Guidance

Responsibilities of providers and managers in Ofsted-registered residential holiday schemes for disabled children

Updated 28 November 2025

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-a-residential-holiday-scheme-for-disabled-children/responsibilities-of-providers-and-managers-in-ofsted-registered-residential-holiday-schemes-for-disabled-children

Registered providers of residential holiday schemes for disabled children must continue to meet the conditions of registration placed on the children’s home by the Care Standards Act 2000 and the Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children (England) Regulations 2013. This includes telling Ofsted in writing about certain events and changes or applying to make changes where necessary.

Providers and registered managers must continue to demonstrate their suitability throughout their registration, and pay an annual fee. The provider must display their registration certificate in a visible place.

We monitor the provider’s continued compliance through:

  • inspection under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF)
  • other visits, for example to follow up any concerns we receive about the residential holiday scheme for disabled children
  • repeating or doing additional checks, such as DBS checks, if we receive information that brings the provider’s fitness into question
  • evaluating the information that the provider gives us

Due to the exceptionally high number of applications, it is taking us longer than usual to process new submissions. If you are applying to register, it is likely to be several months before you receive a decision.

To help avoid further delays, please ensure that you provide all required information both at the time of application and throughout the process.

What registered providers must tell Ofsted

Providers must tell Ofsted about certain information to meet regulatory requirements. Some changes need our approval before they can be made.

Reporting serious incidents

Providers must notify us of serious incidents, as set out in the Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children (England) Regulations 2013.

See our guidance on reporting serious incidents in a residential holiday scheme for disabled children.

Reports under regulations 29 and 30

The registered provider must visit an active holiday for disabled children at least once every year in line with Regulation 29 of the Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children 2013. The purpose of the visit is to speak to the children and staff about the quality of care provided.

These reports provide important information about children’s safety and experiences during the holiday. The reports must be sent to Ofsted as soon as possible after the visit has been completed.

Regulation 30 of the Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children 2013 requires the registered provider to establish and maintain a system for annually reviewing and improving the quality of care provided and send a report on their findings to Ofsted. The purpose of the visit is to speak to the children and staff about the quality of care provided.

Reports must be emailed to enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. Providers must include Ofsted’s unique reference number (URN), the date the report was completed and the date the regulation 29 report visit occurred. The social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) for residential holiday scheme for disabled children provides further information about these reports.

People leaving or joining the provider

Providers must contact Ofsted by emailing sc.admin@ofsted.gov.uk to tell us about a change of:  

  • responsible individual
  • any officer of the organisation (for example, a director, company secretary)
  • partners in a partnership
  • an individual provider, if there is more than one individual
  • the manager

You will be given an SC3 form to complete with all the required details of the individual joining or leaving the registration.

We can only accept the SC3 form from people who are registered with us and are associated with the residential holiday scheme for disabled children. 

Managers, partners and individual providers joining a residential holiday scheme for disabled children will need to complete an Apply to be associated with a children’s social care service (SC2) form within 28 days of joining the scheme.

Ofsted cannot process online SC forms for residential holiday schemes for disabled children. You must request an offline version of the relevant SC forms by contacting sc.admin@ofsted.gov.uk.

Responsible  individuals     

Providers must use the SC3 form to tell us that a responsible individual is leaving and to inform us about the new responsible individual.

When we are advised of a change of responsible individual we will:

  • send a new registration certificate with the responsible individual’s name removed
  • ask the provider how they assessed the capacity and suitability of the new responsible individual
  • ask for details of checks they undertook in relation to that person’s suitability

The responsible individual does not need to complete an SC2 form.

We will always interview a responsible individual who is:

  • new to Ofsted
  • new to your centre
  • linked to a service that has a weak track record

If the responsible individual is known to us, and they are changing or expanding the holiday schemes that they oversee, as a minimum we will telephone them to discuss their new responsibilities.

Once we are satisfied that the new responsible individual meets the requirements of the role and is suitable, we will issue a registration certificate that includes the new responsible individual’s name.

Partners 

If a partner is joining or leaving, they must notify Ofsted by emailing sc.admin@ofsted.gov.uk to request an SC3 form. The form must be completed and returned with all relevant details.

A new partner must complete an SC2 form. Once we receive the SC2 form, we will do checks and interviews. If the new partner is suitable, we will register them. 

