OFSTED SCCIF Refresh + Working Together Guidance 2026 Update

Vital reading for leaders and disseminating to others

(With thanks and full acknowledgement to CHQ for this practical and valuable summary)

Ofsted has released the 2026 update to the Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF) for Children’s Homes, along with refreshed inspection documents in Annex A.

The main change this year is a strengthened section on how inspectors assess children’s experiences and progress. The updated framework places a clearer focus on:

• • What daily life feels like for children living in the home
• • how well staff understand each child, their needs, identity, communication, and what helps them feel safe
• • the quality of relationships and the overall feel of the home
• • how children’s progress is recognised and supported over time
• • how well the home promotes stability and prevents unnecessary moves

How we understand this in practice, this update reinforces the heart of good residential care:

• • It’s about the child’s lived experience, not the list of things we offer.
• • It’s about really knowing the child, how they communicate ( ALL methods of communication), what matters to them, and what helps them settle.
• • It’s about relationships, warmth, boundaries that feel safe, and adults who show up with consistency and care.
• • It’s about noticing the small steps and understanding the story behind them.
• • It’s about stability, thoughtful leadership that protects children from disruption.

In short, this shifts the focus of inspection from describing activity to demonstrating what has genuinely changed and mattered for the child.

Full Documents SCCIF: Children’s Homes  & Annex A: Children’s Homes Inspection Documents

The updated Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 guidance is now live.

It brings clearer national expectations, stronger multi-agency standards, and a sharper focus on prevention and whole-family working.

Guidance:
 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children–2. 

It reflects the direction already seen across the Care Review and SEND reforms and aligns with what many homes have been working towards.

What matters for children’s homes and supported accommodation:
• Clearer multiagency roles, informationsharing and escalation
• Greater consistency across local areas
• Stronger emphasis on relational, wholefamily practice
• Residential settings recognised as active partners in early help
• Updated statutory duties for providers