Regulation 45 report template for children's homes

What is a Regulation 45 quality of care review?

Regulation 45 of the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 places the duty on the registered person. Regulation 2 defines this as the registered provider or registered manager. A Responsible Individual can support oversight, but the regulation names the registered person as responsible for this review.

You must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children at least once every six months. You must also maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the care, children's feedback about the home and its facilities, and the actions needed to improve or maintain care. The review draws on that system; it shouldn't begin with a search for evidence on the day you write the report.

The system must find out and consider the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. After completing the review, you must produce a written report about the review and the actions you intend to take as a result. These are the duties in Regulation 45(1) to (3) and (5).

The DfE Guide, paragraphs 15.2 to 15.4, links the review to children's experiences and outcomes. It leaves the focus to the registered person's judgement, based on the home's circumstances and risks. It does not expect every part of the Quality Standards to be reviewed every six months. The Guide calls for strengths, weaknesses and actions for the next six months to be identified.

Who gets the report, and when

Under Regulation 45(4)(a), you must supply a copy to HMCI, the Chief Inspector at Ofsted, within 28 days of the date the review is completed. Record that date clearly. The deadline runs from completing the review, rather than from a later sign-off or the date you finish formatting the report.

Regulation 45(4)(b) also requires a copy to be available on request to a placing authority, if that placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home. Separately, paragraph 15.3 of the DfE Guide says the report should be sent to the placing local authority of every looked-after child in the home. Keep both the regulation's request duty and the guidance's sharing expectation in your process.

Ofsted's SCCIF for children's homes, in the section on Regulation 44 and 45 reports, says reports can be emailed to [email protected]. The SCCIF asks for the home's Ofsted unique reference number (URN) and a date on the report. We also suggest clearly labelling the review period and completion date. Use the current guidance when you submit, and keep a delivery record.

For a multi-building children's home, the SCCIF says the manager should complete one report covering all buildings in the registration. Make it possible to see how care differs between buildings where that matters. Separate building sections may help.

What is the difference between Regulation 44 and Regulation 45?

They're separate processes. Regulation 44 requires an independent person to visit at least once each month and produce a visit report. In particular, that report gives their opinion on whether children are effectively safeguarded and whether the home's conduct promotes children's well-being. A visit may be unannounced.

Regulation 45 is the registered person's own review of care, at least every six months, followed by a written report and intended actions. You can use Regulation 44 findings as evidence, but collecting the monthly reports doesn't complete the Regulation 45 review. You still need to consider the wider evidence, other people's opinions and what you intend to do.

The reports also have different sharing arrangements. Regulation 44(7) names Ofsted, children's placing authorities, the registered provider and manager where applicable, the Responsible Individual if nominated, and the local authority for the home's area on request. Regulation 45 has the 28-day Ofsted deadline and the placing-authority request duty described above. Use a separate submission record for each process.

How to write a useful review

Ofsted's advice on Regulation 45 reviews says there is no set report format or required length. It also confirms that April and October are not compulsory review months. Choose dates that work for your home while meeting the six-monthly requirement.

Start with a question that matters to children. If your focus is education, ask what has helped children attend, learn or regain confidence. Compare the evidence over the review period and explain what else could account for the change. A lower incident count, for example, needs context if occupancy or children's needs have changed.

Keep evidence, interpretation and action connected. Say what you found, what you think it means and what you'll do. Where records and people's accounts disagree, explain the disagreement and the further checks needed. Avoid a reassuring conclusion that the evidence can't support.

Children's views need consideration as well as collection. Describe how you listened, including how children who don't use speech could contribute. Explain what happened in response. Record gaps honestly: a parent who didn't reply hasn't agreed that everything is going well.

For staffing findings, look beyond course completions. What does supervision or observed practice show about the care staff provide? Our Ofsted training requirements guide helps you think about that evidence. If staff need support with reflective conversations, see the Supervision Skills course.

Finish with actions you can follow up. Give each one a named owner, a realistic date and a test of whether it helped children. These are practical suggestions for making the plan useful, not extra prescribed sections of the regulation.

What is in the free Regulation 45 report template?

This is Nest's suggested format, not an official or Ofsted-approved form. Part A is the guide; Part B is the report you complete and send. The file includes clickable text fields, date pickers, drop-down lists and tick boxes for use in Word.

Part A covers how to use the file, the Regulation 45 duties, Regulation 44 and inspection, common questions, a pre-submission checklist, what a strong review looks like, fictional examples of description and evaluation, and sources.

