6 policies you need to register your children’s home with Ofsted
If you are in the process of registering your children’s home with Ofsted, you will need a suite of policies to keep the wheels of your business turning and meet your regulatory requirements.
When you submit your residential children’s home registration documents to Ofsted, there are six specific policies that you must submit with the application. You can use the checklist to ensure you have included them. 
Alongside the policies you need to submit, there are additional documents you will need to submit.
What other policies will you need?
Every residential children’s home provider needs to have a broad selection of policies and procedures to meet the lawful requirements of running their children’s home. Policies reflect the law relating to the care side of the business, corporate law, health and safety, human resources and a host of other eventualities.
In addition to policies, your residential children’s home will need to have procedures.
What is the Difference Between Policies and Procedures?
Policies are statements that guide your staff in practising within the rules, regulations and principles your organisation operates by and what you expect of them. Procedures provide the steps to help staff members do their job, what you expect of them and how to avoid falling foul of your policy requirements.
Policies and procedures make it clear to other professionals how your organisation operates, cares for and supports your client group.
How to open a children’s home?
If you are starting your children’s home adventure, there is no great shortcut to complete the requirements. However, we have provided a roadmap for you by creating a children’s home start-up package, how to open a children’s home. The package includes the documents you need to submit with your application and step-by-step guides to help you get started as quickly as possible.
Beware
Any policy that you find online offered free may only be a sample policy and may not be entirely up to date. Policies and procedures for children’s residential care homes must include the requirements of The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and other applicable regulatory and practice requirements. Submitting an incomplete policy or policy copied from an online source may harm your registration process or inspection outcomes.
Applicable Legislation
- Children and Families Act 2014
- Adoption and Children Act 2002
- Education and Inspections Act 2006
- Care Standards Act 2000
- Children Act 1989
- Children Act 2004
Regulations for all providers
- The Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) (Children’s Homes etc.) Regulations 2015
- The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010
- The Care Standards Act 2000 (Registration)(England) Regulations 2010
Regulations for children’s homes
Guide to the children’s homes regulations
