VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Children: Care Homes

Asked by Sarah PochinReform UKDepartment for EducationTabled Answered 28 January 2026UIN 107332

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to introduce a mandatory registration of staff working in children's homes.

Answered by Josh MacAlister

The government set out its position regarding professional registration of the children’s homes workforce in its ’Tackling child sexual abuse: progress update’, published on GOV.UK in April 2025 here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-child-sexual-abuse-progress-update.

The immediate focus is to develop workforce standards and review sector qualifications to ensure staff working in children’s homes are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to provide the best possible care, and have access to high quality continuing professional development.

This will provide the essential foundation for looking at the risks and benefits of a registration model for care staff, including a wider consultation in the longer term.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim