Visiting, meaningful connection, Anne’s Law

Every adult and older person living in a care home has the right to connect with family, friends and community.

The Care Inspectorate supports this right. There are standards, guidance and legislation that support this right, too.

Click the images below to read our literature review, factsheet, self-evaluation tool, care home poster and report on engagement visits.

Meaningful connection literature review Page 01Annes law project Fact sheet 002Pic1Annes law project Do you live in a care home posterAnnes law project Report on engagement visits to care homes carried out Page 01

We've created factsheets to accompany our webinars. Click on the images below to read more. 

 Meaningful connection fact sheet A human rights based approach Page 1Meaningful connection fact sheet Including family carers as partners in care Meaningful connection fact sheet Supporting positive peer relationships Page 1 Meaningful connection fact sheet Supporting meaningful connection

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Temporary changes to variations during Covid-19

Variation changes for care homes and care at home extended to April 2023

Social care continues to face challenges as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and we continue to support the care sector by adapting what we do, when needed.

To support services to provide support to a wider group of people, there will continue to be no requirement for providers to submit a variation for any care service type where:

  • a care home for older people is caring for youngeradults or vice versa
  • care at home services care for clients with different careneeds
  • there is a change of operationalhours.

This will continue until April 2023.

In these circumstances, there is no requirement to submit a variation form. Instead, you should simply confirm in writing through eForms, using the notification ‘Changes to service delivery’.

Within the notification, you should note what the change is and confirm the service can meet people’s care and welfare needs.

The notification will not trigger an inspection but may trigger contact from the inspector to discuss the changes you have put in place.

For care homes that are supporting people on an interim basis until care at home is available in their area, there is no requirement to notify the Care Inspectorate.  We will get this information from the oversight teams of homes being used in local areas.  

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Types of enquiry

Information governance are happy to accept the following types of enquiry:

Data Subject Access Requests (UKGDPR, DPA 2018)

This is to request your personal information. More information can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Office web page about your right of access.

Any other requests to invoke your rights as a data subject (UKGDPR, DPA 2018)

More details about the other rights can be found on our privacy notice and on the Information Commissioner’s Office web page at the following links:

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act

Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 anyone has the right to ask for information held by the Care Inspectorate. The Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner has guidance on when, how and why you may wish to use this type of request here and also some best practice that will help you get the most out of your request.

Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulation

Under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 anyone has the right to ask for environmental information held by the Care Inspectorate. The UK Information Commissioner's Office has more information on EIRs and how to request them here.

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Register care

If you want to operate a care service in Scotland you must, by law, register with the Care Inspectorate. 

Before applying to register a service

Before you apply to register a care service you must make sure you have read and understood the associated guidance and legislation.  

Every registered care service must continuously meet the requirements of: 

Fees 

Care services must pay fees to be registered with us. The maximum limit is set by Scottish Ministers. The fees we collect contribute to our operating costs.

We charge a fee for registering a new service and an annual continuation fee. The annual continuation fee licenses a care service to operate.

All application fees are non-returnable.

To find out more about our fees click here.

What to expect from the registration process

You can now apply to register a care service online, using our new, secure system. The online application is simple to complete and only asks you questions that are relevant to your service type.

You can manage your application easily. You can save it as you go and return to it later so you can complete and submit at your own pace. You can go back to previous stages to check, change and add to your application. The new application allows you to upload supporting documents and pay your application fee.

Read our guidance online registraiton application form - your guide. 

We aim to assess applications for a childminding service within three months and all other services within six months. However, this presumes that you supply us with a competent and fully detailed application, as well as any additional information we request. It is in your interest to give us all the information we ask for in the application form to prevent any delays or the risk of us closing or refusing your application.

Once you have submitted your application, our national registration team will check:

  • the information you have given us
  • whether the provider is fit to provide the service
  • whether the manager is fit to manage the service
  • that the proposed premises are fit to be used for that purpose
  • that the service will make all the proper provisions for the health, welfare, independence, choice, privacy and dignity of everyone using the service.

We may also check the financial viability of the service. Any information we ask for during the registration process is in accordance with the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.

Read our applying to register a care service - guidance for applicants. 

For more information about registering a service (other than childminding) click here. [LINK TO REGISTER A CARE SERVICE (OTHER THAN CM) PAGE].

For more information about registering a childminding service click here. [LINK TO REGISTER A CM SERVICE PAGE].

If you are unclear about the kind of service you want to apply for, click here to see the definitions of care services which must be registered with us.

For general advice about registering a care service you can contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Create an account to begin your application. 

Sign in to see an existing application [LINK].

If you require the application form in an alternative format, please call our contact centre on 0345 600 9527.

 

Related documents

Online registraiton application form - your guide

Applying to register a care service - guidance for applicants

Inspection quality frameworks

Self-evaluation for improvement – your guide

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