Ofsted policies for children's homes: what you need
By Cura Compliance UK · Updated 27 September 2026
An Ofsted-registered children's home needs policies covering safeguarding, behaviour, children going missing, health, education, care planning, staffing and records, written to the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the nine Quality Standards. Ofsted publishes no fixed list. Inspectors expect each arrangement to exist, to be followed, and to show up in children's records.
The framework your policies must reflect
Children's homes in England are regulated under the Care Standards Act 2000 and the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015, with the Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations including the Quality Standards setting the outcomes you must deliver. Ofsted inspects against the Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF). Your policies are where those legal duties become day-to-day practice for your staff team.
Which policies a children's home needs
The exact set depends on your Statement of Purpose and the children you care for, but almost every home needs policies covering:
- Safeguarding and child protection, including allegations against staff and whistleblowing
- Behaviour management, positive relationships and the use of restraint or physical intervention
- Children missing from care and the return-home process
- Children's rights, wishes, feelings, complaints and representations
- Health, wellbeing and medication
- Education and promoting achievement
- Care planning, placement planning and risk assessment
- Safer recruitment, staff conduct, supervision and training
- Health and safety, fire and location risk assessment
- Records, confidentiality and data protection
How policies map to the Quality Standards
The nine Quality Standards (from the quality and purpose of care standard through to care planning) set the outcomes inspectors judge. Your safeguarding and behaviour policies underpin the protection of children standard; your recruitment, supervision and oversight arrangements evidence the leadership and management standard. Under the SCCIF, inspectors weigh the experiences and progress of children most heavily, so the test is always whether your written procedures produce good outcomes in practice.
The full list: every policy in a children's home library
Below is every policy in the CuraFlow children's home library, grouped the way the Quality Standards are. Nine of the ten groups are the Quality Standards themselves; the tenth covers records. Use it as a checklist against your own set, whether or not you buy from us. Where a standard has one or two policies here and you have none, that is the gap an inspector will find first.
Quality and Purpose of Care (4 policies)
- CH-A01 Residential Child Care - Key Principles
- CH-A02 Statement of Purpose
- CH-A03 Children's Guide
- CH-A04 Equality and Diversity
Children's Views, Wishes and Feelings (8 policies)
- CH-B01 Consultation and Participation
- CH-B02 Providing Personalised Care
- CH-B03 Advocacy, Independent Visitors and Independent Reviewing Officers
- CH-B04 Role of Appropriate Adult
- CH-B05 Complaints by and On Behalf of Children
- CH-B06 Contact with Parents-Carers, Siblings and Others
- CH-B07 Social Worker Visits
- CH-B08 Bedrooms
Education (1 policy)
- CH-C01 Education
Enjoyment and Achievement (5 policies)
- CH-D01 Holidays and School Trips
- CH-D02 Transporting Children
- CH-D03 Leisure and Activities
- CH-D04 Social Visits (Including Overnight Stays)
- CH-D05 Clothing, Pocket Money and Allowances
Health and Wellbeing (11 policies)
- CH-E01 Health and Wellbeing, Health Notifications and Access to Services
- CH-E02 Health Care Assessments and Plans
- CH-E03 Smoking
- CH-E04 Alcohol
- CH-E05 Drugs
- CH-E06 First Aid, Home Remedies and Medication
- CH-E07 Provision and Preparation of Meals
- CH-E08 Health and Safety
- CH-E09 Sexual Health and Relationships
- CH-E10 Blood Borne Viruses (BBVs)
- CH-E11 Supporting Children and Young People with Disabilities
Positive Relationships (6 policies)
- CH-F01 Keyworker Guidance
- CH-F02 Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management
- CH-F03 Use of Restraint and Physical Intervention
- CH-F04 Searching Children-Bedrooms
- CH-F05 Bullying
- CH-F06 Offending and Anti-Social Behaviour - Guidance on when to Involve the Police
Protection of Children (12 policies)
- CH-G01 Recognising Abuse and Neglect
- CH-G02 Safeguarding Children and Young People and Referring Safeguarding Concerns
- CH-G03 Missing Children
- CH-G04 Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation
- CH-G05 Child Criminal Exploitation and County Lines
- CH-G06 Safe Use of the Internet, Social Media and Photographs
- CH-G07 Safeguarding Children from Radicalisation and Extremism
- CH-G08 Self-Harming and Suicidal Behaviour
- CH-G09 Female Genital Mutilation
- CH-G10 Personal Care and Physical Contact with Children
- CH-G11 Surveillance and Monitoring
- CH-G12 Visitors to the Home
Leadership and Management (45 policies)
- CH-H01 Leadership and Management
- CH-H02 Monitoring Quality
- CH-H03 Staffing and Safe Recruitment
- CH-H04 Lone Working
- CH-H05 Staff Qualifications
- CH-H06 Staff Supervision and Appraisal
- CH-H07 Allegations Against Staff
- CH-H08 Whistleblowing or Raising Concerns at Work
- CH-H09 Notification of Serious Events
- CH-H10 Recording and Reporting of Accidents
