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Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

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Accessing People’s Homes Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that {{org_field_name}} staff access the homes of the people we support in a safe, respectful, and professional manner. As a domiciliary care provider, we recognise that entering someone’s home is a privilege that requires consent, discretion, and adherence to strict professional standards.

This policy supports compliance with the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011, the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Registration) Regulations 2011, the Health and Social Care Standards: My support, my life, the SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers, and all relevant Care Inspectorate guidance, including requirements relating to personal planning, records, notifications, self-evaluation and improvement.

Our commitments include:

• Respecting the privacy, dignity, and autonomy of the people we support.
• Ensuring safe and authorised access to service users’ homes.
• Providing clear guidance to staff on professional conduct when entering private residences.
• Safeguarding service users, staff, and property during visits.
• Implementing procedures to respond to concerns, refusals, or emergency access requirements.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All care staff, including full-time, part-time, and agency workers providing home care services.
• Supervisors, managers, and coordinators overseeing home visits.
• Service users and their families, ensuring they understand their rights regarding home access.
• External professionals and contractors who may require home access under agreed circumstances.

This policy also applies to:

• Volunteers, students, trainees and shadowing staff where they may enter a person’s home or have access to home-entry information.
• Office-based, coordination, rostering and on-call staff who hold, record, share or update home access information, including key safe codes.
• Contractors or visiting professionals where access is arranged or facilitated by {{org_field_name}}.
• Any person carrying out a regulated role who must have appropriate PVG Scheme membership before undertaking that role, in line with the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 and the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020.

3. Legal and Regulatory Framework

This policy should be read and applied in line with:

• Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.
• Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011, including Regulation 3, which requires care services to promote quality and safety, respect independence and afford people choice, and Regulation 4, which requires proper provision for the health, welfare and safety of service users, respect for privacy and dignity, appropriate infection prevention and control, and lawful use of any restrictions.
• Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Registration) Regulations 2011, including requirements relating to records and information required by the Care Inspectorate.
• Health and Social Care Standards: My support, my life, including dignity, compassion, inclusion, responsive care and confidence in the organisation providing care and support.
• Care Inspectorate quality framework for support services: care at home, including supported living models of support, and Care Inspectorate expectations on core assurances, self-evaluation and improvement.
• Care Inspectorate guidance on records that registered care services must keep and notifications that must be made.
• SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers, 2024 version.
• Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.
• Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007.
• Human Rights Act 1998.
• Equality Act 2010.
• Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.
• Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 and Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020.
• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and relevant health and safety regulations.
• Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019, where access arrangements, missed visits, lone working or visit scheduling may affect safe, high-quality care. The Act’s provisions came into force on 1 April 2024.
• Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 and Duty of Candour Procedure (Scotland) Regulations 2018, where an unintended or unexpected incident results in harm that meets the duty of candour threshold.

4. Gaining Permission and Respecting Personal Boundaries

4.1 Consent and Authorisation

• Staff must obtain explicit permission before entering a service user’s home.
• Where a person may be unable to make, understand, retain or communicate a decision about access to their home, staff must follow the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 principles. Any arrangement for access must benefit the person, be the least restrictive option, take account of the person’s present and past wishes and feelings, and involve any legally authorised attorney, guardian or other relevant representative where appropriate.
• Service agreements must include clear consent regarding home access procedures.
• Consent must be treated as an ongoing process and not a one-off agreement. A person may withdraw or change their consent to entry at any time. Staff must respect the person’s current wishes unless there is an immediate concern that the person is at risk of serious harm or there is another lawful basis to escalate concerns.
• Where a person’s capacity, communication or decision-making appears to fluctuate, staff must give the person time, support and accessible information to make their wishes known. Staff must record the circumstances, the support offered, the person’s expressed wishes and any action taken.
• Home access arrangements must be recorded in the person’s personal plan within 28 days of the person first receiving the service. The arrangements must be reviewed when requested by the person or their representative, when there is any significant change in the person’s health, welfare, safety, communication needs, risk level or living arrangements, and at least every six months.

