Specialist Ofsted consultancy

Ofsted Inspection, Reg 44 & Quality Support

From Registration to Independent Visits, Quality Reviews & Continuous Improvement

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Expert Ofsted consultancy supporting new and established children's social care providers across England. We work alongside leadership teams to strengthen safeguarding, workforce compliance, governance, operational practice and evidence.

Specialist Support Across Children's Social Care

Children's Homes

Supported Accommodation

Transitional Care

Support is scoped to the service model; the applicable regulatory framework and registration requirements are confirmed for the proposed service.

Children's Social Care Organisations

New Ofsted Providers

Established Services

Multi-Site Children's Services

One team throughout the Ofsted journey

1.OFSTED REGISTRATION
2.RM & RI RECRUITMENT
3.LEADERSHIP MENTORING
4.FIT PERSON PREPARATION
5.OPERATIONAL READINESS
6.INSPECTION READINESS
7.GOVERNANCE & QUALITY ASSURANCE
8.TURNAROUND & RECOVERY
9.CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

We don't simply help providers register. We can remain alongside the organisation throughout the complete lifecycle of an Ofsted-regulated service.

Complete Ofsted consultancy support

Ofsted Registration

Expert support from initial planning and documentation through application, operational readiness and leadership preparation.

Ofsted registration delivery is supported by Marzena Kalinowska, Aysha McDonald and Frey Thomas. Quality assurance, management mentoring and recovery support are matched separately to the work required. Deliverables depend on the agreed regulator-specific package and service scope.

Ofsted application support
Statement of Purpose
Business Plan
Financial Viability Forecast
Policies and procedures
Operational documentation
Governance frameworks
Quality assurance systems
Safer recruitment guidance
RM preparation
RI preparation
Registration readiness review
Fit Person interview preparation
Pre-opening operational guidance

Regulation 44 Independent Visits

Independent scrutiny and constructive challenge help providers understand what is working well and where improvement is required. Support can include the following areas.

Visits can be commissioned individually or through an ongoing monthly arrangement, with continuity to monitor progress and recurring themes.

Regulation 44 is distinct from Responsible Individual oversight. An RI cannot act as the independent Regulation 44 visitor for a home they oversee.

Independent on-site visits
Safeguarding arrangements and significant incidents
Children's wishes, feelings, experiences and outcomes
Complaints, concerns and notifications
Discussions with staff, management and relevant professionals
Review of records and care practice
Environment and health and safety observations
Leadership and management oversight
Recognition of strengths and good practice
Identification of concerns and emerging risks
Clear actions and recommendations
Formal Regulation 44 reporting
Follow-up of previous actions and recurring themes

Regulation 45 Quality of Care Reviews

Support for Registered Managers and Responsible Individuals with the provider's Quality of Care Review, bringing together evidence of children's experiences, outcomes and meaningful improvement. Support can include the following areas.

Available as six-monthly review support or alongside separately agreed ongoing governance and quality assurance consultancy. This is not the independent visitor function.

Regulation 45 review preparation and evidence gathering
Evaluation of the quality of care provided
Children's wishes, feelings, experiences, progress and outcomes
Placement stability and outcomes
Education, health and emotional wellbeing
Feedback from children, families, professionals and other stakeholders
Safeguarding and incident analysis
Complaints, concerns and compliments
Behaviour support and significant-event themes
Regulation 44 findings and recurring themes
Staffing, workforce performance, training and development
Quality assurance, audit findings and governance oversight
Previous improvement actions
Trends, themes and emerging risks
Measurable improvement priorities and actions
Support structuring the final six-monthly Regulation 45 report

RM & RI Recruitment

Specialist recruitment support for Registered Managers and Responsible Individuals.

Relevant children's social care experience
Leadership capability
Safeguarding knowledge
Regulatory understanding
Governance experience
Quality assurance knowledge
Values and cultural fit
Operational capability

RM & RI Mentoring and Fit Person Preparation

Specialist mentoring for leadership, regulatory responsibilities, safeguarding, governance and continuous improvement.

Leadership and management
Regulatory responsibilities
Safeguarding oversight
Management oversight
Quality assurance
Auditing
Evidence gathering
Workforce oversight
Monitoring service performance
Identifying shortfalls
Service Improvement Plans
Continuous improvement
Children's experiences and outcomes
Inspection preparation
Understanding what Ofsted is assessing
Leadership questioning
Safeguarding scenarios
Staffing and workforce management
Challenging scenarios
Mock questioning
Individual coaching and feedback

Operational Readiness

Dedicated time within the service considers whether practice, records, oversight and the environment are ready.

Observing staff practice
Reviewing interactions with children
Speaking with staff
Reviewing records
Reviewing implementation of plans
Assessing whether practice reflects policy
Reviewing management oversight
Identifying inspection concerns
Assessing service culture
Health and safety
Fire safety
Security
Children's bedrooms
Communal areas
Staff areas
Medication storage
Confidential records
Maintenance
Homeliness
Personalisation
Environmental risks

Ofsted Inspection Readiness

Comprehensive independent review of your children's home to assess regulatory readiness, identify compliance risks and strengthen the evidence Ofsted will expect to see in practice.

Our inspection readiness reviews go beyond checking whether documents are present. We look at how effectively the service is operating, the quality of practice, management oversight and whether records demonstrate positive experiences and outcomes for children.

Children's Care, Experience & Outcomes

Care and placement planning
Quality and consistency of risk assessments
Safeguarding practice and response
Behaviour support and positive behaviour management
Incident management, follow-up and learning
Children's wishes, feelings and participation
Education, health and emotional wellbeing
Key-work and direct work
Activities and community engagement
Progress, achievements and individual outcomes
Quality, consistency and accuracy of recording

Leadership, Governance & Oversight

Registered Manager oversight
Quality assurance and auditing
Management monitoring and challenge
Evidence of learning and continuous improvement
Actions arising from incidents, complaints and safeguarding
Regulatory notifications and records
Service Improvement Plans
Evidence of effective governance and accountability

Workforce & Safer Recruitment

Staff file compliance
Safer recruitment processes
DBS and employment checks
References and employment history
Induction and probation
Mandatory and specialist training
Training matrix compliance
Staff competency assessments
Supervision and appraisal
Continuing professional development
Safeguarding knowledge
Whistleblowing knowledge
Staff understanding of children's individual needs

Inspection Preparation

Evidence gap analysis
Identification of regulatory risks
Review of previous inspection actions, where applicable
Registered Manager preparation
Staff preparation for Ofsted scrutiny
Identification of strengths and good practice
Prioritised improvement actions
Clear inspection-readiness recommendations

Governance & Quality Assurance

Ongoing support helps leaders identify risk, monitor performance and remain inspection-ready.

Governance and compliance reviews
Service Improvement Plan monitoring
Children's record audits
Care and placement plan reviews
Risk assessment reviews
Safeguarding and incident oversight
Regulation 40 reviews where applicable
Staff file spot checks
Safer recruitment checks
Training matrix reviews
Supervision and appraisal monitoring
Medication oversight
Health and safety monitoring
Children's feedback and outcomes
Management audits
Regulatory update guidance
RM & RI mentoring
Monitoring visit preparation
Inspection preparation
Identification of emerging risks

Ofsted Turnaround & Recovery

Specialist intervention for services facing regulatory concerns, poor inspection outcomes, leadership instability or significant quality issues.

Inspection findings analysis
Service Improvement Plans
Governance improvement
Safeguarding oversight
Leadership mentoring
Workforce compliance
Operational documentation
Quality assurance
Management oversight
Monitoring visit preparation
Re-inspection readiness
Evidence gathering
Continuous improvement

Regulation 44 visits and Regulation 45 review support are separately scoped, enquiry-led services, not automatic inclusions in registration or inspection packages.

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Different services. Different regulatory responsibilities.

Support is scoped to your service type and regulator. CQC Regulation 17 applies to CQC-regulated services in England; it is not a universal UK or Ofsted governance rule.Read CQC Regulation 17.

For children's homes, Regulation 44 independent visits, Regulation 45 quality-of-care reviews and Responsible Individual oversight are different functions. A Responsible Individual cannot act as the independent Regulation 44 visitor for the home they oversee.Read Regulation 44and Regulation 45.

Supported accommodation has its own Regulation 32 quality-of-support review. Children's-home Regulation 44 and 45 duties must not be applied to supported accommodation indiscriminately.Read supported accommodation Regulation 32.

Ofsted checks a Responsible Individual's suitability but does not separately register the Responsible Individual. Recruitment, appointment, mentoring and Fit Person preparation do not bypass the applicable provider and manager registration or suitability requirements.Read Ofsted's children's-home registration policy.

Consultancy does not guarantee registration, an inspection rating or commercial outcomes and does not imply regulator endorsement.

Ofsted Readiness Tracker & Intensive Support

The Ofsted readiness tracker gives the RM and RI a clear view of progress and evidence.

COMPLETED | IN PROGRESS | ACTION REQUIRED | EVIDENCE REQUIRED

Current position
Required actions
Responsible person
Evidence needed
Target completion date

Intensive support can include

The following describes support that can be agreed for an intensive engagement. Attendance, on-site days and mentoring or preparation sessions depend on the selected offer and written scope; they are not included in every registration package, review or consultancy enquiry.

Two consultancy days per week
RM & RI mentoring
Two dedicated on-site days
Property/environment review
Children's records audit
Staff file/compliance audit
Safer recruitment review
Governance assessment
Service Improvement Plan
Four Fit Person preparation sessions
Mock Ofsted interview
Evidence preparation
Ongoing progress monitoring
Ofsted readiness tracker

Meet our Ofsted specialists

Different specialists support different stages. Registration delivery: Marzena Kalinowska, Aysha McDonald and Frey Thomas. Quality assurance, management mentoring and recovery have their own professional remits.

