How care is regulated
The Care Inspectorate is responsible for inspecting standards of care in Scotland.
What the Care Inspectorate does
It regulates and inspects care services to make sure they meet the right standards. It also work with providers to help them improve their service and make sure everyone gets safe, high quality care that meets their needs.
It also carries out joint inspections with other regulators to check how well organisations in local areas are working to support adults and children. It helps make sure that social work services, including criminal justice social work, meet high standards.
The Care Inspectorate publishes inspection reports for every care service in Scotland.
Care services aren't allowed to operate unless they're registered with the Care Inspectorate.
Who the Care Inspectorate regulates
It regulates around 14,000 individual care services. The main types are:
- care homes for older people, adults and children
- care at home
- housing support
- childminders
- children's nurseries
- playgroups and out-of-school clubs
The Care Inspectorate also regulates specialist services like:
- day care
- adoption and fostering agencies
- childcare agencies
- nurse agencies
- school accommodation
- secure accommodation
- respite care
Hospitals and hospices are regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
Health and Social Care Standards
The Health and Social Care Standards set out what you should expect when using health, social care or social work services in Scotland. They seek to provide better outcomes for everyone; to ensure that individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and that the basic human rights we are all entitled to are upheld.
The Care Inspectorate and Healthcare Improvement Scotland are required, by law, to consider the Health and Social Care Standards when making decisions during inspections and other scrutiny and improvement work.
Find a care service
See the Care Inspectorate's Care Service List for registered care services in your area.
The Care Inspectorate grades these services and publishes their reports – you can read a copy of each service's inspection reports and grades. This is updated weekly.
Complaints about care
The Care Inspectorate investigates complaints too, so if you're not happy about something and the care service hasn't been able to help resolve it, the Care Inspectorate may be able to. You don't have to give your name when making a complaint if you don't want to.
Find out more about complaining or giving feedback about care.
Further information
- Visit the Care Inspectorate website or phone 0345 6009527. Phoning should cost the same price as calling a local number from a mobile or landline.
- Find a care service or look at inspection reports on the Care Inspectorate's website.
- Read more about Health and Social Care Standards.
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