CHYP IN network
Children and Young People in Newcastle
voluntary and community sector network
Quality assurance in voluntary and community sector work with children & young people
1
Quality assurance
Increasingly funders ask voluntary and community sector groups how they provide quality assurance in providing services, activities
and in running their organisation, and for evidence of quality. Quality assurance consists of a combination of up to date policies and
procedures, relevant inspection and audit, and quality systems, standards and kite marks, which may be generic or specific to work
with children and young people.
2
Policies and procedures
2.1
Some procedures (such as equality & diversity, and health & safety) are required by legislation applicable to the smallest
volunteer-led group as well as the largest complex organisation. Others may depend upon the area of work and activities
undertaken. Policies and procedures are usually about:

Communications, ICT, Social Media and Internet use

Health & Safety

Complaints, Comments and User feedback

Office and Financial systems

Data Protection and Confidentiality

Recruitment of Ex-offenders

Employment, Volunteering, Recruitment and Induction

Risk Assessment

Environment and Recycling

Safeguarding Children and/or Vulnerable Adults

Equalities, Diversity & Harassment

Training & Development
Newcastle CVS. Updated September 2011
Quality assurance in voluntary and community sector work with children and young people
2.2
Advice
2.2.1
General advice
General advice on developing policies and procedures can be found at many sources, including:

Newcastle CVS Contact askNCVS, the enquiry and information service for help in running your organisation
Call 0191 235 7037
Email askncvs@cvsnewcastle.org.uk
Visit www.cvsnewcastle.org.uk

NCVO has a large web based resource bank www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/advice-support

Just about managing is a practical guide to managing your voluntary organisation and community group
Cost £25. Visit www.sandy-a.co.uk/vslh.htm

The Russell Cooke Voluntary Sector Legal Handbook covers everything you need to know about the law as it
affects the sector. Cost voluntary sector £60 and £90 for others. Visit http://www.sandy-a.co.uk/vslh.htm
2.2.2
Specialist advice:

