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Summary of findings

This year, we received 48,240 survey responses from across all audience types, including a record 8,880 from children 鈥� an increase of 27% from 2024 (6,995) and 34% from 2023 (6,615).^{[footnote 1]}

These are our main findings:

• Children鈥檚 responses this year were generally similar to those from last year across all groups. However, children in residential special schools had more positive responses to each question than last year.
• Most children gave positive feedback about the places where they live or stay and the people who care for and support them.
• Nearly all children reported feeling safe where they live.
• Children in children鈥檚 homes were the most likely to report difficulties in getting along with other children, and their participation in fun activities has declined slightly since 2023.
• While most children in supported accommodation said that they have good relationships with staff, they were the least likely to spend time with people who matter to them and to do fun activities.
• Children in foster care consistently reported positive relationships with carers and other children in the household, and they were the most likely to say that they feel listened to and that foster carers ask about things that matter to them.
• Children in boarding schools and further education (FE) colleges were among the least likely to feel listened to, to get along with others or to do fun activities.

叠补肠办驳谤辞耻苍诲听

We use online surveys to gather views about children鈥檚 homes, secure children鈥檚 homes, adoption services, fostering services, supported accommodation, residential family centres, boarding schools, residential special schools, and FE colleges with residential provision.^{[footnote 2]}

The surveys are designed for a range of audiences, including:

• children and young people
• parents
• foster carers and kinship carers
• adopters and adults receiving adoption support
• staff
• other professionals, such as social workers and independent reviewing officers

We asked providers to share the survey links with these groups on our behalf.^{[footnote 3]} This year, we circulated the survey to 5,520 providers. We received a total of 48,240 responses from all audience types, representing 3,995 providers, which means the response rate this year was 72%.

The survey was open for 7 weeks, from 4 February to 23 March 2025.

Each survey was tailored to the respondent group and the type of provider. Surveys for adults contained up to 6 questions, using both closed- and open-ended formats. The children鈥檚 survey included 8 questions: 6 used a 4-point scale (鈥楢lways鈥�, 鈥楳ost of the time鈥�, 鈥楽ometimes鈥� or 鈥楴ever鈥�), 1 required a 鈥榊es鈥� or 鈥楴o鈥� answer, and the final question was open-ended to allow for free comments. This report focuses solely on responses from the children鈥檚 survey.

The questions used in 2025 are the same as those asked in the surveys of the previous 2 years. They focus on the most important things we want to know about children鈥檚 experiences. In 2024, we included children and young people who live in supported accommodation, as Ofsted started to register this new type of service in April 2023. This year, we received 2,180 responses from children and young people who live in supported accommodation, compared to 455 last year. We also introduced a new survey, this year, that is specific to kinship carers (relatives or close friends who look after a child when their biological parents are unavailable or unwilling to do so). We received 580 responses from kinship carers.

We use survey responses, along with other information we have, such as previous inspection findings and any concerns we receive, to decide the timing of the next inspection and what to focus on when we inspect.

Trained staff read the responses as soon as they come in, to identify any potential safeguarding concerns. If they note any concerns, they immediately refer them to the inspectors and their managers, who decide on the appropriate action to ensure children鈥檚 safety. If any responses raise serious concerns, we take appropriate action immediately.

As in previous years, we are publishing the data from adult respondents separately.

Who are the children we are talking about?

The Department for Education has reported that almost 84,000 children are looked after.^{[footnote 4]} Two in 3 looked-after children live with foster carers. One in 10 live in children鈥檚 homes, including secure children鈥檚 homes, and approximately 1 in 14 looked-after children live in supported accommodation.^{[footnote 5]} This year, 8,880聽 children told us about the place where they live or stay, for example their foster home, children鈥檚 home, or a boarding school. Not all these children are looked-after children.^{[footnote 6]}

What we found in 2025

Do you feel safe where you live or stay?

