How to apply for a children's home tender
Children's homes are regulated by Ofsted, not CQC. To bid for local authority placements you must hold Ofsted registration under the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015, with a registered manager and a current rating. Most councils buy placements through regional frameworks or dynamic purchasing systems run by consortia. They score your Ofsted rating, statement of purpose, safeguarding, staffing and outcomes for children. No registration means no eligible bid.
Ofsted registration is the gate, not CQC
Children's homes sit with Ofsted under the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the associated Quality Standards. CQC has no role here, so do not cite CQC ratings in a children's bid. You need a registered home, a registered manager, and a clear statement of purpose. Commissioners check your latest full and interim Ofsted judgements, your Regulation 44 visitor reports and your Regulation 45 quality reviews. A home not yet rated, or rated Inadequate, will usually be screened out. If you are opening a new home, expect the framework to ask for your registration timeline and evidence the home will be ready and registered before placements start.
The Quality Standards your bid must speak to
The Children's Homes Regulations 2015 set nine Quality Standards, and strong bids answer against them directly rather than in general care language. They cover the quality and purpose of care, children's wellbeing, education, health, positive relationships, protection, leadership and management, care planning, and the children's views, wishes and feelings. Write each method statement so an assessor can map your answer to the relevant standard. Show how your statement of purpose translates into daily practice, how you involve children in decisions, and how you evidence progress on education and health. Leadership and management is heavily weighted. Set out your registered manager's experience, your staff supervision and training, and how you maintain standards between Ofsted inspections.
Regulation 44 and 45 oversight evidence
Independent and internal oversight is a core part of the evidence. Regulation 44 requires an independent person to visit the home monthly, speak to children and staff, and report on safeguarding and wellbeing. Regulation 45 requires the registered person to review the quality of care at least every six months. Commissioners want to see that these processes are real and acted on. Show how Reg 44 reports are produced, who receives them, and how actions are tracked to completion. Show how your Reg 45 review draws on data, children's views and incidents to drive improvement. Providers that treat these as paperwork score poorly. Those that show a closed loop from finding to action to verified improvement stand out.
How placements are commissioned and scored
Most children's placements are bought through regional commissioning frameworks or dynamic purchasing systems, often run by consortia like a regional placement service. You apply through their portal, complete a selection questionnaire, then quality questions on safeguarding, matching, education, therapeutic approach and outcomes. Commissioners score how you keep children safe, how you reduce placement breakdown, and how you support education and emotional wellbeing. Concrete outcomes and a clear matching process beat general statements. The table below shows how children's home regulation differs from CQC services, which matters when you reuse content from adult care bids. Always rewrite for the right regulator.
Matching, stability and outcomes
Placement breakdown is expensive and damaging, so commissioners reward providers who match carefully and keep children settled. Set out your referral and matching process, how you assess whether a referral fits your statement of purpose and the existing group of children, and your right to decline an unsafe match. Evidence stability with data: average length of placement, planned versus unplanned endings, and how you support transitions. Describe your therapeutic or trauma-informed approach and how it is embedded in staff practice, not just named. Link outcomes to education, health and emotional wellbeing, with examples of children making progress. We run a free eligibility check first. If your Ofsted position, staffing or statement of purpose will not pass, we tell you before you spend anything.
Children's homes versus CQC services: who regulates what
Use the right framing. Children's bids are Ofsted, not CQC.
| Aspect | Children's home | Adult CQC service |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator | Ofsted | Care Quality Commission |
| Core rules | Children's Homes Regulations 2015 | Health and Social Care Act regulations |
| Standards | Nine Quality Standards | Fundamental standards and ratings |
| Oversight | Regulation 44 visits and Regulation 45 reviews | Provider audits and CQC inspection |
| Rating gate | Current Ofsted judgement, not Inadequate | Often Good or above |
Not sure if you qualify for a tender? We check it for free, before you pay anything, and we only take bids we believe you can win. See our children's services tender writing or text TENDER to get started.
Common questions
Does CQC or Ofsted regulate children's homes?
Ofsted regulates children's homes in England under the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015. CQC does not. Any bid that relies on CQC evidence for a children's home is answering the wrong regulator.
Can I bid before my children's home is Ofsted registered?
Sometimes. Some frameworks accept new providers with a credible registration timeline, but you cannot take placements until registered. Read the specification, because many require a current full Ofsted rating at the point of application.
What are the Quality Standards in a children's home bid?
They are the nine standards in the 2015 Regulations, covering care, wellbeing, education, health, relationships, protection, leadership, care planning, and children's views. Write your method statements so each answer maps clearly to the relevant standard.
What is the difference between Regulation 44 and Regulation 45?
Regulation 44 is a monthly visit by an independent person who reports on safeguarding and wellbeing. Regulation 45 is the registered person's review of the quality of care at least every six months. Commissioners want evidence both run and lead to action.
How are children's home placements usually bought?
Through regional frameworks or dynamic purchasing systems run by council consortia, with individual placements called off as needs arise. You join the framework first, then receive referrals matched to your home's statement of purpose.
Keep reading
Service
Children's services tender writing
16+ supported accommodation tenders
What is a DPS in care
Framework vs DPS vs contract
Browse all care tender guides, or see care tender writing by service.
Got a tender to check?
Text TENDER to +44 7822 030677and we'll tell you free whether you'd qualify, before you spend a penny.