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{{org_field_name}}

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

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Communication and Engagement with Service Users and Families Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that {{org_field_name}} fosters an open, transparent, and inclusive communication culture with service users and their families. Effective communication and engagement contribute to a high standard of care, promoting trust, dignity, and person-centred services. This policy aligns with the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016, the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, and CIW best practices.

This policy also supports compliance with The Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended, including requirements relating to the statement of purpose, monitoring and improvement, duty of candour, information, language and communication, respect and sensitivity, complaints, records, and quality assurance. The service will have regard to the Welsh Government statutory guidance for regulated services in Wales and CIW inspection expectations when implementing this policy.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all staff, including care workers, nurses, management, and administrative personnel at {{org_field_name}}, as well as external professionals involved in the care of residents. It covers all communication methods and engagement strategies with service users and their families, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for all.

For the purpose of this policy, “families and representatives” includes relatives, friends, advocates, attorneys, deputies, appointees, placing authorities, service commissioners, and any other person who has legal authority or the consent of the individual to act on the individual’s behalf. Staff must not assume that information can be shared with a family member unless the individual has consented, the person has legal authority, or sharing is otherwise lawful and necessary to protect the individual’s well-being.

3. Principles of Effective Communication and Engagement

We are committed to:

• Person-Centred Communication: Ensuring communication is tailored to each resident’s needs and preferences.
• Transparency and Honesty: Providing clear and accurate information regarding care plans, health updates, and policies.
• Duty of Candour: Acting in an open, honest and transparent way with service users and, where appropriate, their representatives when things go wrong, including explaining what has happened, sharing the outcome of relevant investigations where lawful and appropriate, offering an apology where appropriate, and identifying learning to reduce the risk of recurrence.
• Respect and Dignity: Encouraging mutual respect in all communications.
• Active Listening: Giving service users and families opportunities to express concerns, suggestions, and feedback.
• Advocacy and Supported Decision-Making: Service users will be supported to access independent advocacy, self-advocacy or other representative support where this is needed or requested to help them understand information, express their views, make decisions, raise concerns or participate in care planning and reviews.
• Inclusion and Accessibility: Using communication methods suited to different abilities, such as sign language, easy-read materials, and translation services where needed.
• Welsh Language and Active Offer: We will identify, record and meet each service user’s language needs, including Welsh language needs, as far as reasonably practicable. Where a service user’s first language or preferred language is Welsh, we will work towards providing an Active Offer so that the person does not have to ask for Welsh language communication, information or support.
• Continuous Improvement: Regularly reviewing communication strategies based on feedback and regulatory requirements.

4. Communication with Service Users

Ensuring that service users are fully informed, engaged, and comfortable with their care is a priority at {{org_field_name}}.

• Daily Interactions:
  • Staff engage with residents using clear, respectful, and friendly communication.
  • Residents are encouraged to express their needs, preferences, and concerns.
  • Staff must check that service users have understood information provided to them and must adapt their communication to the person’s level of understanding, communication needs, sensory needs, cognitive needs, preferred language, culture and circumstances. Staff must allow sufficient time for the person to process information, ask questions, express their wishes and make informed choices.
• Care Planning Discussions:
  • Residents are actively involved in developing and reviewing their care plans.
  • Communication needs, preferences and support arrangements must be recorded in the service user’s personal plan and reviewed whenever the personal plan is reviewed, or sooner if the person’s needs change. This includes the person’s preferred name, preferred language, communication aids, sensory support, cognitive support, cultural or religious communication preferences, consent to share information, and the people the service user wishes to be involved in discussions about their care.
  • Staff ensure that residents understand their rights, choices, and care options.
• Accessible Communication Methods:
  • For residents with sensory impairments, we provide large-print materials, audio formats, and sign language support.
  • Communication aids such as picture cards or speech-generating devices are available for residents with speech difficulties.
  • Communication support may include, where appropriate, Welsh language communication, British Sign Language, Makaton, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Talking Mats, communication passports, easy-read information, objects of reference, photographs, visual timetables, translation or interpretation services, assistive technology, hearing loops, speech-generating devices, or other aids identified through assessment.
  • Staff must ensure that communication aids and equipment are accessible, in good working order, used consistently, and reviewed when the service user’s communication needs change. Staff must receive guidance or training on how to use any communication aid or approach required by a service user.
• Confidentiality and Privacy:
  • Personal discussions are conducted in private settings to protect confidentiality.
  • Information about a service user will only be shared where there is a lawful basis to do so, such as the service user’s consent, a legal obligation, a safeguarding concern, a best-interests decision under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, or another lawful and necessary reason. Staff must confirm who the service user has consented to receive information and must record this clearly. Where a person lacks capacity to make a specific decision about information sharing, decisions must be made in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and must be in the person’s best interests.

4.1 Mental Capacity, Consent and Representatives

Service users will be presumed to have capacity to make their own decisions unless it is established that they lack capacity for a specific decision at the specific time the decision needs to be made. Staff must support service users to make their own decisions wherever possible by providing information in a way they can understand and by giving them time and support to communicate their wishes.

Where a service user lacks capacity to make a specific decision about communication, information sharing or family involvement, staff must follow the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and any relevant best-interests process. The person’s past and present wishes, feelings, beliefs and values must be considered, and relevant representatives must be consulted where appropriate.

Staff must check and record whether any person claiming to act on behalf of the service user has legal authority, such as a Lasting Power of Attorney, deputyship, appointeeship or other lawful authority. Family involvement must always be balanced with the service user’s rights, wishes, privacy, confidentiality and well-being.

5. Engagement with Families and Representatives

Maintaining strong relationships with families and advocates ensures residents receive holistic and inclusive care.

• Regular Updates and Meetings:
  • Families and representatives will receive regular updates about the service user’s well-being and any significant changes in care where the service user has consented, where the person has legal authority to receive the information, or where sharing the information is lawful, necessary and in the service user’s best interests.
  • Quarterly family meetings provide a platform for discussing care strategies and raising concerns.
• Open-Door Policy:
  • Families are encouraged to contact the care home at any time to discuss their concerns.
  • The management team is available for scheduled consultations.
• Involvement in Care Planning:
  • Families, representatives, advocates, placing authorities and relevant professionals will be invited to contribute to care planning and review meetings where this is agreed by the service user, where they have legal authority to be involved, or where involvement is appropriate as part of a best-interests process. The service user’s wishes, feelings, rights and personal outcomes will remain central to all discussions.
  • Staff respect family input while prioritising the resident’s wishes and best interests.
• Support for Families:
  • Bereavement support and counselling are offered when needed.
  • Information on available resources and advocacy services is provided.
• Safeguarding Communication:

Where a safeguarding concern affects a service user, the service will communicate with the service user in a way they can understand and, where appropriate and lawful, with their representative. Communication will take account of the person’s wishes, safety, confidentiality, mental capacity, communication needs and the requirements of the Wales Safeguarding Procedures. Staff must not delay urgent safeguarding referrals in order to consult family members where immediate action is required to protect a person from abuse, neglect or improper treatment.

6. Complaints, Concerns and Feedback Mechanism

We welcome complaints, concerns, compliments and feedback as an important way of improving the quality of care, communication and engagement. Service users, families, representatives, advocates, visitors, staff and professionals may raise concerns verbally, in writing, by email, through surveys, through meetings, through suggestion boxes, or through any other accessible method.

Raising a Concern or Complaint

Service users and representatives will be given information about how to raise a concern or complaint, who to contact, how the complaint will be handled, expected timescales, and how they can access support to make a complaint. Information about complaints will be available in accessible formats, including large print, easy read, translated information, Welsh language information or other formats where required.

Support and Advocacy

Service users will be supported to raise concerns or complaints and may involve a family member, representative, independent advocate or other person of their choice. Information will be provided about advocacy services, Llais, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, CIW and other relevant bodies where appropriate.

Responding to Complaints

All complaints will be acknowledged, recorded, investigated and responded to in line with the organisation’s complaints policy. The response will explain the findings, any actions taken, any apology where appropriate, and any learning or improvement identified. Where a complaint identifies a safeguarding concern, the safeguarding policy and Wales Safeguarding Procedures must be followed without delay.

Recording and Learning

The service will keep records of complaints, concerns, investigations, responses, actions taken and outcomes. Complaints and concerns will be analysed to identify themes, trends, recurring issues and areas for improvement. Learning from complaints will be shared with staff and used to improve care, communication and engagement.

Regulatory Requests

Where CIW requests a summary of complaints, responses and subsequent action, the service will provide this within 28 days, or within any other timescale required by law or the regulator.

7. Use of Technology in Communication

Technology may be used to support communication, family contact, engagement, independence and access to information, where this is appropriate to the service user’s needs, wishes and abilities. This may include video calls, email, digital care planning systems, electronic newsletters, secure apps, assistive technology, speech-generating devices, tablets or other digital communication tools.

Consent and Choice

Technology will only be used in a way that respects the service user’s consent, privacy, dignity, confidentiality and mental capacity. Staff must check whether the service user wishes to use technology and whether they need support to do so. Where a person lacks capacity to consent to a specific use of technology, a best-interests decision must be made and recorded.

Digital Inclusion

Service users will not be disadvantaged if they do not wish to use technology or are unable to use it. Alternative communication methods, including face-to-face meetings, telephone calls, letters, accessible written information or advocacy support, will be offered.

Social Media, Photographs and Public Communication

Photographs, videos, names, personal stories or identifiable information about service users must not be shared on social media, the website, newsletters or other public platforms unless valid consent has been obtained and recorded. Consent must be specific, informed and reviewable. Staff must respect any refusal or withdrawal of consent.

Confidentiality and Security

Digital communication must be secure and must comply with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and organisational confidentiality procedures. Staff must not use personal devices, personal social media accounts or unsecured platforms to share confidential information about service users.

8. Staff Training on Communication and Engagement

All staff undergo training to ensure effective and empathetic communication with residents and their families.

• Mandatory Communication Training:
  • Staff receive training on verbal, non-verbal, and written communication.
  • Specific training on dementia communication techniques is provided where applicable.
• Regulatory and Rights-Based Communication Training:

Staff will receive training and guidance appropriate to their role on duty of candour, confidentiality, consent, mental capacity, advocacy, Welsh language and Active Offer, equality and diversity, anti-discriminatory practice, safeguarding communication, complaints handling, professional boundaries, record keeping and the Social Care Wales Code of Professional Practice. Training will be refreshed as required and when legislation, guidance, CIW expectations or organisational procedures change.

• Cultural Awareness and Inclusivity:
  • Staff are trained on recognising and respecting diverse cultural communication styles.
  • Training covers language barriers and alternative communication techniques.
• Handling Difficult Conversations:
  • Staff are equipped with skills to discuss sensitive topics such as end-of-life care and health deterioration with empathy and professionalism.
  • Staff must be supported to communicate honestly, sensitively and professionally when discussing incidents, complaints, safeguarding concerns, deterioration in health, end-of-life care, changes to care needs, family conflict, distress, bereavement or situations where expectations cannot be met. Staff must escalate complex or high-risk communication issues to the manager or senior person on duty.

9. Monitoring, Quality Assurance and Compliance

The service will monitor the effectiveness of communication and engagement through regular quality assurance activity, including feedback from service users, families, representatives, advocates, staff, professionals, placing authorities and commissioners where applicable.

Communication Audits

The manager will ensure that communication records, personal plans, consent records, complaints, compliments, meeting minutes, survey responses, care reviews and family communication records are audited to confirm that communication is person-centred, lawful, accessible and effective.

Feedback and Improvement

Feedback will be analysed to identify themes, trends, gaps, good practice and areas for improvement. Where improvements are required, actions will be recorded, allocated to a responsible person, given a timescale and reviewed for completion. Outcomes and learning will be shared with staff, service users and representatives where appropriate.

Responsible Individual Oversight

The Responsible Individual will consider communication and engagement as part of their oversight of the service and as part of the quality-of-care review process. The quality-of-care review will take account of feedback, complaints, safeguarding matters, whistleblowing, notifiable incidents, audits, inspection findings, action plans and evidence that the service is supporting people to achieve their personal outcomes.

CIW Compliance

The service will maintain evidence to demonstrate compliance with CIW expectations, the statement of purpose, the written guide to the service, the Regulated Services Regulations, Welsh Government statutory guidance and relevant Social Care Wales codes and guidance. Inspection findings and regulatory feedback will be used to improve communication, engagement and outcomes for service users.

9.1 Written Guide, Accessible Information and Service Information

Service users and, where appropriate, their representatives will be given information about the service in a format they can understand. This includes the written guide to the service, information about how to raise a concern or complaint, advocacy information, how to access CIW inspection reports, how to contact the manager or Responsible Individual, and how to contribute views about the running of the service.

Information will be reviewed at least annually and updated when required. It will be made available in appropriate formats, including Welsh, large print, easy read, audio, translated formats, visual formats or other communication methods where reasonably practicable. Staff will support service users to understand the information provided and will record where additional support has been required.

10. Related Policies

This policy should be read in conjunction with:

• CHW07 – Person-Centred Care Policy
• CHW11 – Safe Care and Treatment Policy
• CHW14 – Receiving and Acting on Complaints Policy
• CHW29 – Whistleblowing (Speaking Up) Policy
• CHW38 – End of Life and Palliative Care Policy

11. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed at least annually, or sooner if there are changes in legislation, Welsh Government guidance, CIW requirements, Social Care Wales guidance, the statement of purpose, organisational needs, safeguarding learning, complaints themes, inspection findings, quality-of-care review outcomes or feedback from service users, families, representatives or staff. Updates will be communicated to staff through supervision, team meetings, training, policy briefings and other appropriate methods. Where changes directly affect service users or representatives, these will be communicated in an accessible and timely way.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
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