Individual providers 

If the provider is a group of individuals and one of those individuals leaves or joins, they must notify Ofsted by emailing sc.admin@ofsted.gov.uk to request an SC3 form. The form must be completed and returned with all relevant details.

If the individual leaving is a sole individual provider, they must apply to voluntarily cancel their registration by completing a social care: apply to cancel registration as a provider or manager form. If they are leaving and selling the residential holiday scheme for disabled children, or another company is taking it over, the individual provider will still need to apply to cancel their registration.

Failure to do so may result in enforcement action. We will consider cancelling the sole individual provider if they do not apply to voluntarily cancel their registration.

Officers of the organisation

Providers must contact Ofsted by emailing sc.admin@ofsted.gov.uk to tell us about changes to any officer of the organisation. This includes a director, company secretary, clerk, trustee, treasurer or a similar officer.

You will be given an SC3 form to complete with all the required details of the individual joining or leaving the registration.

Managers  

Providers must contact Ofsted by emailing sc.admin@ofsted.gov.uk to tell us when a registered manager permanently leaves or a new manager joins.

You will be given an SC3 form to complete with all the required details of the individual joining or leaving the registration.

We cannot use the information in the SC3 form to cancel the manager’s registration if they are leaving. Managers must apply to voluntarily cancel their registration by completing a social care: apply to cancel registration as a provider or manager form.

We can take steps to cancel a manager’s registration if they do not apply to voluntarily cancel their registration. We will not accept any further applications to register with any other establishment or agency until we receive and respond to a voluntary cancellation request.

Find out more in the social care enforcement policy.   

Overseeing a manager vacancy 

We expect providers to take all reasonable steps to find a new manager as quickly as possible, including: 

  • making sure the position is advertised with a clear closing date
  • making sure that interview dates are set
  • updating and posting a job specification with the job advertisement
  • appointing an interim manager

If there is a delay in proposing a new manager, providers must email sc.admin@ofsted.gov.uk and explain the reasons for the delay. They must also set out how the residential holiday scheme for disabled children will be managed in the interim period, including when an interim manager is being appointed. 

Interim managers  

An interim manager should be in place for a short period. We will assess whether the interim arrangements are effective. This includes reviewing the information we hold and receive, such as notifications. 

Providers must make sure that the interim manager oversees all activities of the holiday scheme, protects and promotes children’s safety and welfare, and knows what to do when there are concerns about the safety of children.  Providers must also regularly monitor the interim manager’s performance, to make sure they are effective. 

We will monitor any residential holiday schemes for disabled children that do not have a registered manager. If we are concerned about an interim manager’s ability to manage the residential holiday scheme for disabled children, we may carry out a monitoring visit or ask them to apply for registration so that we can assess their suitability. If the lack of registered manager has a negative impact on the children or disrupts the service, this will affect any inspection judgements. 

If the interim manager is expected to be in the role for 90 days or more, they must complete an SC2 form to apply to be associated with the residential holiday scheme for disabled children and register. If we do not receive an SC2 form within 90 days of the interim arrangements starting, we may take enforcement action against the provider. 

New managers 

The provider must tell us when they appoint a new manager. The proposed new manager will need to complete an SC2 form and pay a registration fee. We will assess their suitability and fitness to manage a residential holiday scheme for disabled children. If they meet the regulatory requirements for the role, we will register them. 

Changes to the criminal status of any person associated to the registration  

Changes to the criminal status of any person associated with the registration must be reported by that person without delay. They must include the following:

  • the date and place of the conviction
  • the offence
  • the penalty imposed for the offence

Changes to the statement of purpose 

A residential holiday scheme for disabled children provider must have, keep under review and, where appropriate, revise the statement of purpose that accurately describes the service provided at any given time. 

It is a breach of the regulations to operate the scheme in a way that is not consistent with the statement of purpose.

If the statement of purpose changes, providers must let us know and send us a copy of the revised statement to sc.admin@ofsted.gov.uk. They must do this within 28 days of making the change. 

