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 described by your policies — 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 especially, so they reflect current Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance. Record the review date, version and next-review date to evidence a controlled cycle.

Ofsted

Ofsted policies for children's homes: what you need

By Cura Compliance UK · Updated 3 July 2026

An Ofsted-registered children's home needs a full set of policies covering safeguarding, behaviour and care, mapped to the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the nine Quality Standards. Ofsted does not issue a fixed policy list, but inspectors expect the arrangements those policies describe to be in place, followed by staff, and evidenced 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 / physical intervention
Children missing from care and the return-home process
Children's rights, wishes, feelings and complaints / 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 the leadership and management standard — 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.

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

CuraFlow gives registered children's homes a complete, version-controlled policy library mapped to the Quality Standards and the 2015 Regulations, auto-filled with your home's details, with staff acknowledgement tracking and Word and PDF downloads. Browse the set in the children's home library or see pricing and free samples.

Frequently asked questions

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 described by your policies — 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 especially, 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