tell us anything they wanted to about the place where they live or stay. Of the 8,880 children who responded to the survey, 7,305 answered this question.
Many children shared positive views about where they live or stay, often describing it as ‘great’, ‘good’ or ‘fun’. They highlighted aspects they enjoy, such as their bedrooms, pets and leisure activities. Staff and carers were frequently described as ‘nice’, ‘kind’ and ‘supportive’.
While most comments were positive, some children raised concerns. A few feel that they aren’t always listened to, and others mentioned that they live too far away from family and friends, and that they would like to see them more often. Children in residential care also expressed a desire for more free time and for improvements in the quality of food.
Thank you to everyone who completed our surveys and shared their views with us.
Annex of data figures
Data for Figure 2: Do you feel safe where you live or stay? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
| Provider type | Year | Always (%) | Most of the time (%) | Sometimes (%) | Never (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boarding schools | 2023 | 59 | 36 | 4 | 1 |
| Boarding schools | 2024 | 56 | 38 | 5 | 1 |
| Boarding schools | 2025 | 56 | 38 | 5 | 1 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2023 | 73 | 22 | 4 | 1 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2024 | 72 | 21 | 5 | 1 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2025 | 73 | 21 | 5 | 1 |
| FE colleges | 2023 | 58 | 37 | 4 | 1 |
| FE colleges | 2024 | 63 | 32 | 4 | 1 |
| FE colleges | 2025 | 65 | 31 | 3 | 0 |
| Foster care | 2023 | 91 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Foster care | 2024 | 90 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Foster care | 2025 | 89 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Residential special schools | 2023 | 68 | 25 | 6 | 1 |
| Residential special schools | 2024 | 72 | 20 | 7 | 1 |
| Residential special schools | 2025 | 73 | 22 | 4 | 1 |
| Supported accommodation | 2024 | 83 | 14 | 4 | 0 |
| Supported accommodation | 2025 | 78 | 17 | 4 | 1 |
View Figure 2.
Data for Figure 4: Do you get along with the staff where you live or stay? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
| Provider type | Year | Always (%) | Most of the time (%) | Sometimes (%) | Never (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boarding schools | 2023 | 44 | 45 | 10 | 2 |
| Boarding schools | 2024 | 36 | 49 | 14 | 1 |
| Boarding schools | 2025 | 42 | 44 | 13 | 1 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2023 | 49 | 41 | 9 | 1 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2024 | 47 | 43 | 9 | 1 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2025 | 49 | 41 | 9 | 1 |
| FE colleges | 2023 | 55 | 36 | 8 | 1 |
| FE colleges | 2024 | 64 | 30 | 6 | 1 |
| FE colleges | 2025 | 56 | 32 | 11 | 1 |
| Foster care | 2023 | 73 | 24 | 2 | 0 |
| Foster care | 2024 | 75 | 22 | 3 | 0 |
| Foster care | 2025 | 72 | 25 | 3 | 0 |
| Residential special schools | 2023 | 61 | 33 | 5 | 1 |
| Residential special schools | 2024 | 59 | 30 | 9 | 1 |
| Residential special schools | 2025 | 61 | 31 | 8 | 1 |
| Supported accommodation | 2024 | 71 | 22 | 7 | 0 |
| Supported accommodation | 2025 | 71 | 23 | 5 | 1 |
View Figure 4.
Data for Figure 6: Do you get on with the other children where you live or stay? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
| Provider type | Year | Always (%) | Most of the time (%) | Sometimes (%) | Never (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boarding schools | 2023 | 36 | 52 | 10 | 1 |
| Boarding schools | 2024 | 24 | 64 | 12 | 1 |
| Boarding schools | 2025 | 33 | 54 | 12 | 1 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2023 | 30 | 46 | 21 | 3 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2024 | 29 | 44 | 23 | 4 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2025 | 34 | 41 | 20 | 5 |
| FE colleges | 2023 | 30 | 51 | 17 | 2 |
| FE colleges | 2024 | 32 | 51 | 15 | 1 |
| FE colleges | 2025 | 29 | 53 | 17 | 1 |
| Foster care | 2023 | 52 | 38 | 9 | 1 |
| Foster care | 2024 | 53 | 37 | 7 | 2 |
| Foster care | 2025 | 52 | 37 | 9 | 2 |
| Residential special schools | 2023 | 33 | 47 | 19 | 1 |
| Residential special schools | 2024 | 34 | 46 | 19 | 1 |
| Residential special schools | 2025 | 38 | 43 | 17 | 2 |
| Supported accommodation | 2024 | 55 | 30 | 10 | 5 |
| Supported accommodation | 2025 | 56 | 29 | 11 | 4 |
View Figure 6.
Data for Figure 8: Do the staff where you live or stay ask you about things that are important to you? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
| Provider type | Year | Always (%) | Most of the time (%) | Sometimes (%) | Never (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boarding schools | 2023 | 34 | 34 | 27 | 5 |
| Boarding schools | 2024 | 24 | 34 | 35 | 7 |
| Boarding schools | 2025 | 30 | 33 | 32 | 6 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2023 | 67 | 22 | 9 | 1 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2024 | 66 | 23 | 9 | 1 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2025 | 66 | 23 | 10 | 2 |
| FE colleges | 2023 | 29 | 30 | 25 | 16 |
| FE colleges | 2024 | 33 | 31 | 26 | 10 |
| FE colleges | 2025 | 33 | 30 | 27 | 10 |
| Foster care | 2023 | 78 | 16 | 5 | 1 |
| Foster care | 2024 | 78 | 15 | 5 | 1 |
| Foster care | 2025 | 79 | 14 | 6 | 1 |
| Residential special schools | 2023 | 54 | 25 | 18 | 3 |
| Residential special schools | 2024 | 52 | 28 | 18 | 2 |
| Residential special schools | 2025 | 52 | 29 | 18 | 2 |
| Supported accommodation | 2024 | 73 | 19 | 7 | 1 |
| Supported accommodation | 2025 | 71 | 20 | 8 | 1 |
View Figure 8.
