Quality of Advice
Who's doing it?
This workstream is co-ordinated by Citizens Advice, but also involves other members of the Working Together for Advice project. Youth Access, the Law Centres Federation Advice UK and Age Concern Help the Aged are funded service providers for the workstream while ASA contribute as a non-funded service provider.
Why was this workstream developed?
The Quality Workstream was developed after discussions with advice agencies and the Legal Services Commission (LSC) at the highest level. As a result of the LSC's intention to eventually withdraw the CLS General Help Quality Mark it was evident that this would create a need for a quality standard for the advice sector, which is not only audited but audited at a cost which the majority of the sector could afford.
What is its aim?
To develop a national scheme for accrediting agencies providing advice services at the current CLS General Help Quality Mark level.
What are the expected outcomes of the workstream?
- Improved outcomes for clients and communities
- A measurable standard for the whole sector
- Improved information for funders and other stakeholders
- A clearer understanding for organisational leaders of what is expected of them
- A mechanism for facilitating continual improvement in practice
- Increased knowledge and understanding among service providers of how best to secure quality of advice
- The introduction of a sector-wide sustainable Quality Mark will ensure that all advice agencies have the right systems in place to be able to measure and improve the quality of their advice to clients on an ongoing basis
What has it achieved so far?
Since Spring 2008 the project has:
- recruited a range of experienced staff to support the development of the quality mark
- established a multi-agency management board, which is now actively steering the project's development
- identified the key aspects of other quality systems to be incorporated into the new standard
- reviewed advice definitions for inclusion in the new standards
- reviewed alternative methods of assessment to peer review
- consulted widely with networks, network members, external stakeholders, existing commissioners and providers of standards
- produced working drafts of the new quality standards supporting guidance, audit and assessment processes
- recruited 20 organisations to pilot the new standards and audit process
- developed shared promotional material and widely promoted the project to advice providers with relevant external stakeholders
What about future plans?
| Feb - Mar 2009 | External consultation on the new standards, audit processes and guidelines |
| April - May 2009 | Recruitment of assessors and auditors for pilots |
| May - June 2009 | Training of auditors and assessors and pilot agencies taking part in self assessments |
| April - Dec 2009 | Pilots of the draft standards and audit and assessment processes carried out in a wide range of advice services across the sector |
| May 2009 | Findings on external consultation available |
| Summer - Autumn 2009 | Quality Advisory Group targeted consultation events |
| 2010 | Independent evaluation of pilots/revisions/further consultation/regional events |
| 2011 | Launch of the new quality mark |
Resources produced by the workstream
QAG Briefing Paper 3 v.1
Standards and Definitions Briefing - June 2010
Quality Mark Standards - working draft
Quality Advisory Group Briefing no. 1
Quality Advisory Group Briefing no. 2
Report on the consultation of the draft quality standards and assessment methods
Executive summary of the report on the consultation
Evaluation of the quality mark pilot
Work with Advice Plus partnerships March 2010
For further Information contact Karen Conway - Quality of Advice workstream Manager, Citizens Advice
07726 902621
