Social care common inspection framework (SCCIF)
Guidance on the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).
Our first principle of inspection is to focus on the things that matter most to children’s lives. The SCCIF is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ framework. The evaluation criteria are broadly consistent across the different types of children’s social care services but they reflect the unique nature of each type of service.
Inspectors can also read guidance on safeguarding concerns.
Inspection frameworks
Secure 16 to 19 academies
Guidance on how Ofsted inspects secure 16 to 19 academies.
Additional guidance
Updates to this page
Last updated 6 March 2024 + show all updates
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‘Social care common inspection framework (SCCIF): supported accommodation’ added.
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Updates to SCCIF guidance to reflect the changes to Ofsted’s post-inspection processes and complaints handling (including timelines) that we introduced in September 2020.
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Added guidance for social care providers on how inspectors can arrange to review records held on electronic systems.
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Removed information about our work during the national lockdown (5 November up to 2 December).
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Added guidance on assurance visits that Ofsted will carry out from September 2020.
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Minor updates to all SCCIF handbooks including additional guidance for inspectors in the ‘Listening and talking to children and young people’ sections and updated guidance in the ‘Conduct during inspections’ sections.
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Updated with link to new secure children's homes SCCIF.
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Minor update to the evaluation criteria describing inadequate effectiveness of leaders and managers (section 5.3) within in the SCCIF for the inspection of children’s homes and secure children’s homes.
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Minor updates to 7 framework manuals (no changes to residential provision of further education colleges).
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The information about monitoring visits for boarding schools and residential special schools and residential provision of further education colleges has been rewritten.
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First published.