Foreword
This guide aims to assist voluntary organisations delivering social care services to self assess and then plan to improve their governance arrangements where needed. It was developed following a review of governance we did with Turning Point Scotland, at their request.
Self-evaluation models are being used more and more by different organisations to improve service performance and the quality of life for people who use services.
It is entirely optional whether an organisation might use this guide. We have designed it so that it can be used in part, or as a whole, depending on the needs of the organisation. Some areas could be the subject of a review one year, and others in the next year.
The guide can be used alongside other evaluation and improvement processes the organisation may already have in place. It suggests using a range of information an organisation may already have available to provide evidence of what is working well and what areas need to be improved.
To be effective as a guide, it is important that the boards of organisations support the process and are willing to act on the conclusions the evaluation reaches.
I hope that this guide will provide a welcome addition to the tools already available to support the voluntary social care sector in the process of continuous improvement.
Alexis Jay
Chief Social Work Inspector
Social Work Inspection Agency