The 6 Cs of Care: What They Actually Look Like in a Good Care Home
The 6 Cs of Care are Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage, and Commitment. They were introduced by NHS England as a framework for health and social care professionals, but for families choosing a care home, they are something more useful: a checklist you can actually use.
Most people visiting a care home for the first time do not know what to look for beyond whether it feels clean and the staff seem friendly. The 6 Cs give you a more structured way to assess what you are seeing, and to ask better questions.
This guide takes each one and translates it into something observable and practical.
1. Care: Is the Support Actually Personalised?
Care in this context does not just mean physical help with daily tasks. It means whether the support someone receives is shaped around who they are as a person, not just what their needs are on paper.
The difference between basic care and genuinely good care is often in the detail. Does a carer know that a resident dislikes being rushed in the morning? That they prefer their tea without milk? That they spent 40 years as a gardener and light up when someone mentions it?
What to look for on a care home visit:
- Are residents doing different things, or does everyone follow the same schedule?
- Can staff tell you something personal about the residents they care for?
- Is there a life history or personal profile process when someone moves in?
- Do activities reflect actual residents’ interests, or are they one-size-fits-all?
A care plan should not just list medical needs. It should describe the person.
2. Compassion: Does the Atmosphere Feel Genuinely Warm?
Compassion is the hardest of the 6 Cs to define on paper, but it is often the easiest to sense in person. It is the difference between a care home that feels like an institution and one that feels like a home.
It shows in small moments. Whether a carer knocks before entering a room. Whether they crouch to speak at eye level with someone in a wheelchair. Whether they address residents by the name they prefer, not just the name on the file.
What to look for on a care home visit:
- Watch interactions between staff and residents, not just how staff talk to you
- Notice whether residents seem relaxed and at ease, or withdrawn and quiet
- Are residents referred to by name? Are staff aware of each person’s preferences?
- Does the home feel lived-in and personal, or clinical and impersonal?
It is also worth visiting at different times. A care home at 10am during a planned tour can feel very different from the same home mid-afternoon or at mealtimes.
3. Competence: Is the Team Properly Trained for Your Loved One’s Needs?
Competence is not just about qualifications on the wall. It is about whether the team caring for your relative has the specific skills that person’s needs require.
Dementia care, end-of-life care, nursing care, and care for conditions like Parkinson’s or diabetes each require different knowledge and training. A home that offers excellent residential care may not have the right specialist skills if your relative’s needs are more complex.
Questions worth asking directly:
- What training do carers receive, and how often is it refreshed?
- Does the home have staff specifically trained in [the relevant condition]?
- What is the ratio of trained nurses to care workers, and are nurses on site 24 hours?
- How is training quality monitored, and what happens when a skills gap is identified?
CQC inspection reports are publicly available and will flag concerns about competence or training. Reading the most recent report before you visit is time well spent.
4. Communication: Will You Always Know What Is Happening?
For families, communication is often the single biggest source of frustration when a relative moves into a care home. When it goes wrong, it is not usually because care is poor. It is because families feel kept at arm’s length from decisions and updates.
Good communication in a care home means residents are involved in decisions about their own care, staff share information clearly between shifts, and families are kept informed without having to chase.
What to look for:
- How do they handle care plan reviews, and can family members be involved?
- What is the process for contacting the home with concerns or questions?
- How quickly do they notify families if something changes, for better or worse?
- Do staff hand over information effectively between shifts?
A home that communicates well with families during the enquiry process is usually a home that communicates well when your relative is living there.
5. Courage: Does the Team Speak Up When It Matters?
Courage in care settings refers to the willingness to raise concerns, challenge unsafe practices, and be honest even when it is uncomfortable. For families, this translates into something simple: will the team tell you when something is wrong, not just when things are going well?
It also means the home should have clear processes for staff to raise concerns without fear of consequences. A culture where staff feel able to speak up is one where problems get caught early.
Questions worth asking:
- How do staff raise concerns about a resident’s welfare or a practice they are not happy with?
- Can you see the home’s most recent CQC inspection, and how did they respond to any recommendations?
- What is the home’s complaints process, and can you see records of how complaints have been handled?
- How has the home changed its practices based on feedback from residents or families?
A home that is proud of how it handles criticism is usually more trustworthy than one that claims to have no complaints.
6. Commitment: Is the Home Getting Better, Not Just Staying the Same?
Commitment is about whether the team and the organisation are genuinely invested in continuous improvement, not just in maintaining the status quo. This shows in staff retention, investment in training, how the home responds to inspection outcomes, and whether leadership is visible and engaged.
High staff turnover is one of the most telling signals in a care home. If carers leave frequently, continuity suffers, and it often reflects deeper issues with how the home is managed and whether staff feel valued.
What to look for:
- How long have senior staff and carers been in post? Stability suggests a well-run team
- Is the management visible day to day, or largely absent?
- Does the home have ongoing improvement projects or recent investments in the environment or training?
- What does the latest CQC rating say about leadership and well-led practice?
Using the 6 Cs as a Visiting Checklist
When you visit a care home, you have usually prepared a list of practical questions about fees, rooms, and facilities. The 6 Cs prompt a different kind of observation, one that is harder to fake than a polished brochure.
| C | The Observable Question |
|---|---|
| Care | Are residents treated as individuals, not a group? |
| Compassion | Does the atmosphere feel warm and genuinely human? |
| Competence | Does the team have the specific skills this person needs? |
| Communication | Will families be kept informed and involved? |
| Courage | Does the home handle problems honestly and openly? |
| Commitment | Is there evidence the home is improving, not just maintaining? |
None of these require a clinical background to assess. Trust your instincts, but use these questions to structure what you are looking for.
What to Do If Care Does Not Meet These Standards
If you have concerns about care quality in a home your relative already lives in, there are formal routes for raising them:
- Care Quality Commission (CQC): The independent regulator for health and social care. You can report concerns and read inspection reports at cqc.org.uk
- Local authority safeguarding team: If you believe someone is at risk of harm or neglect, contact the local authority safeguarding adults team
- Healthwatch: Independent advocates for people using care services, available at healthwatch.co.uk
If you are still choosing a home, the CQC’s public inspection database is one of the most useful tools available. A rating of Requires Improvement or Inadequate should prompt detailed questions about what has changed since the inspection.
Choosing a Care Home in Mansfield
At Newgate Lodge Care Home and Lowmoor Nursing Home, we welcome families to visit, ask difficult questions, and spend time with us before making any decision. We think the best evidence for the 6 Cs is not a policy document but what you see and feel when you walk through the door.
If you are exploring what residential care provides or want to understand how to choose the right care home, our team is happy to talk through what matters most to your family.
You can also use our care home checklist to prepare for visits to any care home, not just ours.
Call us on 01623 622 322 or get in touch through our contact page to arrange a visit or an informal conversation.
Chris’s early experiences in care continue to inspire his dedication to providing excellent care, investing in staff, services, and new technologies to enhance Lidder Care’s offerings.