These Regulations, which apply to England only, replace the Commission for Social Care Inspection (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/662) as amended (“the 2004 Regulations”), in so far as they apply to children’s homes, residential family centres, fostering agencies, boarding schools, residential colleges and residential special schools, and the National Care Standards Commission (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) (Adoption Agencies) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/368) as amended (“the 2003 Regulations”).

The Education and Inspections Act 2006 (c. 40) provides for the functions previously exercised by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (“CSCI”) in relation to those establishments and agencies and local authority adoption and fostering functions under the Care Standards Act 2000 (c. 14) to be exercised by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills (“the Chief Inspector”), from 1st April 2007.

These Regulations prescribe the fees that are to be paid to the Chief Inspector: registration fees (Part 2) and variation of registration fees (Part 3) are payable in respect of voluntary adoption agencies, adoption support agencies, children’s homes, residential family centres and fostering agencies; annual fees are payable by the above establishments and agencies and by boarding schools, residential colleges, residential special schools and in respect of local authority adoption and fostering functions (Part 4). These Regulations specify the amount of the annual fee which is payable by local authorities in respect of those functions rather than, as previously, providing for the publication of a scheme by CSCI. These Regulations also provide for the frequency of inspection in relation to each of the establishments, agencies and local authority adoption and fostering functions (Part 5). The fees and inspection frequencies remain at the same level as in the 2004 and 2003 Regulations.

A full regulatory impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business and the voluntary sector is available from the Department for Education and Skills, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT and is annexed to the Explanatory Memorandum which is available alongside the instrument on the OPSI website.