Care Standards Act 2000

The Care Standards Act 2000 modernises the arrangements for regulation and for assuring standards through a single regulator and a ‘level playing field’ for providers. The Act brings significant benefits for people receiving care services, wherever they are provided and whoever is providing them.

Regulations and National Minimum Standards

The regulations and accompanying national minimum standards are based on the needs of service users and extensive consultation with all interested parties. The purpose of national standards is to:

•  provide minimum standards below which no provider may operate;
•  ensure the protection of residents;
•  safeguard and promote the health, welfare and quality of life of residents; and
•  provide standards which are robust, measurable and enforceable, in order to achieve these aims.

The regulations and standards safeguard and promote the health and well-being of service users but also benefit providers. They ensure that the common standards are applied in a consistent and even-handed manner across the care sector, to public and private sector care homes alike, by an independent regulator.

The Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) regulates the following:

• care homes for adults – including care homes with nursing facilities;
• domiciliary care agencies;
• adult placement schemes;
• nurses’ agencies;
• children’s homes;
• day care services for children – childminders, full day care, sessional day care, out of school care, crèches and open access play;
• public sector and independent fostering agencies;
• public sector and voluntary adoption agencies;
• boarding schools, residential special schools and further education colleges which accommodate students under 18; and 
• residential family centres.

CSSIW’s role is to assess whether these services are of the quality that the people of Wales have a right to expect. To find out more visit the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales website