Extratime has acheived the GOLD Award for the Simple Quality Protects Quality Assurance Scheme

Introduction to Simple Quality Protects

The purpose of the programme is to help organisations to demonstrate the standard and quality of their work in a coherent and consistent way.

It is a totally unique quality assurance system that is being made widely available following its successful introduction and use in Slough, where it arose out of work by the Slough Children and Young People’s Forum. National endorsement from the Children’s Workforce Development Council and the Commissioning Support Programme has given it wide recognition so that it is a valuable tool when applying for funding or seeking to otherwise engage or work with outside bodies (including government).

The process was designed to help organisations to think about and clarify their principles, values, policies, procedures and activities and to be able to show this in their day to day operation.

Simple Quality Protects is a preparatory, progressive programme for local community and voluntary organisations to work through to help them to demonstrate to users, staff, volunteers, funders, sponsors, statutory organisations and influential bodies the quality of their services.

Working through the programme encourages good practice and promotes a high standard of work with children and young people.

Following sector research and network discussions locally between 2008 and 2011, Safety Net have been contracted to support and deliver this Quality Assurance scheme across Brighton & Hove in response to local need and agreement. Funding has been secured via the Children’s Workforce Development Team at Brighton and Hove City Council, the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board and the Lankelly Chase Foundation.

Simple Quality Protects…….how does the scheme work?

It may be considered to be a journey; organisations move from bronze to platinum in stages as follows:

BRONZE

To show that minimum standards are in place, the emphasis here is upon:

o the development of policies and procedures,

o ensuring that the management committee is showing good leadership

o the training of staff and volunteers beginning to be structured

o a regular cycle of review and planning.

SILVER

At this stage organisations will be:

o further developing basic policies and procedures in response to the needs of the users

o showing that they are keeping up to date with changes and developments

o collaborating with others

o undertaking regular reviews

o able to demonstrate the quality of their service to users.

GOLD

The organisation now:

o is clear about its principles and values,

o has its policies and procedures in place that are fit for the purpose

o staff development and training is part of the culture.

o the strong and confident organisation is able to more fully involve young people in decision making

o discuss its work with funding agencies and the statutory authorities

o work in partnership to promote the needs of its clients

PLATINUM – Now it is time to embark upon an external, local, regional or nationalaccreditation scheme and work toward achieving a “Quality Mark”