26Jun

Recruitment Planning for New Children’s Homes: What You Need to Know

Opening a new children’s home is a big step. However, success is not only about the building or paperwork.

Instead, it depends on one key thing — your staff team.

Many providers focus on registration first. As a result, recruitment is often left too late. This can cause delays, stress, and extra costs when the home is ready to open.

Because of this, early recruitment planning is very important.

If you are new to this area, you may find this useful:
👉 What is a Residential Children’s Home? (/what-is-a-residential-childrens-home/)

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-work-checklist/employers-right-to-work-checklist-accessible-version?mode=listu0026v=esphr-blogu0026v=esphr-mmm2-banner-buttonu0026v=esphr-wptwo-downloadu0026v=web-bannermodelist

Why Recruitment Planning Matters

Recruitment is not just about filling jobs. Instead, it is about building a safe and strong team for children.

Good planning can help you:

Open your home on time
Meet Ofsted rules
Keep children safe
Reduce agency costs
Keep staff longer

In addition, homes with good planning usually run more smoothly from day one.

You can read more about inspection focus here:
🔗 https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

Start Recruitment Early

Many providers start too late. However, good staff take time to find.

For example, most experienced managers have long notice periods.

Because of this, you should start recruitment early.

You will need time for:

Job adverts
Interviews
DBS checks
Reference checks
Work history checks
Training
Induction

In addition, safer checks must be done before staff start work.

You can read official DBS guidance here:
🔗 https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service

If you want to understand costs, read this:
👉 Children’s Residential Recruitment Costs (/childrens-residential-recruitment-costs/)

Hire Your Registered Manager First

The Registered Manager is the most important person in your home.

Therefore, this role should be hired first.

A good manager can help with:

Setting up the home
Interviewing staff
Planning policies
Training new workers
Preparing for Ofsted

In addition, they help build a strong team culture from the start.

Skills for Care also highlights how important leadership is in care homes:
🔗 https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk

You can also view pay information here:
👉 Registered Manager Salary Guide 2026 (/registered-manager-salary-guide-2026/)

Build Your Team Step by Step

Instead of hiring everyone at once, build your team in stages.

This is safer and saves money.

Plan Based on Occupancy

Only hire staff based on how many children you expect at the start.

As a result, you avoid overstaffing.

Think About Shifts

You will need cover for:

Days
Nights
Weekends
Sleep-ins
Holidays

Good planning helps avoid staff pressure.

Mix of Experience

A strong team usually includes:

Support workers
Senior staff
Team leaders
Deputy manager
Registered manager

In addition, having both new and experienced staff helps balance the team.

See salary details here:
👉 Children’s Residential Care Salary Guide 2026 (/childrens-residential-care-salary-guide-2026/)

Safer Recruitment Is Very Important

Keeping children safe must always come first.

Therefore, every provider must follow safer hiring rules.

You must check:

DBS checks
ID documents
Work right in the UK
References
Past job history
Qualifications

In addition, all gaps in work history must be checked carefully.

You can read the law here:
🔗 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/541/contents/made

You can also check work eligibility rules here:
🔗 https://www.gov.uk/right-to-work-documents

Plan Your Recruitment Budget

Recruitment costs more than most people think.

For example, you must plan for:

Job adverts
DBS checks
Training
Uniforms
Payroll setup
Agency fees (if used)

Because of this, early budgeting is very important.

To learn more, read:
👉 True Cost of Recruiting Residential Childcare Staff (/true-cost-of-recruiting-residential-childcare-staff/)

Choose How You Will Recruit

Every provider is different. Therefore, you must choose the right method.

Internal Hiring

This works well if you have an HR team.

Benefits:

Full control
Lower cost
Strong brand building

Agency (Contingency)

Good for urgent or hard roles.

You only pay when someone is placed.

Recruitment Partner

Many growing providers use specialist support.

This can help with:

Finding staff
Screening candidates
Salary advice
Faster hiring

In addition, it saves time and reduces stress.

Learn more here:
👉 Permanent Recruitment Services (/permanent-recruitment/)

Recruitment Continues After Opening

Opening your home is only the start.

However, staff must also be supported long term.

Good planning includes:

Staff retention
Training
Promotion paths
Future hiring
Growth planning

In addition, happy staff give better care to children.

Simple Recruitment Timeline

Time Before Opening	What You Do
6–9 months	Hire Registered Manager
5–6 months	Plan staff team
4–5 months	Post jobs
3–4 months	Interviews
2–3 months	Checks and DBS
1–2 months	Training
Opening day	Full team ready

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I start hiring?

You should start around 6–9 months before opening. This gives enough time for checks and training.

Who should I hire first?

The Registered Manager should be hired first because they lead the home.

Do I need an agency?

Not always. However, agencies can help you find staff faster when needed.

Final Thoughts

Recruitment planning is very important when opening a children’s home.

However, many providers leave it too late.

Instead, start early, hire the right manager first, and build your team step by step.

As a result, your home will open more smoothly and stay stable.

At People House Recruitment, we support providers across the UK with simple and effective recruitment help for children’s homes.

👉 About Us (/about-us/)
👉 Contact Us (/contact/)