Once you are registered with CIW, you must maintain ongoing compliance with the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017. These regulations set out detailed requirements covering governance, staffing, care delivery, premises, and accountability.
This guide covers the key compliance areas you must address as a registered service provider in Wales.
Statement of Purpose
Every registered service must have a current Statement of Purpose. This is a living document that must be reviewed whenever there are changes to how the service operates and updated at least annually.
Governance and accountability
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1. Ensure your Responsible Individual meets their duties
The RI must visit the service at least every three months and produce a written report on the quality of care. They must also produce an annual quality of care review, consulting service users, their representatives, and staff. This review must be sent to CIW.
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2. Maintain the service manager's fitness
Ensure your service manager is registered with Social Care Wales (or working towards registration), has up-to-date DBS checks, and undertakes continuing professional development. Notify CIW within 28 days of any change of manager.
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3. Establish robust policies and procedures
Maintain written policies covering at minimum: safeguarding, complaints, medication management, infection prevention and control, health and safety, data protection, whistleblowing, and Welsh language provision. Review each policy at least annually.
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4. Implement a complaints procedure
Your complaints procedure must be accessible to service users and their representatives. You must acknowledge complaints within 2 working days and provide a full written response within 20 working days. Keep a complaints log and use patterns to drive improvement.
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5. Ensure service user engagement
Involve service users in decisions about their care. Maintain a personal plan for each individual, reviewed at least every three months. Seek feedback regularly and evidence how it influences service delivery.
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6. Submit required notifications and returns
Notify CIW of notifiable events including deaths, serious injuries, safeguarding concerns, absences of the manager or RI, and any event that may affect the service's ability to deliver care. Submit your annual return to CIW by the required deadline.
Staffing requirements
The 2017 Regulations require you to ensure sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, and experienced staff at all times. Key staffing obligations include:
- Safe recruitment: DBS checks, references, proof of identity, right to work checks, and verification of qualifications before staff begin work
- Induction and training: All staff must complete an induction programme and receive ongoing mandatory training including safeguarding, health and safety, infection control, and Welsh language awareness
- Supervision and appraisal: Regular formal supervision and annual appraisals for all staff
- Social Care Wales registration: Staff in registrable roles must register with Social Care Wales within the required timescale
What next
To prepare for CIW inspections against these requirements, see CIW inspection preparation checklist. For workforce registration details, see Social Care Wales workforce registration.