PART 1 General

Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) (Children's Homes etc.) Regulations 2015 and come into force on 1st April 2015.

Interpretation

2. In these Regulations—

“ approved place ” means—

“ boarding school ” means a school (not being a residential special school or a school which is a children's home or care home ) providing accommodation for any child, and “ school ” has the meaning given to it in section 4 of the Education Act 1996 ;

“ Chief Inspector ” means Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills;

“ holiday scheme for disabled children ” has the same meaning as in the Care Standards Act 2000 (Extension of the Application of Part 2 to Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children) (England) Regulations 2013 ;

“ large supported accommodation undertaking ” means a supported accommodation undertaking which has 10 or more approved places;

“multi-building children’s home” means a children’s home where the care and accommodation is provided in more than one building;

“ relevant number of staff ” means—

“ residential college ” means a college as defined in section 87(10) of the Children Act 1989 which provides accommodation for any child;

“ residential special school ” means—

which is not a registered children's home but which provides accommodation for any child;

“ secure children’s home ” means—

“ small adoption support agency ” means an adoption support agency where no more than the relevant number of staff are employed at any one time;

“ small branch ” means a branch where no more than the relevant number of staff are employed at any one time as social workers;

“ small children's home ” means a children's home , other than a multi-building children’s home, which has fewer than four approved places;

“ small principal office ” means a principal office where no more than the relevant number of staff are employed at any one time as social workers;

“ small residential family centre ” means a residential family centre which has fewer than four approved places;

“ small supported accommodation undertaking ” means a supported accommodation undertaking which has fewer than 10 approved places;

“ social worker ” means a person who is registered as such in the register of social workers in England maintained under section 39(1) of the Children and Social Work Act 2017 .

“ supported accommodation ” has the same meaning as in regulation 2 of the Care Standards Act 2000 (Extension of the Application of Part 2 to Supported Accommodation) (England) Regulations 2022;

“ supported accommodation undertaking ” has the same meaning as in regulation 2 of the Care Standards Act 2000 (Extension of the Application of Part 2 to Supported Accommodation) (England) Regulations 2022.

PART 2 Registration Fees

Introductory

3. This Part—

(a) applies for the purposes of section 12(2) of the Care Standards Act 2000 (application for registration); and

(b) prescribes the fee that must accompany an application for registration under Part 2 of that Act.

Voluntary adoption agencies

4. —(1) Where the application is for registration as the person who carries on a voluntary adoption agency, the fee, subject to paragraph (2), is—

(a) £3551 ; and

(b) if the voluntary adoption agency has, in addition to its principal office, one or more branches, an additional sum of—

(i) £3551 in respect of each branch that is not a small branch, and

(ii) £968 in respect of each small branch.

(2) If the voluntary adoption agency has a small principal office, the fee is—

(a) £968 ; and

(b) if the voluntary adoption agency has, in addition to its small principal office, one or more branches, an additional sum of—

(i) £3551 in respect of each branch that is not a small branch, and

(ii) £968 in respect of each small branch.

Adoption support agencies

5. —(1) Where the application is for registration as the person who carries on an adoption support agency that is not a small adoption support agency, the fee is £3284 .

(2) Where the application is for registration as the person who carries on a small adoption support agency, the fee is £968 .

(3) Where the application is for registration as the person who manages an adoption support agency that is not a small adoption support agency, the fee is £821 .

Children's homes

6.—(1) Subject to paragraph (4), where the application is for registration as the person who carries on a multi-building children’s home ..., the fee is £3842 .

(1A) Where the application is for registration as the person who carries on a children’s home that is not a small children’s home, the fee is £3284.

(2) Where the application is for registration as the person who carries on a small children's home, the fee is £1394 .

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), where the application is for registration as the person who manages a multi-building children’s home or a children’s home that is not a small children’s home, the fee is £910.

(4) The fees payable in respect of a multi-building children’s home do not apply to the following—

(a) a school which is a children’s home under section 1(6) of the Care Standards Act 2000; and

(b) a secure children’s home.

Residential family centres

7. —(1) Where the application is for registration as the person who carries on a residential family centre that is not a small residential family centre, the fee is £3284 .

(2) Where the application is for registration as the person who carries on a small residential family centre, the fee is £1163 .

(3) Where the application is for registration as the person who manages a residential family centre that is not a small residential family centre, the fee is £910 .

Fostering agencies

8. —(1) Where the application is for registration as the person who carries on a fostering agency, the fee is £3284 .

(2) Where the application is for registration as the person who manages a fostering agency, the fee is £910 .

Holiday schemes for disabled children

9. —(1) Where the application is for registration as the person who carries on a holiday scheme for disabled children, the fee is £596.

(2) Where the application is for registration as the person who manages a holiday scheme for disabled children, the fee is £596.