First, we asked children whether they feel safe in the place where they live or stay. If the answer was 鈥榮ometimes鈥� or 鈥榥ever鈥�, children had the opportunity to provide additional comments, which allowed us to identify any potential safeguarding concerns.

Overall, 95% of children who responded to the survey said that they feel safe where they live 鈥榓lways鈥� or 鈥榤ost of the time鈥�. Children living in foster care reported the most positive experiences, with 89% selecting 鈥榓lways鈥� and 99% giving a positive response overall, in line with the previous 2 years. Ninety-six per cent of children living in residential special schools reported feeling safe, an improvement from the last 2 years when it was 93% in 2024 and 92% in 2023.

This year, we received a much larger number of responses from children living in supported accommodation: 2,180, up from 455 in 2024. This reflects the greater number of supported accommodation settings that we have now registered. Of those who replied, 95% of children reported that they feel safe where they live.

Figure 1: Do you feel safe where you live or stay?

<sup>1. Figure 1 is a breakdown of children鈥檚 responses to the question 鈥楧o you feel safe where you live or stay?鈥� in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 2.</sup>

Figure 2: Do you feel safe where you live or stay? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

<sup>1. Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
2. Data labels are shown only for segments representing greater than or equal to 2% of the total.
View data in an accessible table format.</sup>

What children told us about feeling safe where they live or stay:

Do you get along with the staff where you live or stay?

We asked children how they feel about their relationships with staff or carers where they live or stay. Most children (91%) reported that they get along with staff or carers 鈥榓lways鈥� or 鈥榤ost of the time鈥�, which is consistent with last year鈥檚 results.

Over the past 3 years, positive responses from children living in children鈥檚 homes have remained stable, at 90%, and in foster care, at 97%. Following a dip last year, more children in residential special schools reported positive relationships with staff, rising to 91% from 89%.

However, children in boarding schools continued to report the lowest satisfaction, with 14% of children saying they 鈥榮ometimes鈥� or 鈥榥ever鈥� get along with staff. Similarly, in FE college residential accommodation, 12% of children responded 鈥榮ometimes鈥� or 鈥榥ever鈥� to the same question 鈥� an increase from 7% in 2024 and 9% in 2023.

Figure 3: Do you get along with the staff where you live or stay?

<sup>1. Figure 3 is a breakdown of children鈥檚 responses to the question 鈥楧o you get along with the staff where you live or stay?鈥� in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 4.</sup>

Figure 4: Do you get along with the staff where you live or stay? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

<sup>1. Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
2. Data labels are shown only for segments representing greater than or equal to 2% of the total.
View data in an accessible table format.</sup>

What children told us about getting along with staff:

Do you get on with the other children where you live or stay?

We asked children about their relationships with their peers in the places where they live or stay.

This year, 83% of all children said that they get on well with others 鈥榓lways鈥� or 鈥榤ost of the time鈥�, an increase from 82% last year. Children in foster care were the most likely to report positive relationships with other children in the household (88%); however, this has decreased from 91% in 2024 and 90% in 2023.

In children鈥檚 homes, 1 in 4 children said they only 鈥榮ometimes鈥� or 鈥榥ever鈥� get on with others. This was the lowest satisfaction rate across all provision types, though slightly improved from 27% in 2024. Nearly 1 in 6 children living in group settings, such as FE colleges or residential special schools, reported difficulties in getting along with other boarders.

Figure 5: Do you get on with the other children where you live or stay?

<sup>1. Figure 5 is a breakdown of children鈥檚 responses to the question 鈥楧o you get on with the other children where you live or stay?鈥� in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 6.</sup>

Figure 6: Do you get on with the other children where you live or stay? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

<sup>1. Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
2. Data labels are shown only for segments representing greater than or equal to 2% of the total.
View data in an accessible table format.</sup>

What children told us about getting on with the other children:

Do the staff where you live or stay ask you about things that are important to you?

