Warm, reliable company
in your own home
Loneliness is not a minor inconvenience. It affects appetite, sleep, mood, confidence and physical health.
Warm, reliable company
Why Companionship Matters
Many older and vulnerable adults live alone, have lost a partner or friends,
or can no longer get out as easily as they used to. Days can become long and quiet, and small problems can go unnoticed.
Companionship brings back what isolation takes away: routine, conversation, a reason to get dressed and go out, and someone who notices when things are not quite right. For families, it provides reassurance that someone they trust is checking in and spending real time with the person they love.
At ML Care Group, we believe companionship is a meaningful form of support. It promotes wellbeing, independence and dignity, and it can help people stay safely at home for longer.
Our Approach
Every person we support is matched with a companion who suits their personality, interests and preferences. We take time to learn what matters to them, such as their routines, hobbies, faith, favourite topics of conversation, and how they like their tea. We then build a personalised support plan around this.
Consistency is central to what we do. Wherever possible, the same companion visits each time so that trust and friendship can grow naturally.
Sit-In Services
Our sit-in service gives someone a reassuring presence at home for a set period. This is often so that a family carer can take a break, or at times when the person feels anxious or vulnerable being alone.
| Sit-in option | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Day sitting | A companion stays for a few hours during the day, providing company, supervision and practical help while family members work, run errands or rest. |
| Evening sitting | Support through the late afternoon and evening, when many people feel lonelier or more unsettled. Our companion stays until the person is comfortable and settled for the night. |
| Overnight sitting | A companion stays overnight to offer reassurance and company, and to be available if the person wakes. Especially helpful after a hospital discharge, a bereavement or a period of illness. |
| Respite sitting for family carers | Planned, regular cover so family carers can rest, keep their own appointments, see friends or simply have time for themselves, knowing their loved one is safe and in good company. |
Our Service Boundaries
Why Choose ML Care Group
Advisory note for the Directors and Registered Manager, prepared by Compassionate4U Limited
- The personal care boundary.
Companionship and sitting services are not CQC-regulated activities on their own. Once staff assist with washing, dressing, eating, toileting or medication, the support becomes personal care, which is regulated and inspectable. The greatest risk is gradual drift, where a companion “just helps” on a busy day. A written scope of services, staff training on boundaries, and a clear trigger for reassessment are essential. - Overnight sitting.
This is where drift most often occurs. A person who needs help to the toilet during the night is receiving personal care. Night sitting should be fully assessed before it begins. Holiday support carries the same personal care drift risk as overnight sitting, only more so. Each trip should include a pre-assessment, a risk assessment, lone-working arrangements, and a check that their insurance covers staff travelling away from home. - Same provider, same standards.
ML Care Group is registering for supported living, and CQC may consider the provider’s wider conduct, including recruitment,
safeguarding and governance. The companionship service should operate to the same standards: safer recruitment, supervision, safeguarding referrals and incident recording. - Registration timing and marketing.
While the CQC registration application is in progress, this service should not be marketed in any way that suggests regulated care is available. Once registration is granted, the directors can decide whether to reference companionship in the Statement of Purpose as a complementary offer. - Medication.
Collecting prescriptions is appropriate. Prompting or administering medication should be excluded from companion roles unless delivered within the regulated service.