So you want to open a children's home!

Opening a children’s home is an incredibly meaningful step. It’s an opportunity to create safety, stability and belonging for children who need it most. It can also feel complex, overwhelming and full of high-stakes decisions.

With the right guidance, you don’t have to navigate that journey alone.

At Children’s Homes Consultancy, our bespoke service offers personalised, hands-on support through every stage of the process. From your first ideas to registration and beyond, we walk alongside you to help you build a safe, compliant and nurturing home that is set up to succeed.

The pathway to opening a children’s home involves property decisions, regulatory requirements, financial planning and workforce development. Our one-to-one consultancy is designed to make this manageable, giving you clear direction and reassurance at each step.

We will support you with:

• Locating and securing a suitable property
   
• Understanding fees, placements and commissioning opportunities
   
• Meeting regulatory requirements, including Ofsted standards
   

Our focus is always on what matters most: creating a safe, welcoming and child-centred home.

Every registration document we develop is tailored to your specific service, not a generic template.

Together, we will create:

• A tailored 12-month budget 
• A bespoke Statement of Purpose 
• A Location Risk Assessment (Regulation 46) 
• A Workforce Development Plan 
• Comprehensive policies and procedures
   

All documents are prepared to meet Ofsted expectations while reflecting the unique ethos, values and vision of your home.

Opening a children’s home is about much more than completing paperwork. It requires clear strategy, reflective thinking and strong planning.

We break the process down into manageable stages, providing:

• Tailored action plans for each phase of registration 
• Guidance around planning, compliance, recruitment and day-to-day operations 
• Practical support to help you move from idea to fully functioning home
   

You’ll also receive:

• Ongoing advice and support via phone, email and video consultations 
• Clear, practical solutions for overcoming obstacles as they arise 
• A trusted partner who is genuinely invested in the success and stability of your service
   

Our service is designed so that nothing important is left to chance. Key areas of support include:

• Advice on finding and securing a property that meets children’s needs and regulatory expectations.
   

• Detailed guidance to ensure your service meets Ofsted standards and all relevant legal requirements.
   

• Development of essential documents, including your business plan, budget, Statement of Purpose and risk assessments.
   

• Bespoke policies tailored to your model of care, covering safeguarding, behaviour, equality and day-to-day practice.
   

• Support with safe recruitment, including job descriptions, interview questions and workforce development planning.
   

• Comprehensive support to prepare for your Ofsted registration interview.
   
• Review and refinement of submission documents to ensure they are clear, robust and aligned with your vision.
   

• Ongoing guidance as you establish your service, seek placements and build a sustainable, high-quality operation.
   

To support compliance and good practice, we can help you develop bespoke policies such as:

• Accidents and Incidents 
• Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) 
• Complaints
• Countering Bullying 
• Equality and Diversity 
• Managing Behaviour 
• Missing Child Procedures 
• Safeguarding – Reporting Process 
• Protecting Children from Criminal Exploitation 
• Safeguarding Children and Young People
   

Each policy is written to be usable in practice, not just for the shelf.

We know that opening a children’s home is both a professional and personal commitment. Our role is to be alongside you throughout – offering honest advice, calm guidance and practical support.

With our bespoke consultancy, you will have:

• A dedicated, experienced partner from first idea to post-registration 
• Personalised, hands-on support at every stage 
• Confidence that your home is being built on strong, child-centred foundations
   

Let’s work together to turn your vision into reality.
Get in touch today to discuss how we can help you open your first children’s home with confidence and clarity.