Being an independent quality checker

Our Stay Up Late Assistants talk about their work in supported living homes and why it matters

We wanted to share a bit about the work our Assistants do as Quality Checkers. Here is Rohan and Jaydog (pictured left), both Stay Up Late Assistants and campaign ambassadors, chatting about the work.

What is a quality checker?

Rohan: A quality checker is someone who visits supported living homes to see what their support is like. They should be a person with lived experience because then they have an understanding of what it feels like to live in those situations.

Jaydog: We have experience, we understand what people may need and what things feel like more than the people who are running it.

What does a Quality Checker do?

Rohan: We go to someone’s house. We ask people questions based on Stay Up Late’s Ordinary Manifesto. We use the manifesto as a gauge for what is working in that home and what is not. We ask people what they enjoy, what they’d like to do and what relationships they have.

We also speak to managers so they get to share their opinions and we ask them important questions. These are questions that the CQC don’t usually ask. They are questions about small things that matter. Like, ‘did you choose the colour of your room’?

Why is it important?

Rohan: So, you spot things other people may not have as we are coming at it from a different viewpoint. We don’t just notice if the house is clean, but also whether they actually like the space and the location. We also ask for improvements so that we have feedback that we give in easy read with changes.

Jaydog: I think it’s a case of really seeing and talking to the people that live there and making sure they have a social life. See whether they are part of their community and whether they are getting the right support.

What is the best bit about being a quality checker?

Rohan: Meeting a nice group of people and getting to explore different places. And getting given homemade biscuits!

Jaydog: Defo the teamwork and getting to meet new people but it’s also a sensitive job and we are grateful when people share with us.

If you are interested in working with Rohan, Jaydog or any of the other Stay Up Late Assistants be sure to email us on info@stayuplate.org. They never miss a thing!