Guidance

Children’s homes registration policy

Updated 17 October 2025

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-a-childrens-home/childrens-homes-registration-policy

This policy sets out the processes Ofsted uses to assess the suitability of children’s home social care providers for registration and the suitability of individuals seeking to be associated with a registration.

This policy is for:

  • anybody who wants to start a children’s home
  • individuals applying to be a manager of a children’s home
  • an appointed responsible individual for a children’s home

Providing children’s services in England and Wales

If you intend to provide children’s services, including children’s homes, in both England and Wales, you may also need to register with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), regardless of where your office or branches are located. You may need to follow the regulatory framework under both the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 (RISCA) and the Care Standards Act 2000.

Find out how Ofsted works with CIW.

Children’s homes

A children’s home is a place where children live or stay without their families. The number of children looked after by professional staff in a children’s home can vary.

The Care Standards Act 2000 says that ‘an establishment is a children’s home if it provides care and accommodation wholly or mainly for children’.

Children are defined as people who are under the age of 18. Young people aged 18 and over may also live or stay in a children’s home, but they must be in a minority. You can find more information on this in the Social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

Starting a children’s home

Individuals, partnerships and organisations that want to start a children’s home must register with Ofsted before doing so. Registering is a legal requirement under the Care Standards Act 2000. It helps us regulate who can own, operate, manage and work in a children’s home.

To register a children’s home, applicants must complete one Register a children’s social care service (SC1) form for each service they want to run. The SC1 form is about the provider and the service.

It is an offence under section 11 of the Care Standards Act 2000 to run a children’s home without the appropriate registration.

Anyone found running or managing a children’s home without appropriate registration will be liable for prosecution. It remains an offence to provide or manage a children’s home without registration while we process the application.

When applying to register, you must take account of The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Children’s homes regulations, including quality standards guide.

Types of accommodation that must register

These are the different types of children’s homes that need to register with us; some may also need to be approved by other bodies.

Residential children’s homes

Residential homes are for children who are usually cared for by a local authority, either as a short-term or long-term measure, including homes that accommodate disabled children.

Multi-building children’s homes 

A multi-building children’s home can accommodate up to 6 children in up to 4 buildings within one single registration.

To register a multi-building children’s home, email eyregulatoryandsocialcare@ofsted.gov.uk to discuss with an inspector before applying.

Find out more about Registering a multi-building children’s home. 

Children’s homes that provide short breaks

These homes provide short breaks – where children stay for short periods of time.

Children’s homes that function as a refuge

The Secretary of State may issue a certificate to allow a home to function as a refuge for children. This can be a voluntary home or private children’s home, and it will provide a refuge for children who appear to be at risk of harm.

If you want to enable a children’s home to function as refuge, you must apply to the Department for Education (DfE) for a certificate before registering with Ofsted.

Secure children’s homes and schools

A secure children’s home or school is a type of children’s home approved by the Secretary of State, where children can lawfully be deprived of their liberty to ensure their safety and the safety of others.

To register a secure children’s home or school, you must first contact:

  • the DfE for secure children’s homes
  • the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) for secure schools

For more information, read our secure children’s homes and schools guidance.

Schools that need to register as children’s homes

A school must register as a children’s home if it provides accommodation for either:

  • one child or more, for more than 295 days each year
  • children who are not pupils of the school

A new school registering with the DfE that meets these criteria must also register as a children’s home with Ofsted at the same time.

If a school is already registered with the DfE, its status will not be affected by also registering as a children’s home with Ofsted.

Proposed location

You must be able to show that you have fully considered the suitability of the location of the proposed home before submitting your application.

You must:

  • consult relevant local bodies and services, including the police and local authority children’s services, on their views
  • ask the local authority whether a new children’s home in the proposed area is needed
  • secure appropriate planning permission; we cannot grant registration without this

Types of accommodation that do not need to register as a children’s home

Some types of accommodation for children do not fall within the definition of a children’s home and therefore do not have to register as one. They may still have to register the service they are providing with Ofsted or another body, just not as a children’s home.

