Who CQC are.
The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. It registers providers, assesses them, and publishes its findings so the public can make informed choices.
The five questions.
CQC assesses every service against five key questions: Is it safe? Is it effective? Is it caring? Is it responsive to people's needs? Is it well-led? Under CQC's assessment framework, evidence is gathered against quality statements sitting beneath these five questions.
The four ratings.
Services are rated Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate — overall and usually for each key question. Providers must display their rating, and you can read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
How to read a report.
Do not stop at the headline rating. Read what inspectors found under Safe and Well-led in particular, check the date (a rating may be several years old), and see whether the provider was newly registered — new services will not have a rating until their first assessment, which is normal and not a warning sign in itself.
Beyond the rating.
A rating is a snapshot. Combine it with your own judgement: visit conversations, references from other families, and how the provider responds to your questions.