Children: Care Homes

There has been a sustained and unprecedented rise in applications to register children’s homes, particularly in certain areas of the country such as the North West.

In September 2025, in response to this rise Ofsted published their revised policy for prioritising children’s homes applications.

The criteria prioritise applications where a child subject to a deprivation of liberty order is being accommodated in a children’s home that is currently unregistered, the provision is being opened exclusively to look after unaccompanied asylum-seeking children transferred under the national transfer scheme, the provision is needed in exceptional circumstances in response to an emergency situation or where the provision is funded by the department.

Ofsted advise priority applications should receive a decision within 3 to 6 months; non-priority applications within 6 to 18 months.

Ofsted liaised closely with the department during the development of these criteria which align with our wider action to reshape the placements market which includes children’s homes. We are introducing a package of measures, including through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act which will help ensure we have the right homes in the right places for our most vulnerable children.