Domiciliary care compliance: references for homecare staff

What CQC looks for in a homecare agency

CQC registers home care agencies for the regulated activity of personal care. Inspectors look at how you recruit, train and support staff, and they may sample staff files. For recruitment, the legal standard is Regulation 19 and Schedule 3: the information must be confirmed before the person is employed.

CQC guidance also expects new care staff to be supervised until assessed as competent, and expects Care Certificate standards for social care support workers. In homecare that usually means shadow shifts before solo visits.

Domiciliary care references: common gaps

• A carer starts before references are back because the rota is short. This is the gap inspectors find most easily, as the dates are on file.
• A reference confirms dates and nothing else. Satisfactory evidence of conduct needs more than dates of employment.
• No reference from the last care employer, with no record of why. If a referee will not reply, record your attempts and ask for another.
• Gaps not explained in writing. A verbal explanation at interview needs writing down.
• Bank and casual carers checked less thoroughly. CQC guidance counts bank and agency staff as people employed, so the same checks apply. See bank staff references in care.