These include:

  • a place where children live with their parents, relatives or foster carers
  • approved bail or probation hostels
  • hospitals or clinics
  • schools (unless they offer accommodation for more than 295 days)
  • further education colleges
  • academies for 16 to 19 year-olds, (unless they are also approved by the Secretary of State to provide accommodation for the purpose of restricting the liberty of children and young people)
  • a place only used to provide day care
  • residential holiday schemes for disabled children
  • young offender institutions
  • secure training centres
  • residential family centres
  • supported accommodation
  • places where 16 or 17 year-olds live while on a training course, apprenticeship, holiday or taking part in leisure, sporting, cultural or educational activities
  • places where children (excluding disabled children) stay for holidays or leisure, sporting, cultural or educational activities, for less than 28 days in any 12-month period

Places where children stay for holidays or leisure, sporting, cultural or educational activities can include holiday homes and residential events for children who usually live elsewhere (for example, in foster care or children’s homes), as long as the stay does not exceed 27 days.

Who Ofsted needs to know about

Ofsted needs to know about everyone in a role of responsibility for what we call ‘managing or carrying on the home’. This means anyone in a governance or management role in the children’s home.

This covers:

  • an individual, partnership or organisation that is registered with Ofsted (the ‘provider’)

  • a manager who is registered with Ofsted (‘the registered manager’ of the home)

  • a ‘responsible individual’ if the provider is registering as an organisation (this is someone who oversees the management of the quality of care provided in a children’s home and is the point of contact for the organisation)

These people will need to submit an Apply to be associated with a children’s social care service (SC2) form as part of the application to register.

Ofsted must be satisfied that those in a role of responsibility meet The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 fitness for registration requirements and are suitably qualified and experienced to carry out the role they are applying for. If you intend to hold more than one role, we assess your suitability and capacity for each role.

We will interview the person applying to be the registered manager and usually interview the responsible individual.

We may also interview:

  • an individual provider or partner
  • a director of an organisation

How Ofsted uses your data

Ofsted needs to make sure that providers and managers can remain fit to carry on or manage a registered children’s care service.

We need to keep some data, including personal data, for as long as you are registered to provide these services. This includes information about your suitability to provide children’s social care services.

We may keep this information for longer if any regulatory issues or concerns were raised while you were registered.

Factors that may prevent an individual from being associated with a children’s home

There are several factors that may prevent you from being associated with a children’s home, including:

We also take into consideration whether you have previously been disqualified. You can find a full list of reasons for disqualification in our social care enforcement policy and in the Disqualification from Caring for Children (England) Regulations 2002.

Types of providers

The provider is the legal entity providing the children’s home. They are responsible for making sure the provision meets the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Children’s homes regulations, quality standards.

There are 3 different types of children’s homes providers, they are:

  • organisations
  • partnerships
  • individual providers

Each category is explained in the following sections.

Organisations

Organisations include:

  • companies or limited liability partnerships (LLP) – the details provided must match what is recorded by Companies House
  • statutory bodies or schools, for example a local authority or a trust of a school
  • charities
  • trusts, for example those appointed by a local authority
  • committees, for example a social care committee of a local community
  • unincorporated associations

Charities must make sure their organisation is set up correctly and that they can demonstrate this to Ofsted.

Read our guidance on how to set up a charity for more information.

Partnerships

A partnership is a business where 2 or more people share the profits and liabilities. This is usually under a written partnership agreement. A business registered as an LLP or a company does not count as a partnership. When a partnership applies to register, each person in the partnership must apply and be granted registration.

We will need to see a copy of the agreement or document that clearly establishes the partnership as a legal entity.

Individual providers

An individual provider can be one person or more than one person. They can provide a service without having to set up a partnership, a company or an organisation. We name each person on the registration certificate. Any regulatory action we take may result in action against each person.

If an individual provider registers their business as a company, then this is an organisation.

Roles

Certain roles must be in place to register a children’s home, depending on the type of provider responsible for the children’s home.

Responsible individuals

An organisation must appoint a responsible individual. They will communicate with Ofsted about the children’s home on behalf of the organisation and have the experience, qualifications and skills necessary to supervise the management of the home.

Individuals and partnerships do not need to appoint a responsible individual. The individual or partnership must meet the same fitness requirements as responsible individuals. They will also need to nominate a point of contact to communicate with Ofsted.

The responsible individual can be any individual who has the appropriate skills. They will perform functions similar to those of a director, whatever job title they have.