Fran Baggan
Ofsted Turnaround & Inspection Readiness Lead
Fran brings more than 25 years' experience within Ofsted-regulated children's services, including operational leadership, training, workforce development and service improvement.
Having successfully led Outstanding services, Fran understands what excellent children's services look like in practice and how strong leadership, safeguarding, governance and quality assurance translate into positive experiences and outcomes for children.
Fran supports children’s services with quality assurance, management mentoring, turnaround and inspection readiness. Her remit does not include Ofsted registration delivery.
Within the Academy, Fran provides specialist mentoring and professional development for Registered Managers, Responsible Individuals and children's services leaders, including those preparing for Ofsted scrutiny or leading services through improvement.
Expertise and focus areas
- Quality assurance
- Management mentoring
- Ofsted turnaround and recovery
- Inspection readiness
- Governance
- Safeguarding oversight
- Service Improvement Planning
Aysha McDonald
Ofsted Registration & Children's Services Consultant
Aysha supports children's social care providers across Ofsted registration, governance, leadership development and inspection preparation.
She works alongside Registered Managers, Responsible Individuals and provider organisations to strengthen regulatory understanding, leadership confidence and operational readiness.
Her children's-services consultancy also supports compliance, turnaround, service improvement and recovery.
Expertise and focus areas
- Ofsted registration
- Governance
- Leadership development
- Inspection preparation
- Service improvement and recovery
Marzena Kalinowska
Ofsted Registration, Quality & Leadership Consultant
Marzena supports children’s social care providers through Ofsted registration, service development and regulatory preparation, helping organisations establish strong foundations from the beginning and maintain a clear focus on quality, governance and compliance.
She provides practical support to Registered Managers and Responsible Individuals, helping leaders strengthen their understanding of regulatory expectations, develop effective oversight systems and build confidence in their roles. Her approach focuses not only on having the correct documentation in place, but on ensuring that leaders understand how to evidence that their service is safe, effective, well-managed and centred around positive outcomes for children and young people.
Marzena’s work includes supporting providers with registration readiness, governance frameworks, quality assurance, operational development and inspection preparation. She also provides leadership mentoring, helping managers translate regulatory requirements into day-to-day practice and develop stronger systems for monitoring performance and continuous improvement.
Her combination of registration support and leadership development makes her particularly valuable to new providers and managers who need practical guidance as they move from initial setup through registration and into operational delivery.
Expertise and focus areas
- Ofsted registration
- Leadership mentoring
- Governance
- Inspection preparation
Frey Thomas
Ofsted Children's Residential Care & Registration Specialist
Frey brings over 17 years’ experience working with children and young people, including children with complex needs, trauma backgrounds, autism, ADHD and mental health needs. She combines extensive operational leadership with a strong understanding of safeguarding, quality assurance, trauma-informed practice and regulatory compliance.
As an experienced Ofsted Registered Manager, Frey has led children's residential services and has direct experience working within the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015, including regulatory reporting, audits, referrals and admissions, staff development, safeguarding and multi-agency working.
Frey also supports providers establishing new children’s homes, working alongside directors and Responsible Individuals on registration and inspection readiness. Her experience includes developing Statements of Purpose, Location Risk Assessments, Children’s Guides, policies and compliance frameworks, alongside workforce planning, recruitment, training and quality assurance.
Her approach brings together regulatory compliance and practical operational experience, helping providers develop children's homes that are safe, child-centred, well-led and ready for Ofsted registration and inspection.
Expertise and focus areas
- Ofsted Registration
- Children’s Homes
- Registered Manager Expertise
- Ofsted Compliance
- Children’s Homes Regulations 2015
- Registration Readiness
- Inspection Readiness
- Statement of Purpose
- Location Risk Assessments
- Children’s Guides
- Safeguarding
- Trauma-Informed Care
- Complex Needs
- Autism & ADHD
- Positive Behaviour Support
- Quality Assurance
- Service Development
- Staff Recruitment & Development
- Leadership & Mentoring
- Multi-Agency Working
- Children’s Residential Care
- Operational Readiness
- Regulatory Reporting
- Service Improvement

View Ofsted registration pricing View Ofsted inspection pricing

Ofsted consultancy questions

Is this only registration support?

No. Support covers registration, Regulation 44 independent visits, Regulation 45 review support, RM/RI recruitment, mentoring, Fit Person preparation, operational and inspection readiness, governance, recovery and continuous improvement.

Which services are supported?

Support covers children's homes, supported accommodation and wider children's social care organisations within the agreed scope. Transitional Care support is scoped to the service model; the applicable regulatory framework and registration requirements are confirmed for the proposed service.

Does readiness work guarantee an outcome?

No. It identifies risks, evidence gaps and improvement priorities without implying regulatory approval or an inspection outcome.

Build a Stronger Children's Service

Whether you're registering a new service, looking for an experienced RM or RI, developing your leadership team, preparing for inspection or responding to regulatory concerns, our Ofsted specialists can help.