- CH-H11 Gift Giving and Receiving
- CH-H12 Staff Induction
- CH-H13 Probationary Period
- CH-H14 Job Descriptions and Person Specifications
- CH-H15 Staff Conduct and Professional Boundaries
- CH-H16 Disciplinary and Capability
- CH-H17 Grievance
- CH-H18 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workforce
- CH-H19 Bullying and Harassment at Work
- CH-H20 Staff Wellbeing, Mental Health and Stress
- CH-H21 Flexible Working and Leave
- CH-H22 Dress Code, Appearance and PPE
- CH-H23 Staff Exit and Leaver Management
- CH-H24 Agency, Bank and Temporary Staff
- CH-H25 Driving at Work and Use of Own Vehicle
- CH-H26 Staff Handbook
- CH-H27 Pay, National Minimum Wage and Sleep-ins
- CH-H28 Working Time, Rest Breaks and Secondary Employment
- CH-H29 Rotas, Shift Patterns, Sleep-ins and On-Call
- CH-H30 Sickness Absence and Attendance
- CH-H31 Employment Contracts and Worker Status
- CH-H32 Alcohol, Drugs and Fitness for Work
- CH-H33 Menopause and Health at Work
- CH-H34 Supporting Staff Affected by Domestic Abuse
- CH-H35 Bereavement Leave and Death in Service
- CH-H36 Time Off for Public Duties and Travel Disruption
- CH-H37 Young Workers and Apprentices
- CH-H38 Redundancy and Organisational Change
- CH-H39 Retirement and Later Working Life
- CH-H40 Relationships at Work
- CH-H41 Smoke-Free Workplace and Vaping
- CH-H42 Staff Retention and Recognition
- CH-H43 Pay Advances and Staff Loans
- CH-H44 Home and Hybrid Working
- CH-H45 Gender Identity at Work
Care Planning (8 policies)
- CH-J01 Placements and Admission
- CH-J02 Care and Placement Planning
- CH-J03 Emergency Placements and Emergency Reviews
- CH-J04 Looked After Reviews and Disruption Meetings
- CH-J05 Consents and Delegated Authority
- CH-J06 Risk Assessment and Planning
- CH-J07 Moving to Another Placement
- CH-J08 Preparation for Leaving Care
Records (3 policies)
- CH-K01 Information Sharing
- CH-K02 Case Recording
- CH-K03 Access to Records
Keeping policies inspection-ready
Children's social care guidance changes often, so version control matters. Safeguarding policies in particular should reflect current statutory guidance, including Working Together to Safeguard Children and Keeping Children Safe in Education where relevant. Give every policy an owner, a review date and a next-review date, review at least annually, and record that staff have read and understood each one.
For the underlying principles that apply across regulators, see our guide to CQC policies and procedures; the governance expectations are closely related.
How CuraFlow helps
The CuraFlow children's home library is the list above, as Word and PDF documents with your home's name, registered manager and address filled in, version-controlled, with staff sign-off tracking. It costs £895, or £795 with code CURAFLOW100 until 31 December 2026, excluding VAT, bought once and kept. You can read the library contents and ask for a free sample policy before you buy.
Buy this library
£895, or £795 with code CURAFLOW100 at checkout until 31 December 2026.
Every policy in the children's home library in Word and PDF, yours to keep, with 90 days' free portal access for staff sign-off.
Questions first? Ask us on WhatsApp or email info@curacompliance.co.uk.
Frequently asked questions
- How many policies does a children's home need?
- There is no set number in the Regulations. The CuraFlow children's home library groups its policies under the nine Quality Standards plus records, and the full list is on this page. A small home with a narrow Statement of Purpose may need fewer; a home caring for children with complex health needs may need more.
- Where can I buy children's home policies and procedures?
- CuraFlow sells a complete children's home library, aligned to the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Quality Standards, for £895, or £795 with code CURAFLOW100 until 31 December 2026, excluding VAT. It downloads as Word and PDF with your home's details filled in, and it is yours to keep.
- Does Ofsted require a specific list of policies for children's homes?
- No. Ofsted does not publish a mandatory policy list. It expects the arrangements your policies describe (safeguarding, behaviour, missing from care, health, care planning and governance) to be in place, followed, and evidenced against the Quality Standards and the 2015 Regulations.
- Which regulations govern children's home policies?
- The Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the accompanying Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the nine Quality Standards, made under the Care Standards Act 2000. Ofsted inspects against the Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF).
- How do the Quality Standards relate to policies?
- The nine Quality Standards set the outcomes a home must achieve. Policies provide much of the documentary evidence, but inspectors judge whether written procedures translate into good day-to-day experiences and progress for children.
- How often should children's home policies be reviewed?
- Review each policy at least annually and whenever statutory guidance changes. Safeguarding policies matter most here, so they reflect current Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance. Record the review date, version and next-review date to evidence a controlled cycle.
Ready-to-use, regulator-aligned policies for your service
Browse the children's home policy library