Supported accommodation undertakings

9A.—(1) Where the application is for registration as the person who carries on a small supported accommodation undertaking, the fee is £3,600.

(2) Where the application is for registration as the person who carries on a large supported accommodation undertaking, the fee is £4,600.

(3) Where the application is for registration as the individual who manages a supported accommodation undertaking, the fee is £910 .

Providers of social work services

10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART 3 Variation Fees

Introductory

11. —(1) This Part—

(a) applies for the purposes of section 15(3) of the Care Standards Act 2000 (applications by registered persons); and

(b) prescribes the fee that must accompany an application under section 15(1)(a) of that Act.

(2) For the purposes of this Part, a variation of a condition for the time being in force in relation to a registration is a “minor variation” if, in the opinion of the Chief Inspector, it would, if made, require no material alteration to any register kept by virtue of section 11(4) of that Act.

Voluntary adoption agencies

12. —(1) — Where the application relates to a voluntary adoption agency, the fee, subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), is—

(a) where the agency has a principal office that is not small, £910 ; and

(b) where the agency has a small principal office, £821 .

(2) Where the application relates to the establishment of a branch, the fee is—

(a) £910 in respect of each proposed new branch that is not a small branch; and

(b) £821 in respect of each proposed new small branch.

(3) In the case of an application for a minor variation, the fee is £161 .

Adoption support agencies

13. —(1) Where the application relates to an adoption support agency that is not a small adoption support agency, the fee, subject to paragraph (3), is £910 .

(2) Where the application relates to a small adoption support agency, the fee, subject to paragraph (3), is £821 .

(3) In the case of an application for a minor variation, the fee is £161 .

Children's homes

14.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), where the application relates to a multi-building children’s home or a children’s home that is not a small children’s home, the fee is £910.

(2) Where the application relates to a small children's home, the fee, subject to paragraph (3), is £910 .

(3) In the case of an application for a minor variation, the fee is £233 .

(4) The fees payable in respect of a multi-building children’s home do not apply to the following—

(a) a school which is a children’s home under section 1(6) of the Care Standards Act 2000; and

(b) a secure children’s home.

Residential family centres

15. —(1) Where the application relates to a residential family centre that is not a small residential family centre, the fee, subject to paragraph (3), is £910 .

(2) Where the application relates to a small residential family centre, the fee, subject to paragraph (3), is £910 .

(3) In the case of an application for a minor variation, the fee is £193 .

Fostering agencies

16. —(1) Where the application relates to a fostering agency, the fee, subject to paragraph (2), is £910 .

(2) In the case of an application for a minor variation, the fee is £233 .

Supported accommodation undertakings

16A.—(1) Where the application relates to a supported accommodation undertaking, the fee, subject to paragraph (2), is £910.

(2) In the case of an application for a minor variation, the fee is £211 .

Providers of social work services

17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PART 4 Annual Fees

Interpretation and introductory

18. —(1) In this Part—

“ certificate ” means a certificate of registration issued under section 13(4) of the Care Standards Act 2000 (grant or refusal of registration);

“ existing provider ” means a person who immediately before 1st April 2002—

“ new provider ” means a person who—

“ previously exempt provider ” means a person who immediately before 1st April 2002 carried on an establishment other than—

(2) In this Part—

(a) regulation 19 applies for the purposes of section 87D(2) of the Children Act 1989;

(b) regulations 20 to 25 and 26A apply for the purposes of section 16(3) of the Care Standards Act 2000; and

(c) regulation 26 applies for the purposes of section 155(1) and (2) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

Boarding schools, residential colleges and residential special schools

19. —(1) The relevant person in respect of a boarding school must pay an annual fee and the fee is, where the boarding school—

(a) has 3 or fewer approved places, £1223 ;

(b) has between 4 and 12 approved places—

(i) £1223 , plus

(ii) £74 for each approved place from the 4th to the 12th place inclusive;

(c) has between 13 and 50 approved places, £1921 ;

(d) has between 51 and 500 approved places, £2688 ;

(e) has more than 500 approved places, £2856 .

(2) The relevant person in respect of a residential college must pay an annual fee and the fee is, where the residential college—

(a) has 3 or fewer approved places, £1627 ;

(b) has between 4 and 10 approved places—

(i) £1627 , plus

(ii) £100 for each approved place from the 4th to the 10th place inclusive;

(c) has more than 10 approved places, £2401 .

(3) The relevant person in respect of a residential special school must pay an annual fee and the fee is, where the residential special school—

(a) has 3 or fewer approved places, £2993 ;

(b) has between 4 and 13 approved places—

(i) £2993 , plus

(ii) £299 for each approved place from the 4th to the 13th place inclusive;

(c) has more than 13 approved places, £5995 .