For example:

  • a director of the organisation
  • a manager of the organisation
  • a secretary of the organisation
  • another officer of the organisation

A responsible individual, individual provider or a partner must:

  • be of integrity and good character
  • take account of the statement of purpose and the categories of accommodation
  • ensure that the registered manager has the appropriate skills to provide a good-quality service for children
  • be mentally and physically fit to carry on or manage the home
  • be financially fit to carry on or manage the home
  • can ensure full and satisfactory information is available in relation to Schedule 2 of The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015

Ofsted does not register the responsible individual, but we must know who the individual is. The responsible individual will need to complete an Apply to be associated with a children’s social care service (SC2) form. We will carry out checks and, in most cases, interview them. As a proposed provider, you should only appoint a responsible individual who you have assessed as suitable to represent the service to Ofsted. We may refuse the application if we do not consider the responsible individual to be suitable. We will contact you to discuss our concerns.

Suitability of responsible individuals

Responsible individuals must demonstrate in their written application and interview that they are suitable and have the appropriate skills to carry on the children’s home on behalf of the organisation. We also consider relevant information about any previous applications they have been, or are still, associated with.

You can find more information on what to expect at interview and what documents the responsible individual will need in our Applying to register a children’s home guidance.

Directors of children’s homes

A director is any individual who performs the functions of, or similar to, a director, whatever job title they have.

Every director of the organisation who is involved in the managing or carrying on of the home must be listed in the SC1 form and submit an SC2 form. ‘Involved’ includes directors involved in finance, in HR or in some other capacity for the children’s home.

If we refuse an application from an organisation, the directors will not be disqualified.

Directors are not required to provide a DBS certificate as part of their SC2 application.

Children’s home manager

You must ensure that  each registered children’s home has a manager. The manager is responsible for carrying out the home’s regulatory activities. The manager must be registered by Ofsted.

Fitness requirements for managers

You must not allow a person to manage a children’s home unless they are fit to do so.

A person is not fit to manage a children’s home unless they:

  • are of integrity and good character
  • have regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children
  • have the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children
  • are physically and mentally fit to manage the home
  • can ensure full and satisfactory information is available in relation to Schedule 2 of The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015

The manager must:

  • within the last 5 years, have worked for at least 2 years in a position relevant to the residential care of children
  • have worked for at least one year in a role requiring the supervision and management of staff working in a care role

In addition, within 2 years of managing a children’s home, they must have attained either:

  • the level 5 diploma in ‘Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England)’
  • a qualification that the registered provider considers to be equivalent to the above diploma

The manager’s registration is personal to them and is for the children’s home they are applying to manage. It is not transferable to another registered provider or to another home run by you.

Managers must apply for registration and pay a fee for each application. The manager must demonstrate that they have the qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience to meet the requirements of the children’s home.

You can read more information on what to expect at interview in our Apply to register a children’s home guide.

In a few cases, we receive applications from managers who are wholly unfit for registration because they are unable to meet the requirements in relation to integrity and good character. In rare circumstances, some applicants may, similarly, be wholly unfit for registration due to lack of experience, skills and qualifications. We are likely to refuse these applicants at an early stage of the process.

Partners and managers

If the partner and manager are the same person, we will assess their fitness for each role.

Individual providers and managers

If an individual provider and manager are the same person, we will assess their fitness for each role.

Managing multiple children’s homes

A manager will usually only manage one children’s home.

We may consider registering a person to manage 2 homes for the same provider. We will only consider applications to register a manager across 2 homes when the homes are run by the same provider.

We will only register managers if we are satisfied that they are able to demonstrate that they have the experience, knowledge and skills to be in full-time, day-to-day charge of each home and support the best outcomes for children.

In addition, we will consider:

  • the reason for having one manager to manage both homes
  • your arrangements for oversight and support for the manager
  • the location of the homes and the distance between them
  • your plans for when the manager is absent or if the position becomes vacant

It is for you as the provider and the manager to demonstrate to us how the arrangements will be effective.  

The manager must complete an SC2 form  for each home they are applying to manage. Each registration is separate. We will consider each application on its own merits and make separate decisions about the manager’s suitability to manage each home.

We will consider each application for registration and make our decision about whether to grant registration in the order in which we receive the applications.

If an existing registered manager is applying to register as the manager for an additional home, we will only make the registration decision about that application.

Applications for more than one home 

If we decide to refuse a manager’s application to manage an additional home, we will issue a notice of proposal . We will explain that the manager can ask to withdraw the second application, and we will accept their written request to do so (unless there are safeguarding concerns).

If the manager does not withdraw their application, we will proceed to a notice of decision and continue to follow the refusal process. The manager will become disqualified and will need to apply for written consent to continue to manage the home that they are already registered for.

See our social care enforcement policy for more details about what happens if we issue a notice of decision to refuse any application to manage a home.

Two managers for one home

Two individuals may apply to be registered managers of a children’s home. This can be through a job share or more unusually 2 people working full time to run the same home. In either case, each person must complete an SC2 form and pay an application fee.

We will consider how both managers will be held accountable for meeting the requirements of the Care Standards Act and the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards.

The provider must email sc.admin@ofsted.org.uk before the individual managers apply. We will contact the applicants to discuss the arrangements. Both proposed managers should wait for a response from Ofsted before submitting an application.

Categories of registration

The categories of registration list the types of service a provider offers in order to meet the needs of the children cared for in the home. These are set out in The Care Standards Act 2000 (Registration) Regulations 2010. They have not been updated to reflect the SEND code of practice. Ofsted is legally obliged to categorise homes in this way.

The provider can have more than one category of registration - or none. Those categories will become some of the conditions that limit the care that the home provides.

The categories are:

  • children with emotional or behavioural difficulties
  • children with physical disabilities
  • children with learning disabilities
  • children with mental disorders, excluding learning disability
  • children with present drug dependence
  • children with present alcohol dependence
  • children with sensory impairment

Conditions of registration

When you register with Ofsted as a provider, we apply conditions - for example:

  • the maximum number of children the home can care for (this always applies)
  • conditions based on the statement of purpose, such as arrangements for short breaks

We work with you, as the provider, to determine the conditions of registration. Occasionally, we may apply conditions that you have not agreed to. In this case we will issue a notice of proposal, which you can object to by making a ‘written representation’ to us. For information on how to make a written representation, see the social care enforcement policy.

The conditions of registration are recorded on your registration certificate.

The social care enforcement policy sets out information about actions we may take if you do not follow the conditions.

It is an offence under the Care Standards Act 2000 to operate outside of the conditions set.

Registration stages

The registration process consists of 3 stages:

  • the application
  • information gathering
  • determining suitability

Stage 1: application

The application should include:

When submitting an SC1 form, you will get a submission reference number. This number is 14 characters long and includes numbers, hyphens and upper-case letters, for example ABCD-1234-1234.

Once we confirm that all the information has been provided, we will ask you to pay the required fees.

Once the required fees are paid, we will allocate a unique reference number (URN) for the home, and we will start to process the information. Everyone who submitted an SC2 form as part of this application will be linked to this URN. The URN is a 6-digit number and is used to identify the application from this point in the process.

Having a URN does not mean you can operate. You must wait until Ofsted has granted your registration before you can operate.

Stage 2: information gathering

After we have accepted the application, we will contact the local authority children’s services department to check whether it holds any relevant information about any of the individuals that may affect their suitability to provide care and have regular contact with children.

This information could include: 

  • whether an individual has been connected with a child protection inquiry
  • whether an individual has had a child removed from their care
  • whether an individual is subject to ongoing investigations
  • whether there are any concerns that children may be at risk of harm
  • whether there are any prior concerns, allegations, or findings of misconduct deemed relevant to the current context or role

Other checks we carry out include:

  • request references
  • request further health checks if we require medical advice about any associated individual’s health and well-being

If necessary, we will discuss the information received from suitability checks with the associated individual as part of our decision-making process.

We will contact you to discuss the application and whether any additional information is required.

We may return your application if there are delays in receiving the necessary information; this is when we are ‘unable to determine’ your application.

Unable to determine an application  

In some situations, we may be unable to progress your application to the next stage or make a decision on it.

This may be because:

  • we do not have all the information we need
  • there are delays caused by planning or property issues
  • there are delays with your references
  • other agencies or regulators are carrying out ongoing investigations that involve you
  • individuals linked to the application leave or withdraw and you do not identify anyone to replace them

If we are unable to progress your application, we will begin a formal process known as ‘unable to determine’ an application. We will warn you that your application may be closed without a decision being made because we do not have all the information we need.

We do not start this process if there are delays in receiving information from local authority checks. We will continue to chase the information so that we can make a decision about the application.

If there is other missing or delayed information, will write to you to tell you what information we require. If you do not send us the information after 12 weeks, we may write to you to tell you that your application has been closed because we have been unable to process it without the relevant information.

The fee you paid will not be refunded. Any people associated with the application will also have their applications closed down, and we will not refund their fees. 

You may reapply in the future and pay another fee.

Stage 3: determining suitability

At this stage, the inspector will contact you to arrange interviews, visits and ask whether you need any reasonable adjustments.

