Choosing the right care for yourself or a loved one involves more than looking at the services available. The way care is delivered matters too, particularly when someone is receiving support in their own home.
The 6 Cs of care provide a set of values that can help describe what good care should look and feel like. At Trinity Homecare, we use these principles alongside our training, care planning and ongoing support for clients and carers.
The 6 Cs were introduced by the NHS in December 2012 as part of the Compassion in Practice strategy, launched by Jane Cummings, then Chief Nursing Officer for England. The framework was designed to help put values such as compassion, dignity and respect at the heart of health and social care.
In this guide, we’ll explain what each of the 6 Cs means and how they can be reflected in care at home.
What are the 6 Cs in health and social care?
The 6 Cs are:
- Care
- Compassion
- Competence
- Communication
- Courage
- Commitment
The values are relevant across health and social care, including home care. They provide a useful way to think about the quality of support someone receives, as well as the relationships between clients, carers, families and other professionals.
1. Care
Care is about providing practical support that helps someone manage everyday life while maintaining their dignity, independence and wellbeing.
This could include personal care, mobility support, help with meals and household tasks, medication prompts or companionship, depending on the person’s needs.
How Trinity Homecare provides care
Care is at the heart of what we do. We recognise that everyone’s circumstances, routines and support needs are different, which is why care plans are developed around the individual.
Our live-in and visiting care services can provide support with everyday activities while helping clients maintain as much independence and choice as possible.
Care needs can also change over time. Regular reviews and communication with clients, families and relevant professionals help us identify when support may need to be adjusted.
2. Compassion
Compassion is about how care is provided. It means treating someone with empathy, dignity and respect and taking the time to understand what matters to them.
A compassionate approach can help build trust between a client and their carer, particularly when someone needs support with personal or sensitive aspects of daily life.
How Trinity Homecare provides compassion
We aim to provide person-led care that takes account of each client’s preferences, routines and wishes.
Our carers are trained to provide support respectfully, while encouraging clients to remain involved in decisions about their own care wherever possible.
Compassion can be reflected in small things too, from listening to someone’s concerns to understanding how they prefer to start their morning or what makes them feel comfortable at home.
3. Competence
Competence means having the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to provide safe and appropriate care.
For home care, this can be particularly important because carers may spend much of their time working independently in a client’s home. They need to understand their responsibilities, recognise changes in a person’s condition and know when to seek further advice or support.
How Trinity Homecare provides competence
We provide training to help our carers develop the skills needed for their roles and match clients with carers based on their experience, personality and care requirements.
For example, someone living with dementia may need support from a carer with relevant training and experience. We consider these requirements when making care arrangements.
Competence also means recognising when something is outside a carer’s role or expertise and knowing when to escalate a concern to a manager or appropriate healthcare professional.
4. Communication
Communication is central to effective care. It involves listening as well as speaking and making sure information is understood and shared appropriately.
Good communication can help clients feel heard and help families and care teams respond when needs or circumstances change.
How Trinity Homecare provides communication
We focus on clear communication between clients, carers, families and relevant healthcare professionals.
Providing care in someone’s own home allows for one-to-one interaction, giving carers time to listen and understand how a client is feeling and what matters to them.
Our carers and care teams also need to share relevant information appropriately, particularly when they notice changes in a client’s needs or wellbeing.
5. Courage
Courage in care means having the confidence to speak up, raise concerns and do the right thing when something needs attention.
A carer may notice a change in someone’s health, behaviour or circumstances that needs to be discussed. Speaking up early can help make sure the right people are involved.
How Trinity Homecare provides courage
Our carers have access to team managers who can provide support when they have questions or concerns.
We encourage carers to raise issues rather than feel they have to deal with everything themselves. This is particularly important in home care, where a carer may be working alone with a client rather than alongside a larger team.
Clients and families should also feel able to raise concerns or ask questions about their care. Open communication helps everyone work together more effectively.
6. Commitment
Commitment means taking responsibility for providing consistent, reliable care and continuing to develop as a care professional.
For clients receiving care at home, consistency can be particularly important. Having familiar people involved in their care can help build trust and make it easier for carers to understand their routines and preferences.
How Trinity Homecare provides commitment
We take the responsibilities of our carers seriously and provide the training, support and supervision they need to carry out their roles.
