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Starting a care service can feel like a maze. This free one-page roadmap sets out the key stages in order, so you can see where you are and what comes next.
It covers six stages:
Plan: your service model, regulated activity, business set-up and premises
Prepare: DBS checks, your registered manager, statement of purpose, policies and systems
Apply: pulling together a complete, consistent application
CQC assessment: what happens while CQC reviews your application
Mobilise: recruiting your team and taking your first referrals
First assessment: getting inspection-ready from day one
Every service is different, so there’s no fixed timescale. Print it out and use it to plan each step with confidence.
1 page · Updated October 2026
Starting a care service can feel like a maze. This free one-page roadmap sets out the key stages in order, so you can see where you are and what comes next.
It covers six stages:
Plan: your service model, regulated activity, business set-up and premises
Prepare: DBS checks, your registered manager, statement of purpose, policies and systems
Apply: pulling together a complete, consistent application
CQC assessment: what happens while CQC reviews your application
Mobilise: recruiting your team and taking your first referrals
First assessment: getting inspection-ready from day one
Every service is different, so there’s no fixed timescale. Print it out and use it to plan each step with confidence.
1 page · Updated October 2026