ACAS give advice about employment matters: www.acas.org.uk

CITA (Community IT Academy) gives advice about ICT matters: www.communityitacademy.org
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Quality assurance in voluntary and community sector work with children and young people
3
Inspection, audit and external feedback
 Charity Commission
The Charity Commission for England and Wales is the regulator and registrar of charities in England and Wales. Their
work covers audit, risk assessment, finance accounting requirements, and Code of Governance. Charities with a yearly
income of more than £10,000 must send in their accounts, which are available on-line.
Visit: www.charity-commission.gov.uk
 Ofsted
Ofsted includes all inspection regimes for work with children, education and adult learners. Groups will be inspected if
they are registered in their own right, e.g. as childcare providers, or may be inspected as part of an inspection of local
authority services when in receipt of grant aid. There is also a voluntary registration scheme.
Visit: www.ofsted.gov.uk
 User feedback
There are numerous systems and approaches to gaining user feedback; analysing and acting on it is essential
 References
References should be requested for individual staff and volunteers. Organisations may be asked to provide references in
funding applications and tenders.
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Quality assurance in voluntary and community sector work with children and young people
4
Quality systems, standards and kite marks
4.1
Generic systems
The quality systems which are listed in Newcastle Children’s Services Commissioning Framework are marked *
1. PQASSO*
Practical Quality
Assurance System
for Small
Organisations
2. Investing in
People
(IIP)*
Designed for voluntary organisations and
Charity Evaluation Service
community groups, the basic workbook is £98
www.ces-vol.org.uk
plus 10% p&p, the CD-ROM which is
recommended by NCVS, is £55.15. A PQASSO
Quality Mark, externally assessed, is available.
IIP is about staff development and training. A free
online advice tool is available. IIP is externally
www.investorsinpeople.co.uk
assessed; there is a Support Centre in Sunderland.
3. Quality First*
For small volunteeronly organisations
Quality First is designed for groups who do not
want to employ workers. It is self assessed and
www.bvsc.org
has nine areas. It is in an easy to read ring binder,
pages can be photocopied. Cost of £30 + £4 p&p.
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Quality assurance in voluntary and community sector work with children and young people
4. ISO 9000 series*
International
Standard
ISO 9000: 2005
ISO 9001: 2000
ISO 9004: 2000
A family of standards that make up a Quality
Management System. Orientated to the
There is a whole industry surrounding
commercial world it is about the management
registration. Business Link explains
system not the standard of the product. ISO 9000
is often asked for during tendering although
www.businesslink.gov.uk
Newcastle City Council recognises other systems
too. It is assessed. Costs £1,000 to register; £650
daily for assessment and other visits.
5. European
Foundation for
Quality
Management*
(EFQM)
The EFQM Excellence Model was previously
known as the Business Excellence Model and is
www.efqm.org
geared toward larger organisations.
Self assessed and based on 9 criteria; 5 are
enablers and 4 are results.
6. Investing in
Volunteers
(IiV)
A volunteer management quality system with four
areas of volunteer management. An e-learning IiV
http://iiv.investinginvolunteers.org.uk
toolkit is available. Register for a cost estimate.
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Quality assurance in voluntary and community sector work with children and young people
7. The General
Quality Mark
(GQM)
For groups that provide advice and/or outline
options to members of the public. The two levels
www.tan.org.uk/general-quality-mark
are general help or general help with case work.
Audited by the Assessment Network Ltd on behalf
of the Legal Services Commission. Costs vary on
size of group, from £500 and £750.
8. Customer Service
Excellence*
The government national standard for Customer
Service Excellence (previously the Charter Mark).
www.customerserviceexcellence.uk.co
Any organisation in the public voluntary or private
m/
can apply.
9. You’re welcome*
Quality criteria for young people friendly health
services; available on the Dept. of Health
www.dh.gov.uk
publications pages.
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10. Putting the
Customer First
The Customer First Standard includes 32
statements around market awareness, customer
www.customerfirst.org/AboutUs.aspx
relationships and people. Assessor agencies offer
workshops and on line support.
11. Approved
Provider
Standard
The Mentoring and Befriending Foundation has a
quality standard for safe and effective practice in
www.mandbf.org/quality-standard
mentoring and befriending.
12. National
Standards
for Community
Engagement
10 Scottish standards, including planning, working
with others and feedback.
www.scdc.org.uk/national-standardscommunity-engagement/
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Quality assurance in voluntary and community sector work with children and young people
4.2 Quality systems specific to work with children and young people include:
1. Investing in
Children
(IiC)*
Newcastle Children’s Services have adopted IiC for their
participation of children and young people quality mark.
www.iic-uk.org
IiC is an accredited system developed in Durham.
2. Clubmark
A Sport England accredited quality system for sports
clubs with junior sections, used by 26 national governing
www.clubmark.org.uk
bodies that award and accredit. There were 10,000
accredited clubs by 2010.
3. Quality Mark
Quality Mark is a self assessment tool designed by the
voluntary youth sector. Clubs for Young People provides
www.clubsforyoungpeople.org.uk
training, moderates and certificates.
4. NCVYS Sound
Systems
The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services Sound
Systems is about safeguarding policies and practices.
www.ncvys.org.uk
There is a workbook, standards and a kite-mark system.
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Quality assurance in voluntary and community sector work with children and young people
5. Quality Mark for
Young People’s
Services
The National Youth Agency (NYA) Quality Mark consists
www.nya.org.uk/quality/quality-mark
of a self assessment framework and a validated quality
mark. Cost £40.
6. Parent and Toddler
Group standards
NAPI provides good practice checks for all parent and
Email: admin@napi.org.uk
toddler groups in Newcastle. These checks are set
Tel: 0191 265 6158
against the good practice guidelines developed by the
organisation.
7. Matrix
Quality Standard for Information Advice and Guidance
services on learning and work. Eight standards on
www.matrixstandard.com
delivery and management. Accredited.
8. NCMA Quality First An accredited quality system for individual childminders.
(National
Childminding Assoc. Sample portfolio pages can be downloaded.
of Eng. and Wales)
www.ncmaqualityfirst.co.uk
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