Hi Sheila, do day care centres need to be registered with the CQC?

Answered by Sheila Scott

Dear M,

Thank you for your question. This is a question that often comes up and the answer is no, Day care centres do not need to be registered.

It is extraordinary that day care centres have never been required to register.

CQC says on page 19 of a very useful document on their website that “The regulated activity of personal care consists of the provision of personal care for people who are unable to provide it for themselves, because of old age, illness or disability, and which is provided to them in the place where those people are living at the time when the care is provided.”

So if day care is being provided in a place where the service user does not live then the care can not be registered by CQC.

The document is called “The scope of registration” published in March 2015.

On page 21 of the document there is a very clear diagram and in the third boxes down it refers directly to day care.

You must though be proactive in making sure that you comply with regulations relating to planning law, health and safety and food safety and you must of course therefore make sure that your staff have the appropriate training to comply with Health and Safety and Food Safety Regulations.

I hope this is helpful.

With best wishes.

Sheila