Overall, 83% of children who responded to the 2025 survey said that staff 鈥榓lways鈥� or 鈥榤ost of the time鈥� ask them about things that are important to them. However, responses varied across different types of settings.

Children in foster care and supported accommodation reported the highest levels of positive responses, at 93% and 91% respectively.

Sixty-three per cent of children in boarding schools and FE colleges said that staff regularly ask about what鈥檚 important to them. This marks an improvement for children in boarding schools, from 58% reported last year, but a decrease of 1 percentage point for those in FE colleges.

Figure 7: Do the staff where you live or stay ask you about things that are important to you?

<sup>1. Figure 7 is a breakdown of children鈥檚 responses to the question 鈥楧o the staff where you live or stay ask you about things that are important to you?鈥� in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 8.</sup>

Figure 8: Do the staff where you live or stay ask you about things that are important to you? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

<sup>1. Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
2. Data labels are shown only for segments representing greater than or equal to 2% of the total.
View data in an accessible table format.</sup>

What children told us about staff asking about things that are important to them:

Do the staff where you live or stay listen to you?

We asked children whether they feel listened to in the places where they live or stay, and this year 89% of children said 鈥榓lways鈥� or 鈥榤ost of the time鈥�, which is consistent with last year鈥檚 figure of 88%.

Children in foster care and supported accommodation reported the most positive experiences, with 96% and 93% respectively saying that they feel listened to 鈥榓lways鈥� or 鈥榤ost of the time鈥�.

The highest proportion of children who said that staff listen to them 鈥榮ometimes鈥� or 鈥榥ever鈥� was among boarders in boarding schools, at 20%. While this is a slight improvement from 22% in 2024, it is a slight decline from the 2023 level of 19%. In FE colleges, 16% of children gave the same response, which is a decline from 12% in 2024, although an improvement on the 2023 figure of 18%.

Figure 9: Do the staff where you live or stay listen to you?

<sup>1. Figure 9 is a breakdown of children鈥檚 responses to the question 鈥楧o the staff where you live or stay listen to you?鈥� in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 10.</sup>

Figure 10: Do the staff where you live or stay listen to you? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

<sup>1. Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
2. Data labels are shown only for segments representing greater than or equal to2% of the total.
View data in an accessible table format.</sup>

What children told us about staff listening to them:

Do you spend time with people who are important to you?

This year, 77% of children living in children鈥檚 homes said that they spend time with people who are important to them 鈥榓lways鈥� or 鈥榤ost of the time鈥�. This is in line with responses in 2024 (77%) and 2023 (78%).

Children in residential special schools were the most likely to report positive experiences in this area. The proportion of children who responded 鈥榓lways鈥� or 鈥榤ost of the time鈥� has been steadily increasing over the past 3 years, from 84% in 2023 to 88% in 2025. Similarly, 78% of children living in foster care said they 鈥榓lways鈥� or 鈥榤ost of the time鈥� spend time with important people, reflecting a gradual improvement over the last 2 years.

The highest proportion of children who responded 鈥榮ometimes鈥� or 鈥榥ever鈥� to this question was among children living in supported accommodation, at 27%, up from 26% in 2024. This was followed by children in children鈥檚 homes and FE colleges, where 24% gave the same response.

Figure 11: Do you spend time with people who are important to you?

<sup>1. Figure 11 is a breakdown of children鈥檚 responses to the question 鈥楧o you spend time with people who are important to you?鈥� in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 12.</sup>

Figure 12: Do you spend time with people who are important to you? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

<sup>1. Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
2. Data labels are shown only for segments representing greater than or equal to 2% of the total.
View data in an accessible table format.</sup>

What children told us about spending time with people who are important to them:

In the last week, did you do something fun?

We asked children whether they had done something fun in the past week. Among children living in children鈥檚 homes, 92% said that they had, which is the same as in 2024. The proportion of children in foster care saying that they had has remained steady over the past 3 years, at 96%. In residential special schools, 93% reported doing something fun, up from 91% in 2024.

