What should families ask a home-support provider?

The right questions are not about catching a provider out. They help everyone understand the service, responsibilities and boundaries before support begins.

1. What can you legally and safely provide now?

Ask for a plain explanation of the service and whether it includes any CQC-regulated activity. If a provider is registered, check the CQC register and inspection information. If it is not registered, ask exactly which activities it provides and what it does when a person’s needs fall outside that scope.

2. How will you understand the person?

A provider should ask about more than tasks. Look for a conversation or assessment covering routines, preferences, communication, risks, desired outcomes, relevant professional instructions and what a good day looks like to the person.

3. Who will enter the home?

• How are workers selected and referenced?
• Which identity, right-to-work and DBS checks are completed?
• What induction and ongoing training applies to the role?
• How is competence checked rather than assumed from course attendance?
• How will the worker identify themselves?

4. What happens when the usual worker is unavailable?

Ask about continuity, sickness, holidays, late visits and how changes are communicated. No provider can promise that the same person will attend every visit, but it should be able to explain how it protects familiarity and reliability.

5. What will be written down and who can see it?

Families should understand what the support plan contains, how visit notes are recorded, how concerns are escalated and who is allowed access. Information should only be shared with consent or another proper legal basis.

6. Is the price and schedule clear?

Request a written quote covering visit length, frequency, tasks, rates and any differences for evenings, weekends or bank holidays. Ask how changes and cancellations are handled. Support should not begin until the plan and price are understood.

7. How are concerns handled?

Ask who to contact, how complaints are recorded and what happens after a concern is raised. A professional provider should make feedback easy to give and should not become defensive when families ask reasonable questions.

8. Does the provider feel honest about its limits?

Trust is strengthened when a provider says “that is outside our scope” or recommends another professional where appropriate. A promise to do everything is not necessarily reassuring.