Where possible, we aim to provide continuity by matching clients with a suitable carer rather than introducing a succession of unfamiliar people.
Whether someone receives live-in or visiting care, we review arrangements as needs change and work with clients and families to maintain a consistent approach.
Bringing the 6 Cs to life: what this looks like day to day
The 6 Cs are not just values to refer to on paper. They can be reflected in the small decisions and interactions that happen throughout someone’s care.
Helping people stay independent
Supporting independence means helping clients do as much as they can for themselves, safely, with the right level of support.
At Trinity Homecare, this may include:
- Encouraging choice and control in daily routines such as meals, clothing, activities and bedtime
- Supporting mobility and confidence with safe assistance and encouragement
- Promoting social connection through companionship and meaningful conversation
- Noticing changes and reviewing the care plan when support needs change
Providing a positive experience of care
A positive care experience is about more than completing tasks. It’s also about whether someone feels listened to, respected and comfortable with the people supporting them.
We aim to provide a consistent experience by:
- Building trust through continuity and a suitable carer match
- Delivering care with kindness, dignity and respect for privacy and personal preferences
- Listening to clients and families and responding to feedback
- Keeping communication clear so clients and families know who to contact when they have questions or concerns
Delivering high quality care
High quality care relies on appropriate training, safe working practices and a willingness to review what is working.
At Trinity Homecare, this may include:
- Providing training to help carers feel confident supporting a range of needs
- Matching carers according to experience, personality and care requirements
- Reviewing care plans as needs, routines or circumstances change
- Working with families and relevant healthcare professionals where appropriate
Strengthening leadership and accountability
Strong leadership helps create a culture where carers feel supported and concerns can be raised promptly.
We support this by:
- Providing guidance and ongoing supervision from experienced managers
- Encouraging carers to speak up when something does not feel right
- Supporting reflective practice and continued development
- Creating an environment where questions and concerns can be discussed openly
Why do the 6 Cs matter in home care?
Home care is different from care delivered in a hospital, clinic or residential setting. A carer may spend a significant amount of time working independently in someone’s home, often developing a close relationship with the person they support.
That makes clear communication, appropriate training and the confidence to raise concerns particularly important.
It also means the 6 Cs can be seen in everyday interactions: respecting someone’s routines, listening to what they want, noticing changes, supporting independence and knowing when additional help may be needed.
For families choosing a care provider, the 6 Cs can therefore provide a useful starting point for asking how a provider recruits, trains, supports and supervises its carers.
How can you put the 6 Cs into practice?
The 6 Cs can also help families think about the quality of care they are looking for, whether they’re arranging live-in care or visiting care.
When speaking to a care provider, you could ask:
- Care: How will you assess my loved one’s individual care needs?
- Compassion: How do you make sure carers understand the person’s preferences and routines?
- Competence: What training do carers receive and how is their experience assessed?
- Communication: Who should the family contact if something changes or there is a concern?
- Courage: How are carers encouraged to raise concerns about a client’s wellbeing?
- Commitment: How do you support continuity and review care as needs change?
The answers can tell you more about how a provider approaches care than a list of services alone.
Frequently asked questions
When were the 6 Cs of care introduced? – The 6 Cs were introduced by the NHS in December 2012 as part of the Compassion in Practice strategy. The strategy was launched by Jane Cummings, then Chief Nursing Officer for England.
Do the 6 Cs still apply to care today? – The 6 Cs remain a useful framework for thinking about values in health and social care. They focus on care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment, all of which can inform how support is delivered.
Do the 6 Cs apply to home care? – Yes. The principles can be applied across health and social care settings, including live-in care and visiting care. In home care, values such as communication, competence and courage can be particularly important because carers often work independently in a client’s home.
Are the 6 Cs the same as the NHS Constitution? – No. The 6 Cs and the NHS Constitution are separate frameworks.
The 6 Cs were introduced through the Compassion in Practice strategy as a set of values for health and social care. The NHS Constitution sets out the principles, values, rights and responsibilities that underpin the NHS in England.
Talk to Trinity Homecare
If you’re considering home care for yourself or a loved one, our care team can talk through your circumstances and explain the options available.
Trinity Homecare provides live-in and visiting care, with support planned around the individual and their needs.
Call us on 0207 183 4884 for a confidential conversation about your care needs. Alternatively, you can complete our online form and we’ll get back to you.
