Care staff across the UK, area by area

Care regulators across the UK

Care services are regulated separately in each of the four nations, and so are the checks on the people who work in them. The map is shaded by regulator, and the pins mark the places listed alongside it.

Care staff in England

In England, the Care Quality Commission registers and inspects adult social care, and Ofsted registers children’s homes. Care workers in England are not on a national register, so the checks an agency runs and the records a provider keeps carry more weight.

NHS services are planned by integrated care boards, which work with the councils that fund and arrange adult social care.

Care regulator

Care Quality Commission (CQC) for adult social care. Ofsted registers and inspects children’s homes.

Criminal record checks

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Care roles are usually checked at enhanced level, with the adults’ or children’s barred list where the work is regulated activity.

Workforce register

No national register for care workers. Nurses are on the NMC register, and social workers must be registered with Social Work England.

• Care staff in London
• Care staff in Croydon
• Care staff in Sutton
• Care staff in Kent
• Care staff in Surrey
• Care staff in Sussex
• Care staff in Berkshire
• Care staff in Hampshire
• Care staff in Oxfordshire
• Care staff in Essex
• Care staff in Cambridgeshire
• Care staff in Norfolk
• Care staff in Bristol
• Care staff in Devon
• Care staff in Birmingham
• Care staff in Coventry
• Care staff in Nottingham
• Care staff in Leicester
• Care staff in Manchester
• Care staff in Liverpool
• Care staff in Leeds
• Care staff in Sheffield
• Care staff in Newcastle

Care staff in Scotland

In Scotland, the Care Inspectorate registers care services for adults and children, and almost all managers and staff in those services must register with the Scottish Social Services Council. PVG scheme membership is a legal requirement for regulated roles, and an agency has to confirm it before supplying anyone.

Health and social care are planned together by health and social care partnerships, such as those in Glasgow and Edinburgh, each directed by an integration joint board.

Care regulator

Care Inspectorate, which registers care services for adults and children, including care homes, care at home, housing support and nurse agencies.

Criminal record checks

Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme membership through Disclosure Scotland, which is a legal requirement for regulated roles.

Workforce register

Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) for almost all managers and staff in registered care services, usually within six months of starting. Nurses are on the NMC register.

• Care staff in Glasgow
• Care staff in Edinburgh

Care staff in Wales

In Wales, Care Inspectorate Wales registers care homes and domiciliary support services, and Social Care Wales registers the workforce, including agency staff working in care homes and home care.

Health boards and councils plan care together through regional partnership boards, such as the Cardiff and Vale Regional Partnership Board.

Care regulator

Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), which registers care homes for adults and children and domiciliary support services.

Criminal record checks

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Registered social care workers need an enhanced certificate with the relevant barred list.

Workforce register

Social Care Wales for adult care home, domiciliary care and residential child care workers, managers and social workers. Nurses are on the NMC register.

• Care staff in Cardiff

Care staff in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, RQIA registers care homes, nursing homes, domiciliary care agencies and nursing agencies, and the Northern Ireland Social Care Council registers social care workers.

Social care is run by health and social care trusts, and councils have no social services role. The Department of Health’s Strategic Planning and Performance Group took over the work of the Health and Social Care Board when the board was dissolved in 2022.

Care regulator

Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), which registers residential care homes, nursing homes, domiciliary care agencies, day care settings, children’s homes and nursing agencies.

Criminal record checks

AccessNI. Care roles usually need an enhanced check, which includes barred list information for regulated activity.

Workforce register

Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) for social care managers and practitioners, and for social workers. Nurses are on the NMC register.

• Care staff in Belfast

Services outside these places

The 27 places above are where we have written local guidance, and we recruit for services elsewhere too. Wherever your service is, the regulator, the checks and the registration rules for its nation apply, and we follow them.