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Setting up a childrens home

Everything You Need to Know About Ofsted Registration for Children’s Social Care Providers

Children’s homes must register with Ofsted.

Children’s home providers and managers must meet a range of legal requirements; this includes a requirement to register with Ofsted. If you want to apply to open a children’s home, you should also read Ofsted’s ‘Guide to registration for children’s social care services’, which sets out the process of registration for all children’s social care providers.

In summary, a children’s home must have

  • A registered provider and, where the provider is an organisation such as a company, a person known as a ‘Responsible Individual’ who represents the organisation to Ofsted.
  • A Statement of Purpose outlines a children’s home’s aims and objectives for residents or short-break users, detailing required information as set in Schedule 1 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.
  • A Children’s Guide explains the care children can expect, their support rights, how to make complaints, and access advocacy, all presented in an age- and communication-appropriate way.
  • A qualified (QCF Level 5 children and young people) Registered Manager who has their own personal registration with Ofsted.

Once the application has been submitted

  • The property must have relevant planning consents
  • Property must be fully furnished (ready to admit children/young people)
  • All health and safety requirements must have been fulfilled with appropriate certification provided, including fire doors and fire alarms
  • All fire certifications met/signed off

A note of caution

  • If you are new to the sector, seek expert advice from the outset; there are many experienced consultants in the sector, and it will save you time, money and heartache.
  • Makes sure the property is the right size, in the right location and gets the planning consent.
  • Setup costs depend on the size of the home and the specific requirements involved.
  • Do not take the risk of hiring an inexperienced manager; they will not get through the Ofsted interview process.

Support from Khalsa Children's Care

We can assist with full or partial support in the registration process:

1. Reviewing key paperwork

– Statement of purpose
– Children’s guide
– Locality risk assessment
– Business plan
– Financial forecast

2. Manager and Responsible Individual recruitment

– Reparation of job specification
– Preparation of interview questions
– Shortlisting
– Preparation of offer letter

3. Advice and support pre-submission

– Include review of application form
– Review of Required Documentation
– Review of Policies and Procedures
– Review of Staff Qualifications and Roles

4. Placement and referrals

– Guide to website development
– Advice on marketing material
– Advice on generating referrals
– Guidance on E-Marketing

Example Timeline of setting up a Children’s Home

1

Property - Identify

  • Identify Property
  • Can you get planning permission?
  • Can you get insurance

2

The Company

  • Register the Company with Companies House
  • Get an Accountant
  • Set up Company Bank Accounts

3

Property - Acquire

  • Acquire the Property
  • Acquire planning
    permissions
  • Insure the property for purpose

4

The Property - Renovations​

  • The Property - Renovations
  • Acquire planning
    permissions
  • Insure the property for purpose

5

Staff

  • Hire an RI
  • Hire an RM

6

OFSTED​

  • Complete DBS Checks

7

Paperwork - RM

  • Statement of Purpose​

8

The Property - Renovations

  • Finish Renovations

Frequently Asked Questions

This is dependent on the size of the children’s home you want to open. As a new provider, we would recommend no more than a ‘three to four bedded children’s home’. This would mean you will need a minimum of 4 to 5 bed property.  Ideally with a kitchen/diner or separate dining room, a good size lounge and another room for staff office.  Having two bathrooms is also advantageous. Property needs a good-sized garden to the rear and ample parking for staff or visitor vehicles (parking should not be on the road).

One of the key factors to consider when locating your property/children’s home is STAFFING. The ability to recruit an experienced and qualified registered manager and staff team is vital to your future success. Further considerations need to be:

  • The type of young person you want to care for (EBD, LD, Complex Health needs etc.)
  • Whether it’s a city or a rural location, you initially want
  • Property prices, whether you are buying or leasing
  • Level of competition – other children’s homes
  • Where your placements will come from.

The simple answer is YES.

Ofsted asks for proof of planning consent, or evidence showing you do not need it, which is normally a letter from the planning officer.

You should look at a minimum of 5 to 10 years (with appropriate break clauses). Ofsted would have concerns about shorter leases. Don’t forget you are building a stable, long-term future for the children and young people, some of whom may be with you for a number of years. Please get legal advice on all lease arrangements. Generally, leases tend to be full-maintenance leases.

There is a new ruling which came out in 2021, which allows you to register up to 6 beds in more than one property at the same time under one manager. The properties must be registered together, or a specific request to Ofsted can be made if registration is separate. The risk, of course, is that if one property gets declined registration, they all will. Secondly, finding a manager to undertake multiple registrations will be extremely difficult, given the national shortage of residential managers.

If you own the property and want to set it up to be a Children’s home:

  • If there is no mortgage, it is a straightforward lease agreement with the children’s home company, so you will act as the landlord and the children’s home company will be the tenant.
  • If there is a mortgage, Ofsted will want to see the mortgage terms and conditions, which need to stipulate that you have consent to let from the lender to the ‘company’, namely, the children’s home. A word of caution: buy-to-let mortgages, HMO mortgages and residential mortgages will NOT allow you to let to a company. Consent must be sought from the lender beforehand.

Consulting for children’s homes in public, private, and voluntary care.

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