Wales has its own regulator, its own law and, since April 2026, its own rule on who may run a children’s home. Check before you apply.
Our free CIW registration guide for 2026 covers care homes, domiciliary support services and childcare in Wales. It lists what Care Inspectorate Wales asks for, explains the not-for-profit rule for children’s services, and gives tick-box checklists written for Welsh law. It is a 9-page PDF with no sign-up.
Download the free CIW registration guide (PDF, 9 pages)
Care services in Wales register with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) under the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016. Childminding and day care for children under 12 register under the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010. A registration with CQC in England or the Care Inspectorate in Scotland does not carry over.
What is in the free CIW registration guide?
- A table showing which documents and checks each of four service types needs.
- Six tick-box checklists: whether you can apply, the Responsible Individual and manager, the statement of purpose and policies, staff, childminding and day care, and your duties after registration.
- Eight mistakes that slow CIW applications.
- The registration process in eight steps, with CIW’s own timescales.
The not-for-profit rule for children’s services
The Health and Social Care (Wales) Act 2025 changed who may run children’s services in Wales. From 1 April 2026, children’s homes, secure accommodation and fostering are restricted children’s services. A new provider must be a local authority or a permitted not-for-profit body, and a for-profit company can no longer register one. Existing for-profit providers cannot vary their registration to add services or places.
If you are planning a children’s home in Wales, settle the legal form of your organisation before anything else. Care homes for adults and domiciliary support services are not affected.
What CIW looks at most closely
| Area | What CIW expects |
|---|---|
| Responsible Individual | Designated for each service, with the seniority and time to oversee it, and ready for a fit person interview |
| Manager | Named in the application, suitably qualified and registered with Social Care Wales before their first day |
| DBS | Enhanced certificate less than 3 months old when you apply, or on the DBS Update Service |
| Statement of purpose | One for each service, matching the places, ages and needs in the application |
| Policies | Written for Welsh law: the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, the Wales Safeguarding Procedures and the Welsh language Active Offer |
| Completeness | Everything sent with the application. CIW says up to 14 weeks for a complete application for a new service |
How to use the guide
- Confirm with the first checklist that you can apply, and for which service type.
- Appoint the Responsible Individual and the manager, and start DBS checks and Social Care Wales registration early.
- Write the statement of purpose first, then the policies to match it.
- Open your CIW Online account before you need it. It takes a phone call and an activation PIN.
- Check CIW’s website on the day you apply, because forms and rules change.
How Cura Compliance can help
We write statements of purpose and policies for Welsh law, prepare your Responsible Individual for the fit person interview and check your application before you send it. See our Care Inspectorate registration support, or book a free 30-minute consultation.
Also available free: the Care Inspectorate registration guide for Scotland, the CQC registration checklist for England and the Ofsted registration guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is the CIW registration guide free?
Yes. It is a free PDF download with no email sign-up. You can print it and share it, as long as you do not change it.
Can a private company open a children’s home in Wales?
Not a new one. Since 1 April 2026 a children’s home in Wales must be run by a local authority or a permitted not-for-profit body. Applications submitted by 31 March 2026 were assessed under the old rules.
How long does CIW registration take?
CIW says up to 14 weeks for a complete application for a new service, and about 6 weeks for a new Responsible Individual or a variation. Childcare applications take up to 3 months. Missing information makes it longer.
Do care workers in Wales need to register with Social Care Wales?
Yes. Managers must be registered before their first day. Care workers in care homes and domiciliary support, and residential child care workers, must register within 6 months of starting.
Does a CQC registration work in Wales?
No. CQC covers England only. A service in Wales registers with Care Inspectorate Wales, under Welsh law.
Sources
- CIW: register to provide a service, checked September 2026
- CIW: removing profit from children’s care, checked September 2026
- Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016
- Health and Social Care (Wales) Act 2025
- Social Care Wales: how to apply for registration, checked September 2026