We receive a significant number of applications from home care (domiciliary care) agencies (DCAs) for the regulated activity of personal care which do not contain the information we need to assess them.
These applications will be rejected and services will not be registered.
We assess applications for adult social care providers against our assessment framework.
Validation
We are now validating each of these applications in two stages before we formally assess them:
- check they are complete
- verify the questions are answered and supporting information is provided so we can assess the application for registration
Your application
There is no guarantee that registration will be granted: getting a CQC countersigned DBS and buying policies and procedures online is not sufficient.
Do not apply for registration until you have have all the items below in place. Include evidence in your application.
1. How you will meet the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (HSCA 2008) and the associated regulations, relevant guidance and any other laws that apply: training and experience
You must be able to show how you’ll meet (and continue to meet) the fundamental standards:
- explain how you will make sure your service is safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led
- we will ask you about these regulations if we assess your application.
Registered manager applications
To prove that you are competent to manage you must have:
- relevant qualifications
- current up-to-date training
- written proof of all your qualifications and completed training
- evidence that shows your competence, skills and experience
Skills for care has useful resources for social care managers and leaders.
2. Plans and procedures are in place: registered provider applications
You must make sure your proposed registered manager has:
- relevant qualifications
- current up-to-date training
- written proof of all your qualifications and completed training
You must check they have written proof of all your qualifications and completed training.
You need to include all your supporting documents with your application.
Your key staff must understand how your policies and procedures apply to your agency and help keep people and staff safe.
3. You and your managers understand what is required of you
Both of you must understand and have experience of relevant legislation. This includes the:
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 and its associated regulations
- Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
You must also have the qualifications, skills and experience to provide personal care that meets the needs of the people who’ll use your service.
If you plan to act as the:
- sole company director for a company (provider), and/or
- proposed registered manager, and/or
- proposed nominated individual
you must be able to demonstrate your fitness for each of these roles.
4. Your premises are appropriate to deliver personal care
You must include information about how appropriate your premises are. This is within the 'locations' section of your application.
You may plan to deliver personal care within people’s homes but we still need information about your premises. This is because it is where the regulated activity will be legally carried on and managed from.
We may refuse your application if we find your premises are inadequate. For example, if people’s records are not kept safely and securely.
How to register
Apply as a new registered manager
How to tell us if you move locations
If you are registered to provide personal care and you move to a new location, you may need to send us more than one form.
Find out how to make changes to your registration
See more personal care guidance
Personal care: ongoing role, introductory agencies and individual care workers