(4) The annual fee in respect of a boarding school, residential college or residential special school is payable—

(a) in the case of a school or college that was providing accommodation for any child on 1st January 2002, on 1st September in each year;

(b) in the case of a school or college established after 1st January 2002 and before 1st April 2015, on the anniversary of the date on which the school or college was established;

(c) otherwise, on the date of the establishment of the school or college, and thereafter on the anniversary of that date.

Voluntary adoption agencies

20. —(1) The annual fee payable in respect of a voluntary adoption agency is, subject to paragraph (2)—

(a) £2453 ; and

(b) if the voluntary adoption agency has, in addition to its principal office, one or more branches, an additional sum of—

(i) £2453 in respect of each branch that is not a small branch, and

(ii) £1301 in respect of each small branch.

(2) If the voluntary adoption agency has a small principal office, the fee is—

(a) £1301 ;

(b) if the voluntary adoption agency has, in addition to its small principal office, one or more branches, an additional sum of—

(i) £2453 in respect of each branch that is not a small branch, and

(ii) £1301 in respect of each small branch.

(3) The annual fee is payable—

(a) in the case of a person who carries on an agency that was an adoption society approved under Part 1 of the Adoption Act 1976 , on 30th April in each year;

(b) in the case of a new provider registered before 1st April 2015, on the anniversary of the date on which the certificate was issued;

(c) otherwise, on the date on which the certificate is issued, and thereafter on the anniversary of that date.

Adoption support agencies

21. —(1) The annual fee payable in respect of an adoption support agency that is not a small adoption support agency, is £1648 .

(2) The annual fee payable in respect of a small adoption support agency is £1301 .

(3) The annual fee is payable—

(a) if the certificate was issued before 1st April 2015, on the anniversary of the date on which the certificate was issued;

(b) otherwise, on the date on which the certificate is issued, and thereafter on the anniversary of that date.

Fostering agencies

22. —(1) The annual fee payable in respect of a fostering agency is £3658 .

(2) The annual fee is payable—

(a) if the certificate was issued before 1st April 2003, on 1st April in each year;

(b) if the certificate was issued on or after 1st April 2003 but before 1st April 2015, on the anniversary of the date on which the certificate was issued;

(c) otherwise, on the date on which the certificate is issued, and thereafter on the anniversary of that date.

Children's homes

23. —(1) Subject to paragraphs (1A) and (1B), the annual fee payable in respect of a children's home is—

(a) where the home has 3 or fewer approved places, £3744 ;

(b) where the home has between 4 and 16 approved places,

(i) £3744 , plus

(ii) £373 for each approved place from the 4th to the 16th inclusive;

(c) where the home has more than 16 approved places, £8629 .

(1A) The annual fee payable in respect of a multi-building children’s home is—

(a) where there are 3 or fewer approved places, £5615 ;

(b) where there are between 4 and 6 approved places,

(i) £5615 , plus

(ii) £373 for each approved place from the 4th to the 6th inclusive.

(1B) The fees payable in respect of a multi-building children’s home do not apply to the following—

(a) a school which is a children’s home under section 1(6) of the Care Standards Act 2000; and

(b) a secure children’s home.

(2) The annual fee in respect of a children's home is payable—

(a) in the case of an existing provider, on the anniversary of the date on which the annual fee was payable under the Registered Homes Act 1984 Act or the Children Act 1989;

(b) in the case of an existing provider, where an annual fee was not previously payable under the Children Act 1989, on 1st April in each year;

(c) in the case of a previously exempt provider, on 1st April in each year;

(d) in the case of a new provider if the certificate was issued before 1st April 2015, on the anniversary of the date of issue of the certificate;

(e) otherwise, on the date on which the certificate is issued and thereafter on the anniversary of that date.

Residential family centres

24. —(1) The annual fee payable in respect of a residential family centre is—

(a) where the centre has 3 or fewer approved places, £2078 ;

(b) where the centre has 4 approved places, £2104 ;

(c) where the centre has more than 4 approved places, £2104 .

(2) The annual fee in respect of a residential family centre is payable—

(a) in the case of an existing provider, on the anniversary of the date on which the annual fee was payable under the Registered Homes Act 1984 Act or the Children Act 1989;

(b) in the case of a previously exempt provider, on 1st April in each year;

(c) in the case of a new provider if the certificate was issued before 1st April 2015, on the anniversary of the date of issue of the certificate;

(d) otherwise, on the date on which the certificate is issued and thereafter on the anniversary of that date.

Holiday schemes for disabled children

25. —(1) The annual fee payable in respect of a holiday scheme for disabled children is £500 .

(2) The annual fee in respect of a holiday scheme for disabled children is payable—

(a) if the certificate was issued before 1st April 2015, on the anniversary of the date on which the certificate was issued;

(b) otherwise, on the date on which the certificate is issued, and thereafter on the anniversary of that date.