4.2 Respecting Privacy and Independence

• Staff must knock and wait before entering, even if they have key access.
• If an individual declines entry, staff must respect their wishes and report concerns if refusal poses a risk.
• Entry must be conducted in a professional and non-intrusive manner, ensuring service users feel in control.
• Personal belongings and household arrangements must be respected at all times.

4.3 Communication and Accessible Information

Staff must support each person to understand and express their wishes about home access in a way that is right for them. This may include using plain English, interpretation, translation, visual prompts, communication aids, easy read information, family or carer support, or advocacy where appropriate.

Any communication needs, preferred method of communication and agreed support arrangements must be recorded in the person’s personal plan. Staff must not assume consent because a person does not verbally object. Where a person communicates through behaviour, gestures, facial expression or other non-verbal means, staff must take this into account and seek advice from managers, families, representatives or relevant professionals where needed.

5. Safe and Secure Home Access Procedures

5.1 Key Handling, Key Safes and Secure Entry

Where key access, a key safe, fob, door code or other entry method is required:

• The arrangement must be agreed with the person and/or their legally authorised representative and recorded in the person’s personal plan.
• The personal plan must state who has authority to use the access method, when it may be used, and any restrictions or preferences set by the person.
• Staff must only use keys, key safes, fobs or access codes for agreed care and support purposes.
• Keys must never be labelled with the person’s name, address or other identifying information.
• Key safe codes and access information must be treated as confidential personal information and must only be shared with staff who need the information to provide care safely.
• Staff must not store key safe codes or entry information on personal mobile phones, personal notebooks or unapproved systems.
• Staff must not duplicate keys, lend keys, remove keys from agreed storage arrangements, or take keys home unless this has been expressly authorised by a manager as part of an agreed procedure.
• Any lost key, suspected disclosure of a key safe code, faulty key safe, unauthorised access, or concern about home security must be reported immediately to a manager and recorded as an incident.
• The manager must consider whether the person, representative, landlord, family, police, commissioner or Care Inspectorate must be informed, depending on the circumstances and level of risk.
• Key safe codes and access arrangements must be reviewed when staff leave, when there is a concern about security, after any incident, and during personal plan reviews.

5.2 Use of Door Entry Systems

• If a service user has an intercom or access control system, staff must follow instructions provided in the care plan.
• Staff must not allow unauthorised individuals to enter alongside them.

5.3 No Reply, Missed Visit or Unexpected Access Concern

If a person does not answer the door or staff cannot gain access, staff must:

• Check the rota, electronic call monitoring system, personal plan and any visit notes to confirm the correct address, time, access method and known risks.
• Knock or ring the bell and wait for a reasonable period, taking account of the person’s mobility, hearing, communication and cognitive needs.
• Try to contact the person by telephone where this is part of the agreed protocol.
• Contact the office, coordinator or on-call manager before leaving the property, unless there is an immediate emergency requiring emergency services.
• Follow the person’s agreed no-reply protocol, including contacting agreed family members, representatives, neighbours, housing staff, telecare responders or emergency contacts where appropriate.
• Consider whether the visit is time-critical, for example medication, nutrition, hydration, continence care, pressure care, welfare checks, moving and assisting, or support linked to known health or safeguarding risks.
• Escalate immediately to a manager where there are signs of risk, such as the person being visible but unresponsive, calls for help, unusual noises, mail or medication not taken in, signs of a fall, damage to doors or windows, smell of gas, fire, flood, or other environmental danger.
• Contact emergency services where there is an immediate concern for life, serious injury, fire, gas leak, crime, forced entry, or another urgent safety risk.

Staff must not force entry into a person’s home. Where emergency access is required, this must be managed by the emergency services or another person with lawful authority.

All no-reply, missed visit and emergency access concerns must be recorded accurately, including times, calls made, advice received, decisions taken, people informed and the outcome.

6. Professional Conduct When Inside a Service User’s Home

6.1 Staff Behaviour and Boundaries

• Staff must act professionally at all times and avoid informal behaviours (e.g., sitting in private areas unless invited).
• Staff must not use personal mobile phones during visits except in an emergency or where authorised by a manager because no other safe communication method is available. Staff must not take photographs, videos or audio recordings in a person’s home unless this is part of an agreed care, safeguarding, incident or clinical process, the lawful basis has been confirmed, and the recording is made and stored only on approved organisational systems. Staff must never post, share or discuss information about a person, their home or their care on social media.
• Staff must avoid personal conversations or discussing other service users.
• Only essential areas of the home should be accessed—staff must not enter bedrooms or private spaces unless care duties require it.
• Staff must carry and show official identification when requested. Staff must introduce themselves, explain the purpose of the visit and check that the person is comfortable for the visit to proceed.
• Staff must record arrival and departure times using the organisation’s approved system. Any late arrival, early departure, missed visit or shortened visit must be reported in line with the missed visit and incident reporting procedures.
• Staff must not bring unauthorised people, family members, friends, pets or other visitors into a person’s home.

6.2 Infection Prevention and Control

Staff must follow current infection prevention and control procedures, including hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, appropriate use of PPE, safe disposal of waste and cleaning of any equipment used during the visit.

Staff must follow any person-specific infection prevention measures recorded in the personal plan or risk assessment. Where there are new symptoms, outbreak concerns or environmental hygiene risks, staff must report these promptly so that the personal plan, risk assessment and any professional advice can be updated.

Staff should respect a person’s preference about shoes being removed where it is safe to do so. Where removing footwear would create a risk to staff safety, infection control, moving and assisting or emergency evacuation, staff must explain this respectfully and consider alternatives such as overshoes where appropriate.

6.3 Handling Personal and Household Items

• Staff must not request, borrow, take, hold or benefit from a person’s money, bank cards, valuables or property. Staff must only accept gifts in line with the Gifts, Hospitality and Professional Boundaries Policy. Any offer of money, valuables, significant gifts, loans, bequests or unusual financial arrangements must be declined, recorded and reported to a manager.
• Household tasks must be performed as agreed in the care plan—staff must not take on tasks outside of their role.
• Any damage or breakages must be reported immediately.

7. Dealing with Access Refusals and Safety Concerns

Where a person refuses access, staff must:

• Remain calm, respectful and non-confrontational.
• Check whether the person understands who the staff member is and the purpose of the visit.
• Offer the person time and support to communicate their wishes.
• Respect the refusal unless there is an immediate concern that the person is at risk of serious harm or there is another lawful reason to escalate.
• Contact the office, coordinator or on-call manager before leaving, unless this would place staff at risk.
• Record the refusal, including the person’s words or behaviour, the time, known risks, advice sought and actions taken.
• Ensure the personal plan and risk assessment are reviewed if refusals are repeated, unusual, linked to distress, or likely to affect health, welfare or safety.

Where refusal of access creates a safeguarding concern, staff must follow the Adult Support and Protection Policy and local adult protection procedures.

7.1 Managing Distress, Aggression, Threats or Unsafe Situations

Staff must use a calm, respectful and trauma-informed approach. Staff must not enter, or must leave, if they believe there is a risk of violence, abuse, intimidation, environmental danger, weapons, unsafe animals, substance-related risk, or any other immediate threat.

Staff must withdraw to a place of safety and contact their manager, the office or emergency services as appropriate. Staff must not try to physically intervene unless this is necessary to protect life or prevent immediate serious harm and only where it is safe and lawful to do so.

The incident must be recorded, reported and reviewed. The person’s personal plan, lone working risk assessment and access arrangements must be updated where needed. Staff affected by violence, threats, abuse or distressing incidents must be offered debriefing and support.

7.2 Emergency Access Situations

If there are immediate concerns for a service user’s safety (e.g., no response, visible distress through a window):

• Attempt to contact the individual and emergency contacts.
• Notify line management and follow emergency procedures.
• If urgent, contact emergency services and document the situation.

Staff must not force entry, break windows, damage doors or otherwise enter unlawfully. If urgent access is required, staff must contact emergency services and follow their instructions. Any forced entry by emergency services must be recorded as an incident and the manager must consider whether family, representatives, commissioners, landlords, insurers, police and the Care Inspectorate need to be informed.

7.3 Notifications, Incidents and Duty of Candour

The manager must consider whether an access-related incident must be notified to the Care Inspectorate in line with current Care Inspectorate notification guidance. This may include, depending on the circumstances, serious injury, death, allegation of abuse, police involvement, significant incident, missing person concern, outbreak/infection concern, or any event that affects the health, welfare or safety of a person experiencing care.

Where an unintended or unexpected incident has resulted in harm that may meet the organisational duty of candour threshold, the manager must follow the Duty of Candour Policy and the Duty of Candour Procedure (Scotland) Regulations 2018.

All decisions about whether to notify, not notify, or seek advice must be recorded, including the rationale, timescales, actions taken and any learning identified.

8. Data Protection, Confidentiality and Information Security

Information about a person’s home, address, routines, vulnerabilities, access arrangements, key safe codes, emergency contacts and personal plan must be treated as confidential and handled in line with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and {{org_field_name}} information governance procedures.

Staff must:

• Only access home-entry information where they need it to provide or coordinate care and support.
• Keep access information secure and not share it with unauthorised people.
• Use only approved systems for recording, storing or sharing key safe codes, door codes, personal plans and visit records.
• Complete records discreetly and respectfully.
• Avoid discussing visits, addresses, access arrangements or personal circumstances where they may be overheard.
• Report any lost device, misdirected message, unauthorised disclosure, suspected data breach or incorrect access information immediately.

Where access information needs to be shared with emergency services, health professionals, commissioners, family members or representatives, this must be limited to what is necessary, proportionate and lawful in the circumstances.

9. Monitoring, Audit, Self-Evaluation and Improvement

{{org_field_name}} will monitor the safe and respectful accessing of people’s homes through:

• Regular review of no-reply, missed visit, late visit, early departure and emergency access records.
• Audits of personal plans to confirm that access arrangements, consent, communication needs, key safe information, emergency contacts and no-reply protocols are current.
• Spot checks, observations and staff supervision to confirm respectful practice, professional boundaries and compliance with this policy.
• Review of incidents, complaints, safeguarding concerns, Care Inspectorate notifications and duty of candour events to identify learning.
• Feedback from people experiencing care, families, representatives, staff and commissioners.
• Self-evaluation against the relevant Care Inspectorate quality framework, core assurances, Health and Social Care Standards and SSSC Codes of Practice.
• Action planning where audits, incidents, feedback or inspection findings identify improvement needs.

Learning from monitoring and self-evaluation will be shared with staff and used to update training, personal plans, risk assessments, procedures and this policy.

10. Related Policies

This policy should be read alongside:

• Safeguarding and Adult Protection Policy.
• Infection Prevention and Control Policy.
• Regulatory Compliance with the Care Inspectorate Policy.
• Health and Safety Policy.
• Confidentiality and Data Protection Policy.

• Personal Planning Policy.
• Missed and Late Visits Policy.
• Lone Working Policy.
• Incident Reporting and Management Policy.
• Care Inspectorate Notifications Policy.
• Duty of Candour Policy.
• Adult Support and Protection Policy.
• Adults with Incapacity and Decision-Making Policy.
• Consent Policy.
• Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Policy.
• Staff Code of Conduct and Professional Boundaries Policy.
• Gifts, Hospitality and Financial Boundaries Policy.
• Mobile Phones, Photography and Social Media Policy.
• Records Management and Information Governance Policy.
• Business Continuity and Emergency Planning Policy.
• Safe Recruitment and PVG Policy.
• Violence, Aggression and Challenging Behaviour Policy.

11. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed at least annually and sooner where required because of changes to legislation, Care Inspectorate guidance, SSSC Codes of Practice, Health and Social Care Standards, organisational practice, inspection findings, incidents, complaints, safeguarding concerns, duty of candour events, audit findings or learning from people experiencing care, families, representatives or staff.

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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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