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What to know about the April 2026 updates to inspection of local authority children’s services

A teenage girl smiles as she listens to something playing on orange headphones. Text reads: What to know about the April 2026 updates to inspection of local authority children’s services

What to know about the April 2026 updates to inspection of local authority children’s services

Today we published updates to our inspection of local authority children’s services (ILACS) framework. These changes will apply to inspections and visits from 1 April 2026. Removing the overall effectiveness judgement We have carried out our commitment to removing the …

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This week, let’s stop and think of care leavers

Posted by: Yvette Stanley, Posted on: 28 October 2020 - Categories: care experienced, children looked after
Picture of a young woman smiling

Yvette Stanley, Ofsted’s National Director for Regulation and Social Care, reflects on National Care Leavers Week.

Read more of This week, let’s stop and think of care leavers - 1 comment

Our regulatory work during lockdown

Posted by: Yvette Stanley, Posted on: 1 October 2020 - Categories: children looked after, children's homes, fostering, social care regulation
Family with a young child washing up around a sink

Our National Director for Regulation and Social Care, Yvette Stanley, discusses our children’s social care regulatory work during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions.

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Children's social care visits: what to expect

Posted by: Yvette Stanley, Posted on: 20 August 2020 - Categories: children's homes, children's services, safeguarding, social care professionals
Three happy teenagers sat on a wall smiling and laughing

Yvette Stanley, National Director for Regulation and Social Care, talks about our children's social care visits that will start this Autumn.

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Secure children’s homes – helping the most vulnerable children

Posted by: Shaun Common, Posted on: 9 June 2020 - Categories: children looked after, children's homes, secure estate
A teenage girl is cooking, helped by a support worker

Shaun Common, Ofsted’s Senior Officer for the Secure Estate, discusses the work of secure children’s homes.

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Foster Care Fortnight 2020 - extraordinary times need extraordinary people

Posted by: Yvette Stanley, Posted on: 12 May 2020 - Categories: children looked after, fostering, local authorities
Picture of Yvette Stanley holding a sign to celebrate Foster Care Fortnight

Yvette Stanley, National Director for Regulation and Social Care, on the invaluable work of foster carers.

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Leadership: what are the best local authorities doing?

Posted by: Yvette Stanley, Posted on: 17 March 2020 - Categories: children's services, leaders, local authorities, social care professionals, social work
Picture of a pavement with the words 'passion lead us here' on it

Marking World Social Work Day, Yvette Stanley, our National Director for Social Care, talks about the importance of great leadership in children's social care.

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Dealing with risks to children outside the family home

Posted by: Yvette Stanley, Posted on: 6 March 2020 - Categories: local authorities, safeguarding, social care professionals
Picture of swings in a playground a night

Yvette Stanley, our National Director for Social Care, discusses how Ofsted looks at the response to children who are at risk outside the family home.

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Adoption: Let’s prioritise children, whatever their needs

Posted by: Yvette Stanley, Posted on: 31 January 2020 - Categories: adoption, children looked after, children's homes, fostering, kinship care
A 10 to 11-year old boy talking to an adult and showing him, what looks like a video game, on a mobile device

Policy and practice have to make sure that all children receive the right support at the right time, says Yvette Stanley, our National Director for Social Care.

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Ofsted’s Annual Report: highlighting some of the big issues for social care

Posted by: Yvette Stanley, Posted on: 23 January 2020 - Categories: children looked after, children's homes, children's services, local authorities
The outside of a flat, with windows and a balcony

Yvette Stanley, Ofsted’s National Director for Social Care, discusses our latest Annual Report.

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Domestic abuse: keeping the conversation going

Posted by: Yvette Stanley, Posted on: 7 January 2020 - Categories: domestic abuse, police, probation, social care professionals, social work
child's soft toy discarded on floor

Our National Director for Social Care, Yvette Stanley, talks about domestic abuse and the findings from our latest joint inspections.

Read more of Domestic abuse: keeping the conversation going - 1 comment
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About this blog

This blog is for social care professionals who want to know more about how Ofsted inspects and regulates local authority children's services and social care providers, such as children's homes.

We post updates on popular topics, answers to frequently asked questions, and clear information about changes that apply to you.

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Recent posts

  • Help us improve the registration process for children’s social care services and early years and childcare provision
  • Prioritising social care registration applications: putting the needs of children and young people first
  • Finding out more about residential family centres
  • Restraint and restrictive practices: positive environments for children
  • Why your registration application may be taking longer than usual

Recent Posts

  • Help us improve the registration process for children’s social care services and early years and childcare provision
  • Prioritising social care registration applications: putting the needs of children and young people first
  • Finding out more about residential family centres
  • Restraint and restrictive practices: positive environments for children
  • Why your registration application may be taking longer than usual

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  • Jane Sewell-Shaw on Enduring, positive relationships must be at the heart of the care system
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  • Rosario Mary Geraghty on Unregistered and unregulated provision - what's the difference?
  • Ada Clement on Our new report on care leavers’ experiences of preparing to leave care

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