Quality

The ambition of the NCAN project is to ensure a consistency of quality across the range of advice services provided in Norfolk. We seek to support our members to continually aspire to the highest quality standards but equally to help them demonstrate this effectively to clients, partners and funders.

Quality Co-ordination

Shelter Eastern Counties will act as the Quality Co-ordinator and will take lead responsibility for quality issues as laid out in the project plan.  Shelter was chosen for their exemplary record in achieving LSC Specialist Quality Marks and providing highly respected and effective advice, casework and representation services in their specialist field.

The context

 The national Working Together for Advice Project (WTFA)  funded by the Big Lottery had a workstream dedicated to developing a new quality standard for the advice sector, to replace the CLS General Help Quality Mark.

As well as developing standards to ensure advice agencies are well run, the project sought to devise criteria for assessing the quality of advice given to clients. A lot of work was completed including a Quality Standard and Service Standard, Definitions and pilot assessments. Unfortunately there is not currently the funding available to set up a auditing body but the materials and evaluation of the project are still available at clicking here.

Last year NCAN provided a training session for members on the development of this new Quality Mark, with the help of Advice UK Development Consultant Glenda Terry.

Until further funding is obtained, the Community Legal Services Quality Mark and the Legal Services Commission’s specialist Quality Mark remain currently the dominant pressure on legal practices and advice agencies working in social welfare law.

Quality Workshops

As a result, and until such time as the new Quality Mark is introduced, NCAN is seeking to offer members training on general quality standards in advice work. These sessions have been provided by Shelter Business Support and have covered:

Casework Standards

• Initial Interviews
• Confirmation of Advice
• Case Notes
• Case Planning

Supervision

• Why Supervision is important
• Different types/levels of supervision
• Key standards of supervision
• Supervision template and schedules

File Reviews

• Why File reviews are important
• Key standards for file reviews
• Numbers and frequency of file reviews
• Consistency
• File review templates and schedules

If you would like the materials from these sessions, have a specific request for help with quality or would like to register your interest in attending further sessions please get in touch.