THe new Quality Assessment Framework
The new Quality Assessment Framework<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Lucy Woodbine explains the refreshed guidance
Five years into the Supporting People programme, a decision was made to refresh the Quality Assessment Framework (QAF). A working group made up of the CLG (Department of Communities and Local Government), Sitra, the NHF (National Housing Federation) and a number of providers and commissioners worked on the review. The pilot QAF was sent out for consultation with providers and commissioners between July and October 2008. Of the 120 responses from those consulted, the majority were mainly positive - 81% found the language easier to understand, with the new language and layout being welcomed.
Main changes to the QAF
The main change to the QAF is the removal of the prescriptive list at levels A and B. Services at levels A and B have to demonstrate that they make the grade through examples of the work they are carrying out. This is a move away from the prescriptive list that the old QAF included, instead using evidence examples, which allows services to demonstrate their value in a variety of ways. However, at level C, a mandatory list remains, which is the minimum level that providers should meet. Providers who do not meet level C will be seen to not have met the standard at all, as there is no longer a level D.
During the pilot, there was a requirement in a number of services to have policies and procedures reviewed every two years. This has now been amended to every three years. The requirement to carry out CRB checks has also been amended to every three years from two years. However the frequency of CRB checks will be also based on contractual requirements.
The new QAF objectives are as follows:
Objective Number of standards:
Refreshed QAF Old QAF
C 1.1 Assessment and Support Planning 5 28
C 1.2 Security, Health and Safety 3 15
C 1.3 Safeguarding and Protection from Abuse 5 12
C 1.4 Fair Access, Diversity and Inclusion 3 23
C 1.5 Client Involvement and Empowerment 5 40
TOTAL 21 118
What do the performance levels mean?
Level A: means “excellence” and is associated with providers striving to be leaders in their field, and:
• is flexible and responsive, and able to adapt the service best to meet clients’ needs
• is a learning organisation that reflects on its work and uses this information to challenge its own performance
• effectively engages clients and staff in this shared learning
• engages in partnership working at a strategic level to better meet the needs of clients, the service/organisation and commissioners
• demonstrates the achievement of shared outcomes as a result of effective partnership working
• demonstrates vision, leadership and creativity that influences practices beyond the boundaries of the service.
Level B: means that the service can evidence good practice, and:
• has policies and procedures in place that go beyond statutory requirements to embrace good practice, and that these are followed
• has staff that are confident to take the initiative, and work effectively with other agencies
• has clients meaningfully engaged at a service level
• Engages in partnership working at a service level to better meet the needs of clients and the service
• is working towards the achievement of shared outcomes at a service level
• challenges its own performance with internal auditing and the setting and monitoring of targets
• demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement.
Level C: means that the service meets, and is able to evidence, the required minimum standard but there is scope for improvement, and:
• complies with any statutory requirements
• has policies and procedures in place, and that these are followed
• has staff that understand and can explain the policies and procedures
• has clients who understand the nature of the service they are receiving
• engages in partnership working at a client level to better meet the needs of the individual
• is working towards achievement of individual outcomes
• demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement.
Policies and procedures
In the pilot QAF a number of objectives required policies and procedures to be reviewed every two years. Following feedback from the pilot, this has been revised to every three years.
Scoring
The scoring of services in the refreshed QAF is based on averages of scores. Any service who receives a grade C score cannot achieve a grade A score. The scores are as follows:
Failure to reach level C on any standard / objective Failure to reach minimum standards
Level C on a majority of standards / objectives and no failure to reach level C = Performance Level C
Level B or above for a majority of standards / objectives
= Performance Level B
Level A for the majority of standards / objectives and no level Cs
= Performance Level A
Assessment and Support Planning
The new Assessment and Support Planning section has combined the two old objectives concerning Needs and Risk Assessment and Support Planning. This reduces the duplication of evidence that was produced in the old QAF.
The refreshed QAF focuses on support planning and risk assessments, and ‘appropriate risk taking’. The concept of risk management has been made more explicit. Support planning should focus from the beginning on resettlement and move on.
Security, health and safety
This objective has not undergone many significant changes. The main alteration focuses on health and safety to include the wider community. There have also been a number of legislative changes which can be found in the QAF guidance document. Providers
should be aware that health and safety legislation will apply differently in accommodation based services and floating support
services.
Safeguarding and protection from abuse
The major change to the objective is that it now includes the safeguarding and protection of children, as well as vulnerable adults. There is also a stronger emphasis on multi-agency working. As legislation changes, the QAF will be updated to reflect this. For example, the extension of ‘No Secrets’ to include vulnerable adults.
The extent to which services are responsible for the safeguarding and protection of children depends on the type of service they are.
The QAF identifies four types of services which come into contact with children. They are as follows:
• services where children are known to live
• services where children may live
• services where children may visit
• services where children neither live or visit, but clients may have access to children.
All services will have a stronger emphasis on multi agency working in relation to protection issues. Relevant services should show awareness of and engage in, the Common Assessment Framework (CAF), Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) and Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferencing (MARAC).
Fair access, diversity and inclusion
The standard has been updated to take account of recent changes in legislation.
Policies and procedures in relation to equality and diversity should take into account all the statutory requirements, but should also cover other aspects such as dress or appearance.
The requirements in relation to Equalities Schemes and Equality Action Plans should be in proportion to the size of organisation.
Further procurement guidance to local authorities indicates that it is good practice for them to pass on their equalities duties to any sub contractors.
The requirement of ‘fair exit’ from service has also been introduced. The concept of ‘fair exit’ is twofold. First, ensuring that services are terminated in accordance to the law, and being transparent in why they are terminated. Second, in short term services, this relates to ensuring that move on processes are fair and transparent, and both clients and staff are clear about what move-on options are available.
Client involvement and empowerment
The client involvement and empowerment objective is new, combining the previous core objective C1.6 Complaints and the supplementary objectives relating to service user involvement (S1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4). The objective focuses on involving service users and supporting them to be provided with resources, which allow them to make informed decisions. For example, documents should be in an appropriate format to client needs.
The concept of client involvement runs throughout the QAF, services should try and involve clients at all levels, from an individual client level to service level and finally strategic level.
Refreshed QAF documents can be found on spkweb.org.uk