Part B opens with home details, the URN, provider, responsible individual, manager, reviewer, review period, completion date, Ofsted deadline, report date and buildings covered. Its nine numbered sections follow in this order:

1. The home and this review period

Describe who the home is for, registered places and the children who lived there. Record moves in and out, the latest Ofsted inspection and significant changes in leadership, staffing, the building, the Statement of Purpose or local risks.

2. Summary of findings

Give your overall evaluation, strengths to maintain and priorities for improvement, with evidence for each. The template suggests writing this section last and keeping it to no more than a page. That's our writing advice, not a regulatory word limit.

3. Focus of this review and evidence used

Explain what you examined and why. An evidence checklist covers care records, incidents, missing episodes, complaints, notifications, Regulation 44 reports, education, health, feedback, staff records and observations. Record the period or sample and any gaps that limit your conclusions.

4. Progress since the last review

Two tables follow up earlier Regulation 45 actions and Ofsted or Regulation 44 findings. Record what you did, when, the difference for children and the status. A completed task isn't, by itself, proof that care improved.

5. Views of children, parents, placing authorities and staff

For each group, record how you asked, what people said and what you did, or why you didn't act. There is space for other views, a ‘You said, we did’ record for children and gaps you still need to address.

6. Key information for this period

Compare last period with this period using a data table with trend and interpretation columns. Suggested measures include occupancy, moves, missing episodes, incidents, restraint, police involvement, complaints, notifications, safeguarding, education, health, staffing, supervision and training. Adapt the rows to the home, then analyse the findings in Section 7.

7. Quality of care

A coverage map lists the nine Quality Standards, with columns for this review, the last review and the next planned review. Two focus-area tables ask what you examined, strengths, weaknesses, the meaning for children and your judgement. Copy a table for further areas and explain differences between buildings where relevant. Our guide to the nine children's homes Quality Standards explains the standards behind this analysis.

8. Action plan for the next six months

Link each finding to an action, the intended difference for children, a named lead, a deadline, a way to check success and progress. Include actions to maintain strengths. The template suggests checking progress at least monthly; this is Nest's practical advice, not a separate Regulation 45 duty.

9. Sharing record and sign-off

Log recipients, the basis for sharing, dates, methods and references. The table distinguishes Ofsted's deadline, the DfE Guide's placing-authority expectation and the regulation's request duty. Sharing with the provider or responsible individual and independent person is labelled good practice. Registered-person sign-off, optional responsible-individual sign-off and next-review planning follow.

Before sending the report, delete Part A, the green guidance boxes and unused rows. Replace or remove every green placeholder. Use your home's approved information-handling arrangements, include only the identifying detail recipients need and keep source records securely in the home.

Reg 45 report example: from description to evaluation

The Word guide includes fictional worked examples on incidents, children's views, staff practice and actions. They show a way to reason through evidence, rather than wording to copy into your own report. Here is a separate, fictional example:

Description

“Staff completed the recording workshop.”

Evaluation and next action

“After the workshop, our sample of ten incident records included the child's view in eight cases, compared with four in the previous sample. Two records still missed it. The manager will discuss those gaps in supervision this month and check the next ten records for both the child's account and the response to it.”

Our view: explain what changed, what remains uncertain and how you'll check the action helped. Course attendance alone can't tell you whether practice improved.

Regulation 45 report: frequently asked questions

Is a Regulation 45 report the same as a quality of care review?

The review is the process of examining care. The report records the review and the actions you intend to take. ‘Reg 45 report’ is common shorthand for the written report that follows a Regulation 45 quality of care review.

Is there an official Regulation 45 report template or required length?

No. Ofsted's October 2024 advice says there is no set format, template or required length. Nest's Word file is a suggested structure with guidance and fictional worked examples, not an Ofsted-approved form or a completed home's report.

Do Regulation 45 reviews have to happen in April and October?

No. Ofsted says those months are not compulsory. Choose a schedule that suits the home and meets the requirement to complete a review at least once every six months.

Must every Quality Standard be reviewed every six months?

The DfE Guide says there is no expectation to review every part of the Quality Standards every six months. Use professional judgement to choose the focus based on the home's circumstances and risks. The template's coverage map helps you plan future reviews.

Who must be consulted for a Regulation 45 review?

The review system must find out and consider the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. The template records how you asked, what people said, your response and any gaps in views.

When must the Regulation 45 report be sent to Ofsted?

Within 28 days of completing the review, under Regulation 45(4)(a). A later report date or sign-off does not restart that deadline.

How do I get the free Regulation 45 Word template?

Complete the form below and we will email you a link to the editable Word file. It contains Part A guidance and Part B's nine-section report, including evidence and data tables, a Quality Standards coverage map and an action plan.

Sources and scope