While the majority of children across all settings gave positive responses, the proportion of those in FE colleges, supported accommodation and boarding schools reporting positively was slightly lower. These patterns are similar to those seen in previous years.

Figure 13: In the last week, did you do something fun?

<sup>1. Figure 13 is a breakdown of children鈥檚 responses to the question 鈥業n the last week, did you do something fun?鈥� in 2025.
2. The data is included in the accessible table Data for Figure 14.</sup>

Figure 14: In the last week, did you do something fun? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

^{Figures are rounded and may not add up to exactly 100%.
View data in an accessible table format.}

What children told us about doing something fun:

What would you like to tell us about the place you live?

We asked children to tell us anything they wanted to about the place where they live or stay. Of the 8,880聽 children who responded to the survey, 7,305 聽answered this question.

Many children shared positive views about where they live or stay, often describing it as 鈥榞reat鈥�, 鈥榞ood鈥� or 鈥榝un鈥�. They highlighted aspects they enjoy, such as their bedrooms, pets and leisure activities. Staff and carers were frequently described as 鈥榥ice鈥�, 鈥榢ind鈥� and 鈥榮upportive鈥�.

While most comments were positive, some children raised concerns. A few feel that they aren鈥檛 always listened to, and others mentioned that they live too far away from family and friends, and that they would like to see them more often. Children in residential care also expressed a desire for more free time and for improvements in the quality of food.

Thank you to everyone who completed our surveys and shared their views with us.

Annex of data figures

Data for Figure 2: Do you feel safe where you live or stay? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

Provider type	Year	Always (%)	Most of the time (%)	Sometimes (%)	Never (%)
Boarding schools	2023	59	36	4	1
Boarding schools	2024	56	38	5	1
Boarding schools	2025	56	38	5	1
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2023	73	22	4	1
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2024	72	21	5	1
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2025	73	21	5	1
FE colleges	2023	58	37	4	1
FE colleges	2024	63	32	4	1
FE colleges	2025	65	31	3	0
Foster care	2023	91	8	1	0
Foster care	2024	90	9	1	0
Foster care	2025	89	10	1	0
Residential special schools	2023	68	25	6	1
Residential special schools	2024	72	20	7	1
Residential special schools	2025	73	22	4	1
Supported accommodation	2024	83	14	4	0
Supported accommodation	2025	78	17	4	1

^{View Figure 2.}

Data for Figure 4: Do you get along with the staff where you live or stay? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

Provider type	Year	Always (%)	Most of the time (%)	Sometimes (%)	Never (%)
Boarding schools	2023	44	45	10	2
Boarding schools	2024	36	49	14	1
Boarding schools	2025	42	44	13	1
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2023	49	41	9	1
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2024	47	43	9	1
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2025	49	41	9	1
FE colleges	2023	55	36	8	1
FE colleges	2024	64	30	6	1
FE colleges	2025	56	32	11	1
Foster care	2023	73	24	2	0
Foster care	2024	75	22	3	0
Foster care	2025	72	25	3	0
Residential special schools	2023	61	33	5	1
Residential special schools	2024	59	30	9	1
Residential special schools	2025	61	31	8	1
Supported accommodation	2024	71	22	7	0
Supported accommodation	2025	71	23	5	1

^{View Figure 4.}

Data for Figure 6: Do you get on with the other children where you live or stay? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

Provider type	Year	Always (%)	Most of the time (%)	Sometimes (%)	Never (%)
Boarding schools	2023	36	52	10	1
Boarding schools	2024	24	64	12	1
Boarding schools	2025	33	54	12	1
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2023	30	46	21	3
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2024	29	44	23	4
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2025	34	41	20	5
FE colleges	2023	30	51	17	2
FE colleges	2024	32	51	15	1
FE colleges	2025	29	53	17	1
Foster care	2023	52	38	9	1
Foster care	2024	53	37	7	2
Foster care	2025	52	37	9	2
Residential special schools	2023	33	47	19	1
Residential special schools	2024	34	46	19	1
Residential special schools	2025	38	43	17	2
Supported accommodation	2024	55	30	10	5
Supported accommodation	2025	56	29	11	4

