Lite Quality Standards

It has become clear that for some small groups, especially those with no paid staff – or staff for whom they have no payroll responsibilities, that the Quality Standards do not meet their needs. So being true to the tradition of Quality Standards, being developed by the VCS they are designed to be used by. The Lite Standards are being piloted with small groups to find an equally rigorous and not onerous Standard appropriate for them to achieve.

The Lite Standard is designed to complement the Quality Standards and they give the opportunity for groups as their circumstances change to move on to the Quality Standards in a straightforward way. The Lite Standard is created to be an introduction to Quality Assurance and we make it is straightforward as possible.

Are you interested in achieving the Young Suffolk Lite Quality Standard? Or do you just want to know more about it? Either way please contact us
For some of the Frequently Asked Questions about Lite, click the links below.

Q. What is the process for doing Lite Quality Standards?

Q. What support will I get?

Q. Why do we need these policies?

Q. Does it cost?

FAQ’s

 
Q. What is the process for doing Lite Quality Standards?
A. It is the same as for the Quality Standard. The same support, the same process – only the framework is different.

Firstly you need to contact us about your interest, this will enable us discuss Quality Standards with you, answer any immediate questions and then to assign a Quality Standards Support Worker to you.

Your Support worker will be there to facilitate and guide you through the process and help you access our full support package. Your Support Worker will contact you and arrange an introductory meeting, present you with your Quality Standards portfolio for you to compile your evidences and Partnership Agreement.

To see an extract from the Quality Standards Lite Framework please click here.  You will see from the framework that some of the evidence required to achieve the Award is paper based, but there are some evidences that will be done as a visual inspection by your Support Worker. There are also options for you to tell your Support Worker what you do and for that to be recorded.

Stage one

Compile your portfolio of evidence, following each section of the framework and guidance notes. Remember your Support Worker will be able to advise you.  Not all of the elements in the framework will be relevant to all groups, you will only need to provide evidence for those relevant to your group.

Stage two

A peer review panel will assess your completed portfolio against the standards. The panel consists of voluntary sector children/youth organisations who have achieved the Award and other stakeholders. Please click here to see the members of the peer review panel.

Successful groups will receive the quality standard. The award of the standard is for three years and is subsequently reviewed to ensure that the group is still meeting the standards.

 
  
Q. What support will I get?
A. As part of the ongoing process of support once you have achieved the Quality Standard Award your Support worker will continue to meet with you at least once each year. You will also need to complete an Annual Self-review.

This acknowledges that the guidance for working with children and young people is ever changing, with good practice, governance and legislation evolving and emerging continuously. This ongoing support and Self review enables you and your organisation to stay at the forefront of safe and healthy practice.

This new area of work is currently being piloted with groups in Suffolk. As the pilot groups and process progress we will update the website accordingly.

     

Q. Why do we need these policies? We’ve done ok without them.
A. We recognise that many groups are doing excellent, safe work with children and young people even though some do not have written policies and procedures to evidence what they do. The Lite process is designed to help capture your day to day routines/practice and help turn these into straightforward, accessible, relevant documents. It will also bring the following benefits to your group;

Safety! For you all - volunteers and young people

Providing a safe place and activities for children and young people can be great fun, challenging and rewarding for you all but ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the children/young people in your care is of paramount importance.

If something happens, an accident or you are concerned about the welfare or safety of a child the best time to think about and to decide what the right thing to do is NOT in the middle of an emergency.

Having the right guidance in place before any emergency or situation arises and then making sure your team knows what to do will help you all to do the right thing at the right time. The Lite standard gives you that opportunity to agree your groups position and actions and you get an experienced Support Worker alongside, too.

Continuity

These documents will help you maintain the continuiity of what you do – you don’t have to rely on characters to do things in a certain way – you have an agreed way of dealing with situations. It also takes the pressure off of you as an individual to decide what to do.

For instance, having an agreed “Safe transportation of young people” guide will mean that individuals do not have to decide whether they should transport a child alone from your club to the child’s home, your group will have a safe, agreed method. This can increase your own personal safety, the safety of the child and the reputation of your group.

The legal bits...

It is a legal requirement. Everyone who is involved in providing a service, group, club or any activity for children and young people has a Duty of Care to look after the welfare of the child from the Children’s Act 2004. If you have not taken appropriate steps to look after the children/young people in your care and identify and address  the risks you could be held liable under general laws of negligence.

For many having a written child protection/safeguarding policy will be a requirement of your insurance policy. You could void your policy in the event of an accident or incident. The same could apply to your car insurance if you have an accident transporting young people to and from your club and its activities.

Effective policies can help safeguard you all, paid and unpaid staff and young people alike. 

     
Q. Does it cost?

A.  No. It is free for you.