Notification Decision Tool

How this works — the law behind it

Registered services must notify their regulator of certain events:

• Children's homes: Regulation 40 of the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 requires the registered person to notify Ofsted (and others, including the placing authority) without delay of the events listed, using the Ofsted online notification system. Serious events may also need the LADO, the police, or a referral to the DBS under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
• CQC-registered services: the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 — Reg 16 (deaths), Reg 17 (DoLS outcomes) and Reg 18 (other incidents: serious injury, abuse or allegations, police incidents, events stopping the safe running of the service) — require notification without delay through the CQC provider portal or forms.

The printable decision record produced by this tool is evidence of your decision-making at the time — file it even when the answer is "no notification required".

This tool cannot cover every circumstance. If in doubt, notify — regulators consistently say they prefer over-notification to silence — and consult your registered manager or responsible individual.