Our story
Family-run care, rooted in North Wales
Three sisters who started with a vision, backed by over 60 years of experience between them to make it real.
It started with a shared belief: that everyone deserves to stay at home.
Tender Loving Care was founded in 2008 by three sisters from North Wales: Olwen Dean, Cathy Williams and Helen Darling. Each had spent years working in care, and each had seen first-hand what it looked like when care was done well and when it wasn't.
They founded TLC with a straightforward purpose: to provide the kind of home care that they would want for their own family. Warm, reliable, skilled and above all else, genuinely human.
Between them, they brought decades of combined care experience. What they built wasn't a corporate care business. It was a family business, built on trust, in the communities of Conwy County where they had grown up and still lived.
Today, TLC has grown to a team of over 120 carers, supervisors and admin staff, all trained the TLC Way and sharing those same founding values. Diolch to everyone who has been part of our journey.
Our values
Five words that guide everything we do.
Dignity
Every person we care for is treated with complete dignity and respect, without exception.
Compassion
We care because we genuinely want to, not because it's a job. That difference shows.
Reliability
When we say we'll be there, we will be. Consistency is at the heart of good care.
Community
We're part of North Wales. We know these communities and we're proud to serve them.
Excellence
We set high standards and hold ourselves to them, because your loved one deserves no less.
Meet the team
Family-run from the top, with a tight management structure built around supporting every carer and every client.
Founding Directors
Helen Darling
Managing Director & Registered Individual
Co-founder of TLC and our Registered Individual with CIW.
Cathy Williams
Managing Director & Registered Manager
Co-founder and our CIW Registered Manager, responsible for quality and standards.
Olwen Dean
Managing Director
Co-founder with a passion for community-led care across North Wales.
Senior Managers
Oversee day-to-day operations, compliance and staff welfare across all care packages.
Managers
Coordinate scheduling, client reviews and carer support across their allocated areas.
Assistant Manager
Provides operational support across management, handling escalations and administrative tasks.
Team Leaders
First point of contact for carers in the field, providing guidance, mentoring and visit support.
Care Coaches
Dedicated to training, quality monitoring and coaching carers to maintain the TLC standard.
Our care management team: support built in from day one
Every carer at TLC is supported by our care management team. They carry out regular check-ins, shadow complex visits, and are on hand throughout the week to ensure standards stay high and carers feel valued. It's not just a promise. It's how we're structured.
Our journey
2008
TLC founded by sisters Olwen, Cathy and Helen in Llandudno Junction, North Wales
2010
Team grows to 20 carers; first CIW inspection with an excellent rating
2014
Coverage expanded across the whole of Conwy County
2018
8 dedicated care supervisor roles established
2022
Team grows to over 100 staff including admin
2025
120+ strong team serving clients across Conwy County and continuing to expand
Regulated by Care Inspectorate Wales
TLC is registered with and regulated by Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), the independent regulator for social care and childcare in Wales. This means our services are subject to regular inspection and must meet rigorous national standards. You can be confident that the care your family receives is professional, safe and quality-assured.