Ratings for care homes and domiciliary support services - seven months on
Strong picture of quality care across Wales as ratings system beds in.
Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) has published a review of the first seven months of its ratings system for care homes and domiciliary support services, showing a consistently high standard of care across Wales.
The ratings system, which came into effect on 1 April 2025 following the Regulated Services (Inspection Ratings) (Wales) Regulations 2025, provides clear and transparent assessments of care quality across four key themes: wellbeing, care and support, environment, and leadership and management.
What the data shows
Of the 2,115 ratings awarded across the four themes, 1,958 (92.5%) were excellent or good, presenting a positive picture for services across Wales. Only a small number of services required significant improvement. Where improvement was needed, it most often related to the leadership and management of the service.
Provider feedback
Feedback from providers has been encouraging. One provider said: "The inspection process was thorough, focused on the most important aspects of the four themes and conducted in a way that was transparent, inquisitive and not overly judgemental. It also proved that CIW very much wants our home to succeed."
What's next?
CIW will continue to support adult and children's service providers through the roll-out of ratings. Once ratings are embedded and all relevant services have received their ratings (by Autumn 2026), an independent review will be conducted to better understand how ratings are working in practice and what further support is needed.
CIW remains committed to ensuring everyone in Wales receives safe, high-quality care and support, and will not hesitate to take action where services fall below expected standards.