The UK's Care Consultant Accreditation Framework
Trusted, Accredited Care Consultants Verified for CQC-Regulated Providers
C-CAF is the independent accreditation framework bringing regulation, vetting and accountability to care consultancy in the UK - backed by Care England. Free for care providers to join and search.
Find a vetted consultant
Search our free directory of accredited care consultants - every member is DBS-checked, insured and independently verified.
Get Accredited
Stand out, get found, and prove your expertise. Join the directory that care providers trust.
How It Works
How will we regulate Care Consultants?
We have created a framework that ensures Care Consultants have the required legal and ethical skills to perform their roles. The Framework of accreditation is split into four parts.
Application
We assess personal information, relevant experience, qualifications, testimonials, insurance details, and any previous or current CQC registrations.
Skills Assessment
Applicants are reviewed against their evidence and invited to a panel interview to verify skills and experience in their chosen specialisms.
Documentation & DBS
Every consultant must hold a valid DBS certificate, issued within the last 12 months, kept current throughout their membership.
Monitoring
Consultants hold a directory profile with provider reviews, spot-checked by C-CAF, plus a yearly reassessment of specialisms.
Backed by Care England
Care England is the leading representative body for adult social care providers in England — working with government, members and stakeholders to build a sustainable future for the sector.
Their partnership with C-CAF reflects a shared commitment to raising standards across care consultancy.
The Problem We're Solving
Care Consultancy Has No Formal Regulation — Until Now
As CQC faces increasing demand, more care providers are turning to consultants for support — but consultancy quality varies widely with no formal oversight. Providers are often left unable to verify insurance, DBS status, qualifications or experience before commissioning work. C-CAF closes that gap.
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150,000
Care consultants are estimated to operate in UK social care with no formal way to verify who they are.
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250,000
Consultants work in the NHS under a regulated tender framework - social care has had no equivalent, until C-CAF.
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100%
Of C-CAF accredited consultants hold verified DBS, insurance and panel-assessed qualifications.
Our Partners
Join the UK's Trusted Care Consultant Network
Free for care providers. Accreditation open now for consultants.