What is Nurturing Steps?

A premium consultancy platform delivering strategic, human-centric support and evidence-based resources to children’s residential care providers across England.

What services does Nurturing Steps offer?

We offer a range of consulting services for both new and existing services — from start-up service packages to ongoing quality assurance monitoring for established organisations. This includes Ofsted registration and regulation support for children's homes and supported accommodation provisions, training and professional development, and business development and operational support.

How much does Ofsted registration support cost?

Our full Ofsted registration support package for children's homes is £9,000, payable in three instalments of £3,000 — at the time the working agreement commences, when the application is accepted, and when registration is granted.

What is a Regulation 44 visit and how much does it cost?

In accordance with the Children's Homes Regulations and Quality Standards 2015, Regulation 44 Inspection Visits are mandated for registered providers. An independent visitor assesses the home each month and reports on the operations and quality of care. Our fees are £400 (1–2 bed), £450 (3–4 bed), £500 (5–7 bed) and £550 (8+ bed), including submission to Ofsted. Travel is charged at 55p per mile outside of 10 miles.

Do you offer training?

Yes. We deliver CPD-accredited and custom-designed training sessions for support staff and managers, available via Zoom (up to 12 delegates) or face-to-face (up to 10 delegates), in half-day or full-day formats. Tanya is an accredited CPD trainer.

All services

Service

Independent Investigations

Independent safeguarding concern investigations, and independent disciplinary and grievance investigations.

Investment£75/hr + VATFace-to-face: Hourly £75 + VAT · Half day £400 + VAT · Full day £750 + VAT. Zoom/Teams: Hourly £75 + VAT. Travel 55p/mile outside 10 miles for face-to-face delivery.

Independent safeguarding concern investigations, and independent disciplinary and grievance investigations — bringing objectivity, thoroughness and fairness to sensitive processes.

Objective and thorough

Independent investigation support is available face-to-face or via Zoom/Teams. Travel is charged at 55p per mile outside 10 miles.

What's included

Independent safeguarding investigations
Disciplinary & grievance investigations
Face-to-face or remote

FAQs

Common questions

Related services

Complementary support

Policies & Procedures

Full working HR and homes policies and procedures — including employee handbooks — fully compliant with UK Employment Law and the relevant regulations.

From £3,000 + VAT

Learn more

Regulation 44 Services

Independent Regulation 44 inspection visits and reports from £400 + VAT per visit — including submission to Ofsted — to enhance safeguarding and improve service delivery.

£400–£550 + VAT per visit

Learn more

Related guidance

Deepen your understanding of independent investigations with these Knowledge Centre articles

Safeguarding

Safeguarding in Children's Residential Care: A Complete Guide

A comprehensive guide to safeguarding in children's residential care — responsibilities, practice, culture, and how to create environments where children are genuinely safe and protected.

28 Jul 2026 · 13 min read

Regulation & Compliance

Meeting Regulations and Standards – What Every Provider Needs to Know

Opening a children's home is one of the most regulated undertakings in social care. These regulations exist for a reason.

26 Nov 2025 · 8 min read

Next steps

Continue exploring how Nurturing Steps can support your children's home

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Independent Investigations

Objective and thorough

What's included

Common questions

What services does Nurturing Steps offer?

What provisions do you support?

How much does Ofsted registration support cost?

What is a Regulation 44 visit and how much does it cost?

Do you offer training?

How quickly will you respond to my enquiry?

What is trauma-informed practice and why does it matter in children's homes?

Can you help our home become more trauma-informed?

What is reflective supervision and how is it different from regular supervision?

What is therapeutic parenting?

How do you prepare for an Ofsted inspection in a children's home?

What training do residential childcare staff need?

What causes challenging behaviour in children's homes?

How can leadership improve staff retention in children's homes?

What is attachment theory and why does it matter in residential care?

What are ACEs and how do they affect children in care?

What is The Nurture Therapeutic Model of Care?

What is the difference between a children's home and supported accommodation?

Who is Tanya Humphries?

How long does it take to register a children's home with Ofsted?

What is co-regulation and why is it important in children's homes?