Data for Figure 10: Do the staff where you live or stay listen to you? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
| Provider type | Year | Always (%) | Most of the time (%) | Sometimes (%) | Never (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boarding schools | 2023 | 47 | 33 | 16 | 3 |
| Boarding schools | 2024 | 44 | 35 | 19 | 3 |
| Boarding schools | 2025 | 44 | 36 | 17 | 3 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2023 | 64 | 26 | 9 | 1 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2024 | 61 | 28 | 10 | 2 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2025 | 63 | 25 | 10 | 2 |
| FE colleges | 2023 | 54 | 29 | 14 | 4 |
| FE colleges | 2024 | 58 | 30 | 9 | 3 |
| FE colleges | 2025 | 54 | 30 | 13 | 3 |
| Foster care | 2023 | 81 | 16 | 3 | 0 |
| Foster care | 2024 | 80 | 17 | 3 | 1 |
| Foster care | 2025 | 80 | 16 | 4 | 1 |
| Residential special schools | 2023 | 66 | 25 | 7 | 2 |
| Residential special schools | 2024 | 64 | 23 | 10 | 3 |
| Residential special schools | 2025 | 67 | 23 | 9 | 2 |
| Supported accommodation | 2024 | 76 | 16 | 7 | 0 |
| Supported accommodation | 2025 | 76 | 17 | 6 | 1 |
View Figure 10.
Data for Figure 12: Do you spend time with people who are important to you? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
| Provider type | Year | Always (%) | Most of the time (%) | Sometimes (%) | Never (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boarding schools | 2023 | 47 | 33 | 18 | 2 |
| Boarding schools | 2024 | 42 | 36 | 21 | 2 |
| Boarding schools | 2025 | 43 | 36 | 19 | 2 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2023 | 51 | 26 | 19 | 3 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2024 | 51 | 26 | 20 | 3 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2025 | 51 | 25 | 21 | 3 |
| FE colleges | 2023 | 42 | 37 | 19 | 2 |
| FE colleges | 2024 | 45 | 34 | 20 | 2 |
| FE colleges | 2025 | 41 | 35 | 23 | 1 |
| Foster care | 2023 | 46 | 28 | 24 | 2 |
| Foster care | 2024 | 49 | 27 | 21 | 3 |
| Foster care | 2025 | 51 | 27 | 19 | 3 |
| Residential special schools | 2023 | 60 | 24 | 15 | 1 |
| Residential special schools | 2024 | 61 | 25 | 14 | 1 |
| Residential special schools | 2025 | 64 | 25 | 10 | 2 |
| Supported accommodation | 2024 | 51 | 23 | 24 | 2 |
| Supported accommodation | 2025 | 47 | 26 | 25 | 3 |
View Figure 12.
Data for Figure 14: In the last week, did you do something fun? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025
| Provider type | Year | Yes (%) | No (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boarding schools | 2023 | 84 | 16 |
| Boarding schools | 2024 | 82 | 18 |
| Boarding schools | 2025 | 83 | 17 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2023 | 94 | 6 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2024 | 92 | 8 |
| Children’s homes of all types | 2025 | 92 | 8 |
| FE colleges | 2023 | 80 | 20 |
| FE colleges | 2024 | 84 | 16 |
| FE colleges | 2025 | 81 | 19 |
| Foster care | 2023 | 96 | 4 |
| Foster care | 2024 | 96 | 4 |
| Foster care | 2025 | 96 | 4 |
| Residential special schools | 2023 | 92 | 8 |
| Residential special schools | 2024 | 91 | 9 |
| Residential special schools | 2025 | 93 | 7 |
| Supported accommodation | 2024 | 83 | 17 |
| Supported accommodation | 2025 | 81 | 19 |
View Figure 14.
-
Throughout the report the number of respondents is rounded to the nearest five. ↩
-
‘Adoption services’ include voluntary adoption agencies, local authority adoption services and adoption support agencies. We sent the surveys to regional adoption agencies, which now carry out some adoption functions of some local authorities. ‘Fostering services’ include independent fostering agencies and local authority fostering services. ↩
-
Under the Care Standards Act 2000, Ofsted has the powers to inspect these types of services. There is no law to say that children, staff and professionals have to share their views with us through this survey. It is optional, and we highly value the information we receive. ↩
-
‘Children looked after in England, including adoption’, Department for Education, November 2024. ↩
-
A child who is looked after by a local authority (referred to as a looked-after child) as defined in section 22 of the Children Act 1989 means a child (0 to 18 years of age) who is subject to a care order (or an interim care order) or who is accommodated by the local authority. ↩
-
In relation to children’s homes and fostering services, the responses from children do not solely relate to looked-after children. A number of children who are not looked after receive services: for example, children who receive short breaks or who are placed under other arrangements. Most users of short breaks are children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, but other children in need may also receive short breaks. The breaks usually have 2 aims: to enable the child to participate in fun, interesting and safe activities, and to provide a break for parents. ↩