^{View Figure 6.}

Data for Figure 8: Do the staff where you live or stay ask you about things that are important to you? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

Provider type	Year	Always (%)	Most of the time (%)	Sometimes (%)	Never (%)
Boarding schools	2023	34	34	27	5
Boarding schools	2024	24	34	35	7
Boarding schools	2025	30	33	32	6
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2023	67	22	9	1
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2024	66	23	9	1
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2025	66	23	10	2
FE colleges	2023	29	30	25	16
FE colleges	2024	33	31	26	10
FE colleges	2025	33	30	27	10
Foster care	2023	78	16	5	1
Foster care	2024	78	15	5	1
Foster care	2025	79	14	6	1
Residential special schools	2023	54	25	18	3
Residential special schools	2024	52	28	18	2
Residential special schools	2025	52	29	18	2
Supported accommodation	2024	73	19	7	1
Supported accommodation	2025	71	20	8	1

^{View Figure 8.}

Data for Figure 10: Do the staff where you live or stay listen to you? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

Provider type	Year	Always (%)	Most of the time (%)	Sometimes (%)	Never (%)
Boarding schools	2023	47	33	16	3
Boarding schools	2024	44	35	19	3
Boarding schools	2025	44	36	17	3
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2023	64	26	9	1
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2024	61	28	10	2
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2025	63	25	10	2
FE colleges	2023	54	29	14	4
FE colleges	2024	58	30	9	3
FE colleges	2025	54	30	13	3
Foster care	2023	81	16	3	0
Foster care	2024	80	17	3	1
Foster care	2025	80	16	4	1
Residential special schools	2023	66	25	7	2
Residential special schools	2024	64	23	10	3
Residential special schools	2025	67	23	9	2
Supported accommodation	2024	76	16	7	0
Supported accommodation	2025	76	17	6	1

^{View Figure 10.}

Data for Figure 12: Do you spend time with people who are important to you? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

Provider type	Year	Always (%)	Most of the time (%)	Sometimes (%)	Never (%)
Boarding schools	2023	47	33	18	2
Boarding schools	2024	42	36	21	2
Boarding schools	2025	43	36	19	2
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2023	51	26	19	3
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2024	51	26	20	3
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2025	51	25	21	3
FE colleges	2023	42	37	19	2
FE colleges	2024	45	34	20	2
FE colleges	2025	41	35	23	1
Foster care	2023	46	28	24	2
Foster care	2024	49	27	21	3
Foster care	2025	51	27	19	3
Residential special schools	2023	60	24	15	1
Residential special schools	2024	61	25	14	1
Residential special schools	2025	64	25	10	2
Supported accommodation	2024	51	23	24	2
Supported accommodation	2025	47	26	25	3

^{View Figure 12.}

Data for Figure 14: In the last week, did you do something fun? Breakdown of responses by year and provider type, 2023 to 2025

Provider type	Year	Yes (%)	No (%)
Boarding schools	2023	84	16
Boarding schools	2024	82	18
Boarding schools	2025	83	17
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2023	94	6
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2024	92	8
Children鈥檚 homes of all types	2025	92	8
FE colleges	2023	80	20
FE colleges	2024	84	16
FE colleges	2025	81	19
Foster care	2023	96	4
Foster care	2024	96	4
Foster care	2025	96	4
Residential special schools	2023	92	8
Residential special schools	2024	91	9
Residential special schools	2025	93	7
Supported accommodation	2024	83	17
Supported accommodation	2025	81	19

^{View Figure 14.}