Most services have a complaints policy and a log. They have a process for acknowledging, investigating and responding within a set timeframe. This is as true for domiciliary services and supported living as it is for residential care. The Listening to and responding to feedback KLOE asks for something more substantive.
It asks whether the service uses complaints as a source of learning and whether people feel confident raising concerns. It also asks whether the process is transparent, compassionate and person-centred. A responsive service treats each complaint as valuable information.
Low complaint volumes can indicate a service where people feel confident and well-supported. They can equally reflect a culture in which speaking up feels uncertain.
The practice dilemma
When a complaint arrives, the natural response is to resolve it quickly and move on. Complaints are time-consuming, and in a small team they can feel personal.
That approach, however, yields scant evidence. A record of two or three complaints over eighteen months, each closed within a week, will prompt an inspector to ask questions. Brief notes alone are insufficient. The pattern raises a straightforward question: are people raising concerns, and are those concerns being documented?
What the Listening to and responding to feedback KLOE sets out
The scope of this KLOE covers feedback and complaints, access to advocacy, and support for unpaid carers. At Good level, people should feel confident that their concerns will be taken seriously. They should be involved in developing solutions. Learning from complaints should be embedded in practice. The service should keep people informed about how their feedback has been addressed (CQC, 2026).
Regulation 16 sets the statutory baseline. Providers must have an effective system for receiving, handling and responding to complaints. The framework builds on that baseline and asks what constitutes good practice.
Three qualities that strong complaints evidence demonstrates
First, ensure people understand the complaints process. Evidence includes accessible information on how to raise a concern. It also includes records confirming the process was explained on joining. Supervision notes covering everyday concerns also count.
Second, each complaint is thoroughly investigated and the process is documented. A good record covers what was examined, who was consulted, what was found, and what followed. The quality of the investigation matters more than the outcome.
Third, the service learns from complaints. Learning should be evident beyond the complaints file: in supervision notes, team meeting records, and changes to practice. A complaint that drives a revised process, noted at the next team meeting, is an example of connected governance. CQC associates this with Good and Outstanding ratings.
When complaint volumes are low
Some services receive very few formal complaints. Low volumes can reflect excellent care or a culture in which raising concerns feels difficult. CQC examines how the service proactively seeks feedback. Staff interviews provide evidence of whether a genuine speak-up culture exists.
Services with low complaint volumes benefit from a proactive approach to feedback. Regular, documented opportunities for people and families to share concerns informally build a body of evidence. That evidence contextualises the complaint figures. Proactive feedback-seeking is evidence in its own right.
References and regulatory sources
- Care Quality Commission (2026). Draft assessment framework for adult social care. Published 19 March 2026. Available at: cqc.org.uk
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, Regulation 16 — Receiving and acting on complaints.