We usually carry out one registration visit for each application and visit all buildings that are included in the application. During the visit, we assess the premises and services that you intend to offer and interview all those associated with the application. 

Interviews and visits may take place on different days, and we will arrange them with each individual. The interview is your opportunity to show us how you meet the requirements of the regulations and guidance.

Inspectors will usually interview both the manager and the appointed responsible individual, even if we have interviewed the responsible individual before. We may also interview any directors as we see necessary.

To reassure Ofsted of your suitability, the inspector will:

  • read and discuss all necessary documentation provided
  • interview people in certain roles of responsibility
  • assess and evaluate all the information we have gathered

You can find more information on what to expect at interview and what original documents you must provide.

After the visit and interview, the inspector will go over with you: 

  • a summary of the evidence that they have collected
  • a summary of the proposed conditions of registration
  • what happens next and the steps leading to a registration decision being made by the regulatory inspection manager

If new information is presented during the interview that requires further exploration, the inspector will usually give brief feedback about their likely recommendation unless they need to seek further advice.

You can withdraw your application at any time if you wish to do so.

Regional manager’s decision

Following the visit and the interview, the inspector will discuss all the evidence with their regional manager. The regional manager will decide whether you will be registered. Occasionally, the regional manager may ask for more evidence before making their decision. In these cases, the inspector will contact you.

The regional manager will make separate registration decisions for you and for the children’s home manager. They will grant or refuse registration, usually within 7 working days, and will send you one of the following:

  • a notice of decision to register
  • a notice of proposal to change the proposed conditions
  • a notice of proposal to refuse registration

Notice of decision to register

If all conditions are agreed between you and us, we will issue a notice of decision to register.

The notice of decision to register confirms that you are now registered with us as a provider. We will send a registration certificate.

Registration certificate

The registration certificate includes:

  • the URN
  • the name of the registered provider
  • the name of the registered manager (if applicable)
  • the name of the responsible individual (if applicable)
  • the name and address of the children’s home
  • date of registration
  • any conditions that apply to the registration

Registration refusal

If we are not satisfied that you can meet the regulatory requirements for registration, we will issue a notice of proposal to refuse the registration.

You will have the opportunity to tell us why we should not refuse the registration. To do this, you must write to us with reasons, also known as ‘representations’, within 28 days of the date that the notice of proposal is served. This time period cannot be extended.

If we do not receive a response within 28 days, we will send a notice of decision to refuse your application.

For more information on the notice of proposal to refuse a registration, see the social care enforcement policy.

If we refuse your registration

If we refuse the registration, this may have a negative impact on any application the provider or manager makes in the future.

If we refuse an application from individual providers, partnerships or the proposed manager, those individuals, the partners and the manager will be disqualified from fostering a child privately.

Unless they have written consent from Ofsted, disqualified people cannot:

  • run a children’s home or be employed in one
  • manage a children’s home
  • have a financial interest in a children’s home
  • work at a children’s home

A person who does any of the above while disqualified is committing an offence.

If we refuse an application from an organisation, the directors will not be disqualified.

We will consider the proposed registered manager’s application separately. If we refuse them, they will be disqualified.

For more information on disqualification and how to seek our consent to carry out certain roles while disqualified, see the social care enforcement policy.

Withdrawing an application

You may withdraw your application by emailing sc.admin@ofsted.org.uk. We will accept a withdrawal request if we have not already issued a notice of proposal to refuse.

We will write to you if we have concerns about your fitness to register as a provider or manager to tell you that we will consider those concerns if you apply in the future.

Notice of proposal: request to withdraw

If we have issued a notice of proposal to refuse an application, you can ask to withdraw the application.

We may not allow this, for example if we have concerns about:

  • your ability to safeguard children
  • other relevant information in the application, for example offences that you have committed

If we refuse a withdrawal request, you can still appeal the notice of proposal. More information can be found in the social care enforcement policy.

If we decide to refuse the registration, we will issue a notice of decision to refuse the registration.

Further information

Go to our Applying to register a children’s home guide for information on the application process, including what documents you will need to apply and what to expect at interview.

To learn more about what happens after registration, including paying fees, read about the responsibilities of providers and managers in Ofsted-registered children’s homes.

If you need help with a query that is not covered in these guides or you do not understand what you need to do in your circumstances, contact us.

Legislation

The following legislative and regulatory frameworks underpin the registration, operation, and oversight of children’s homes in England, ensuring that services meet the required standards of care, safety, and governance.

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