Administrative changes

The provider should email sc.admin@ofsted.gov.uk if:

  • anyone associated with the registration changes their legal name
  • an organisation changes its name, but the details at Companies House stay the same
  • the provider’s address or principal office address changes
  • the contact details of the responsible individual or named contact change

Closing a residential holiday scheme for disabled children

Providers must apply to ‘voluntarily cancel’ their registration with Ofsted if they no longer wish to carry on a residential holiday scheme for disabled children. Providers must complete a social care: apply to cancel registration as a provider or manager form at least 3 months before the date on when the cancellation needs to take effect.

Providers must include the following information in their application:

  • reasons for applying to cancel the registration
  • the proposed date on which the residential holiday scheme for disabled children is to be cancelled
  • if the proposed date is in less than 3 months, the reasons for this
  • a report about whether the centre has ceased to be financially viable, or is likely to cease to be financially viable within the next 12 months
  • arrangements to provide similar accommodation or services after the proposed cancellation date
  • arrangements for keeping records safe and stored securely after the cancellation date
  • notice or information they have given to the following the people and organisations:
    • the people who use the service
    • representatives of people who use the service, including placing authorities
    • the local authority in the area where the centre operates
  • circumstances preventing them from giving people notice and information to cancel (if applicable)
  • any other information or any documents that Ofsted may reasonably require

Applications to cancel a registered provider must be signed by someone who makes up the registered provider.

Applications to cancel the registration of a manager must be signed by the manager who is applying to cancel their registration.

We cannot process forms that are not signed by the correct persons. Any application without the appropriate signatures will need to be resubmitted.

When we receive your application, we will call the provider to confirm the information. We may ask for further information.

We cannot process a provider’s application for cancellation unless we receive all the required information. If they do not provide the required information, this may delay the processing of the application and result in revising the proposed cancellation date.

If a provider has not applied to voluntarily cancel their registration, they cannot:

  • sell the registered residential holiday scheme for disabled children
  • cease operating permanently

In some situations, we may refuse the application to cancel. Find out more in the ‘Cancellation of registration’ section of the social care enforcement policy.

Records

When a residential holiday scheme for disabled children is going to close or stop operating, the registered provider must make arrangements to retain records relating to schedule 3 and 4 of the Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children (England) Regulations 2013 for 15 years from the date on which a child was last accommodated by the scheme.

A change of legal entity will require a re-registration of the residential holiday scheme for disabled children. Providers will need to complete a new ‘Register a children’s social care service (SC1) form’ for each service they run. 

Examples of a change in legal entity include: 

  • an individual provider registers their business as a company with Companies House
  • an organisation becomes a partnership
  • a company changes its company number

People with a role of responsibility in the residential holiday scheme for disabled children will need to complete an SC2 form. A registration fee will be required for each scheme. This is because a new legal entity needs new registration. 

Taking over an existing residential holiday scheme for disabled children including buying a franchise

Providers buying, acquiring or taking over a residential holiday scheme for disabled children will need (in most cases) to register the service and become the new provider. They may not need to register if they are taking over a company and running it under its existing name. 

If buying a franchise, the new provider must register the residential holiday scheme for disabled children, in most cases. This will depend on the specifics of the franchise agreement. 

As the new provider of this residential holiday scheme for disabled children: 

  • the applicant cannot take on responsibility of the centre before Ofsted confirms registration
  • the applicant must provide an action plan on how they will meet uncompleted statutory requirements (if applicable)

The seller must write to Ofsted to voluntarily cancel their registration. Until we have approved this, the seller remains responsible for the residential holiday scheme for disabled children. 

We may not need to carry out a full assessment of the premises or the manager. This will depend on the individual circumstances and the amount of information we hold. 

If a provider is selling their residential holiday scheme for disabled children, or a new company or owner is taking it over, the provider must apply to voluntarily cancel their registration at the same time as the new owner completes the registration process. 

Taking over multiple residential holiday schemes for disabled children

When buying, acquiring or taking over multiple residential holiday schemes, providers should contact us at sc.admin@ofsted.gov.uk to establish what they need to do. 

Acquiring a company and running it under the existing company name 

If a provider is acquiring a company that already runs a registered residential holiday scheme for disabled children, they may not need to register the service again. 

If the residential holiday scheme for disabled children is run under the original company name and company number, then the provider does not need to re-register the company. Instead, they just need to tell us about any changes to the staff of that scheme so we can complete our suitability checks as necessary. 

Legislation

You should also consult:

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