Preparing for Regulation Under the New CQC Assessment Framework (Supported Living)
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CQC’s updated assessment framework places greater emphasis on lived experience, culture, outcomes and continuous improvement. Supported living providers must be able to demonstrate impact, not just compliance. If you're reviewing your quality approach for inspection readiness, related reading includes Regulatory Alignment and Quality Assurance & Auditing.
Below is a practical guide to preparing your service for the demands of the new regulatory model.
1. Strengthen evidence of lived experience
CQC now prioritises what people actually experience — not what documents say should happen. Providers should ensure they can demonstrate that people:
- make meaningful choices every day
- shape their routines and support plans
- feel safe, included and listened to
- are progressing towards their own goals
- understand their rights and feel confident to speak up
Evidence from lived experience carries far more weight than policies.
2. Align everything to the quality statements
The new framework is built around quality statements rather than KLOEs. Providers should map:
- policies
- training
- daily practice
- outcomes
- governance evidence
- safeguarding processes
This creates a clear and inspectable “golden thread” across the service.
3. Evidence outcomes as a core measure of quality
Supported living is expected to deliver measurable improvements in independence, wellbeing and community participation. Providers should demonstrate:
- clear outcome trajectories for each person
- reductions in staff prompts over time
- improvements in confidence or skill acquisition
- personalised goals linked to choice and autonomy
Outcome evidence must be embedded in everyday support, not presented only during inspection.
4. Strengthen PBS and dynamic risk processes
CQC will expect providers to demonstrate:
- a functional understanding of behaviour
- proactive strategies used consistently
- clear patterns identified through data
- learning reviews informing practice changes
- risk assessments that enable positive risk-taking
This reflects a shift away from risk-avoidance and towards supporting people to grow safely.
5. Demonstrate a strong culture of inclusion and empowerment
CQC’s updated focus on culture means inspectors will observe how people are spoken to, how decisions are shared, and how staff model respect and inclusion. Providers should ensure:
- people are included in planning, recruitment and review
- staff understand trauma, communication and choice
- management presence reinforces positive culture
Culture is now one of the strongest predictors of inspection outcomes.
6. Build simple, structured governance evidence
Governance does not need to be complex. Providers should maintain:
- monthly quality reports
- incident trend analysis
- training and competency maps
- audits linked to quality statements
- co-production evidence
The key is clarity — inspectors need to see that leaders understand quality and act on it regularly.
7. Prepare staff to explain "how" and "why"
Inspection success depends heavily on frontline staff. CQC will ask staff how they support outcomes, manage risk, use PBS and uphold people’s rights. Providers should ensure:
- staff have short, memorable explanations
- teams understand the person’s goals and progress
- staff can describe how they keep people safe without restricting choice
Confident staff create confident inspectors.
Final thought
The updated CQC framework rewards providers who live their values, deliver measurable outcomes and demonstrate learning. Those who prepare now — by strengthening evidence, culture and daily practice — will be well placed for strong inspection results.
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