CQC's new adult social care framework: what care providers should do now
CQC's new adult social care framework replaces the 34 quality statements with Key Lines of Enquiry. What's changing and how to prepare your evidence.
InLine Care Team · 19/10/2026
CQC has published a draft assessment framework specific to adult social care, expected to be in place by the end of 2026. Until it's implemented, the current framework still applies.
What's changing:
- The 34 quality statements are being replaced by Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs), still under the five key questions: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led.
- Evidence-category scoring is being dropped. Ratings will be made holistically using published rating descriptions.
What this means: inspectors will look at the overall picture, so being able to show quickly and clearly that your team is competent and your care is safe matters more.
What to do now:
- Organise your evidence by the five key questions, not by policy folder.
- Check your training records show competence, not just completion: who was trained, when, their score, when it expires, and how practical skills were observed.
- Run a monthly expiry check so nothing lapses before an inspection.
- Keep certificates easy to verify.
How InLine can help: provider plans keep every staff member's online training record, score and renewal date in one place, with certificates anyone can verify online. Free 14-day trial, no card needed.
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