Local authority adoption and fostering functions

26. —(1) A local authority must pay to the Chief Inspector an annual fee in respect of—

(a) the discharge by the authority of relevant adoption functions, of £2471 ; and

(b) the discharge by the authority of relevant fostering functions, of £3216 .

(2) In this regulation “relevant adoption functions” and “relevant fostering functions” have the meaning given in section 43 of the Care Standards Act 2000.

(3) An annual fee under this regulation is payable on 1st April 2015 and thereafter on the anniversary of that date.

Supported accommodation undertakings

26A—(1) The annual fee payable in respect of a small supported accommodation undertaking is £2,700.

(2) The annual fee payable in respect of a large supported accommodation undertaking is £3,000.

PART 5 Frequency of Inspections

Frequency of inspections

27.—(1) The Chief Inspector must arrange for premises which are used—

(a) for the purposes of a children's home, to be inspected, subject to paragraphs (2), (3), (3ZA), (3ZB), (3A) and (3B) , at least twice in every year;

(b) for the purposes of a residential family centre, a voluntary adoption agency, an adoption support agency or a fostering agency, to be inspected , subject to paragraph (1A), at least once in every three year period;

(c) for the purposes of a holiday scheme for disabled children, at least once in every year.

(1A) The Chief Inspector must comply with paragraph (1)(b) subject to the following—

(a) where an inspection under paragraph (1)(b) was due to be carried out before 1st April 2021 but was not carried out, an inspection must take place before 1st April 2023 and thereafter at least once in every three year period;

(b) where an inspection under paragraph (1)(b) was due to be carried out before 1st April 2022 but was not carried out, an inspection must take place before 1st April 2024 and thereafter at least once in every three year period; or

(c) where an inspection under paragraph (1)(b) was due to be carried out before 1st April 2023 but was not carried out before that date, an inspection must take place before 1st April 2025 and thereafter at least once in every three year period.

(2) Where the Chief Inspector registers a person in respect of a children's home before 1st October in any year, only one inspection of that children's home is to be carried out in that year.

(3) Where the Chief Inspector registers a person in respect of a children's home on or after 1st October in any year, no inspection of that children's home is to be carried out in that year.

(3ZA) Paragraph (1)(a) does not apply to a closed children’s home.

(3ZB) Where a closed children’s home ceases to be a closed children’s home—

(a) before 1st October in any year, the Chief Inspector must arrange for that children’s home to be inspected at least once before 31st March that year;

(b) on or after 1st October in any year, no inspection of that children’s home is to be carried out that year.

(3A) Where in any year an inspection in that year results in a report prepared under section 32(5) of the Care Standards Act 2000:

(a) which records a judgement that the overall experiences and progress of children and young people living in a children’s home are good or outstanding, no further inspection will be required in that year unless the Chief Inspector determines that a further inspection is required;

(b) which records a judgement that the overall experiences and progress of the children and young people are less than good, and that inspection was carried out on or after the 1st January, if the Chief Inspector has been unable to arrange for the second inspection to be carried out in that year the Chief Inspector may carry out the next inspection in the first three months of the following year.

(c) which does not record a judgment on the overall experiences and progress of children and young people living in a children’s home because there are no children and young people living in the home at the time of the inspection, no further inspection will be required in that year unless the Chief Inspector determines that a further inspection is required.

(3B) Paragraph (3A) does not apply to a secure children’s home.

(3C) The Chief Inspector must arrange for premises which are used for the purposes of a supported accommodation undertaking to be inspected at least once in the first inspection cycle and thereafter at least once in each subsequent inspection cycle.

(4) Any inspection referred to in paragraphs (1) and (3C) may be unannounced.

(5) In this regulation—

(a) “ year ” means the period commencing on 1st April in any year and ending on 31st March in the following year; ...

(b) “ three year period ” means the period commencing on 1st April in any year and ending on 31st March in the third year following ; and

(c) “ closed children’s home ” means a children’s home in respect of which a condition imposed under section 13(5) of the Care Standards Act 2000 is for the time being in force that the registered person must inform the Chief Inspector of their intention to accommodate children at the home at least three months before any child is accommodated .

(d) “ first inspection cycle ” means:

(i) for a supported accommodation undertaking registered by the Chief Inspector before 1st April 2024, the period commencing with 1st September 2024 and ending with 31st March 2027;

(ii) for a supported accommodation undertaking registered by the Chief Inspector on or after 1st April 2024, the period commencing with 1st April following the date on which the supported accommodation undertaking was registered and ending 36 months later;

(e) “ subsequent inspection cycle ” means the period commencing with 1st April following the date on which the supported accommodation undertaking was last inspected and ending 36 months later.

PART 6 Revocations

Revocations

28. The Regulations in the Schedule are revoked.

Regulation 28

SCHEDULE Revocations