Guidance

Social care: Ofsted's enforcement policy

Ofsted's policy on how we regulate children's social care establishments and agencies explains what we may do if a provider is not following the regulations.

• From: Ofsted
• Published: 15 October 2014
• Last updated: 30 April 2024 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Social care enforcement policy

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Summary of changes

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Details

This policy explains how we regulate certain types of children’s social care. It also sets out:

• our powers under the law
• what actions we can take if providers are not following the regulations
• what we may do if we find out about unregistered provision

This policy will be updated shortly following legislative changes that give Ofsted the power to fine operators of unregistered social care.

Published 15 October 2014

Last updated 30 April 2024 — Show all updates

1. 30 April 2024

   See 'Summary of changes'.

2. 29 February 2024

   See 'Summary of Changes'.

3. 27 February 2023

   Updated with information about children’s homes that are also registered by the DfE as independent schools or approved as non-maintained special schools.

4. 1 March 2022

   Reviewed the content to make it more accessible and user-friendly (no change to our enforcement powers and general approach to regulation). See 'Summary of changes' for details.

5. 15 October 2014

   First published.