Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers: A Quality Assurance Framework 2009
Defining Information and Advice
Advice is likely to comprise some or all of the following components:
- Listening to clients
- Diagnosing the problem
- Giving information
- Advising on the options available
- Taking action on behalf of clients
- Negotiating on their behalf
- Representing clients' cases at tribunals and courts
- Referral where appropriate and
- Enabling or empowering the individual to take informed action on their own behalf
These activities have been broken down into three principal categories or Types of intervention:
Type I - Active Information, Sign-posting and Explanation
This work refers to activities such as providing information either orally or in writing, sign-posting or referring the user to other available resources or services, and the explanation of technical terms or clarification of an official document, such as a tenancy agreement or a possession order.
We make a distinction between the passive provision of information through the availability of leaflets, for example, in public places, libraries and so on, and active provision of information through providing assistance to the individual seeking assistance. These Standards are aimed at 'active' providers.
Type II - Casework
Initially this work will include:
- A diagnostic interview where the problem and all relevant issues are identified and
- Making a judgement as to whether the individual has a case that can be pursued
Once it has been established that the individual has a case that can be pursued, activities may include:
- Setting out an individual's options or courses of action
- Encouraging the user to take action on their own behalf
- Providing practical aid with letters or forms
- Negotiating with third parties on the user's behalf
- Introducing the enquirer by referral to another source of help and
- Support to users in making their own case
Type III - Advocacy, Representation and Mediation at Tribunal or Court Action Level
This work includes a range of further actions arising from the casework undertaken above. This may have been undertaken by the adviser preparing the tertiary work or may have come to the adviser by referral from another organisation or adviser.
The principal activities may include:
- Advocacy and Representation - where the adviser may prepare a case for the user and represent or speak on their behalf at a tribunal or court
- Mediation - where the adviser may act on behalf of the user by seeking to mediate between the user and a third party
Type III work includes some activities that can only be undertaken by a lawyer.
The Standards in Summary
1 General Management Standards
This section of the Standards is designed to ensure that there is effective management of the service and its resources.
Standard 1.1 All service providers must have clear management structures that identify the roles and responsibilities of all post holders involved in the planning, management and delivery of the service.
Standard 1.2 | All standard office procedures must be documented. |
Standard 1.3 | All service providers must have robust systems for financial management. |
Standard 1.4 | There must be clear lines of internal communication. |
Standard 1.5 | Each service provider must be able to demonstrate that it is complying with all relevant general legislation. |
2 Standards for Planning
These Standards aim to ensure that all members of the community have access to high quality information and advice. The planning of services is a key component of developing a quality service.
Standard 2.1 | All service providers must be clear about the remit of their service and the boundaries of their service. |
Standard 2.2 | All services must undertake a regular exercise to determine the profile of their local community and any special needs that may exist. |
Standard 2.3 | All service providers must develop long-term plans that cover a period of three to five years. |
Standard 2.4 | All services must produce an annual service plan that seeks to ensure the best match between the needs of service users and the resources available to provide the service. |
Standard 2.5 | All services must regularly review their work against the aims and objectives for their service and make the results of these reviews available in a publicly accessible format at least once a year. |
Standard 2.6 | All services must be subject to regular independent review and/or evaluation. |
3 Standards of Accessibility and Customer Care
Services operating to these Standards should be accessible to all members of the community and operate with the highest standards of customer care.
Standard 3.1 | All service providers must be committed to providing equity of access to services for all. |
Standard 3.2 | All service providers must have a clear commitment to treat service users with respect and be clear about any expectations of behaviour they have of service users. |
Standard 3.3 | All service providers must have procedures to review their premises at least once every three years. |
Standard 3.4 | All service providers must regularly review the methods of delivery for their service to ensure both accessibility and the effective use of resources. |
Standard 3.5 | All service providers must regularly review their hours of service to ensure that these meet the needs of their current and potential service users. |
Standard 3.6 | All service providers must ensure that potential service users are aware of the service that is provided. |
Standard 3.7 | All service providers must be able to provide information in a range of formats and community languages that are appropriate to the needs of disabled people and the local community. |
Standard 3.8 | Services must not disadvantage users whose first language is not English. All Type II and Type III services must have access to interpreters in appropriate languages and clear procedures for the use of interpreters. |
Standard 3.9 | All service providers must have effective and appropriate policies on confidentiality and access to information. |
Standard 3.10 | Service providers must have procedures for the safe maintenance of files and for file destruction. |
Standard 3.11 | Service providers must have an effective complaints procedure and adequate insurance to provide rights of redress. |
Standard 3.12 | All service providers must have procedures that actively encourage feedback from service users. |
4 Standards for Providing the Service
Services operating to these Standards must have processes that ensure an effective and efficient service for their users.
Standard 4.1 | All service providers must provide an independent and impartial service that can represent the interests of their service users. |
Standard 4.2 | All services must have arrangements to ensure that their service has access to up-to-date reference materials and appropriate journals. |
Standard 4.3 | All service providers must maintain regular contact and liaison with other providers in their locality. Referral agreements must be established between agencies to ensure that service users receive a consistent and seamless service. |
Standard 4.4 | Type II and Type III services must have systems that ensure that service user information and case files are well organised. |
Standard 4.5 | Type II and Type III services must have a casework procedure that can be applied consistently to all service users. |
Standard 4.6 | Type II and Type III services must ensure that the casework files of individual advisers are subject to suitably qualified, independent review. |
Standard 4.7 | All service providers must have robust means of recording service wide activity and service use. |
5 Standards Around Competence
Services using these Standards must ensure that all staff gain, maintain and develop the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the needs of their service users. The general competency requirements in this section are supplemented by those in Section 2 of this Volume.
Standard 5.1 | All service providers must have a clear commitment to equal opportunities in employment practice. |
Standard 5.2 | All service providers must ensure that they have systems to identify the skills and knowledge required to meet users' needs and the procedures to match these requirements with staff and volunteers delivering the service. |
Standard 5.3 | All service providers must ensure that those delivering the service are provided with adequate training and development. |
Standard 5.4 | All service providers must ensure that all staff involved in delivering the service have core competences before they advise the public. |
Standard 5.5 | All service providers must ensure that all cases are dealt with by an adviser competent in that area of law. |
Standard 5.6 | All service providers must ensure that all information and advice work is supervised by a suitably qualified individual, either from within or outwith the service. |
Standard 5.7 | All service providers must ensure that they understand the work of other relevant agencies in their localities. |
6 Resourcing Standards
This section provides Standards for the resources necessary to underpin the delivery of the service.
Standard 6.1 | All service providers must have premises that ensure that the service can be accessible to all members of the community and meets the needs of service users. |
Standard 6.2 | Service providers must pay sufficient attention to human resource planning to maintain service outputs and inform future planning. |
Standard 6.3 | All services must be able to demonstrate that their annual budget (Standard 1.3) is sufficient to resource the requirements of these Standards and sufficient to resource the commitments established in the service plan (Standard 2.4). |
Competences
- Generic competences are required by advisers and by agencies to ensure effective service delivery
- Topic specific or knowledge competences are required by advisers and by agencies to provide quality advice. Select the topics from the composite list.
You will find these competences within the Standards Manual on page 46.
Contents
Introduction
1 Generic Competences
1.1 Effective Interviewing
1.2 Recording and Managing Casework
1.3 Time Management
1.4 Legal Research and Feedback
1.5 Form Completion
1.6 Effective and Appropriate Referrals
1.7 Negotiation
1.8 Representation and Litigation
1.9 Information Technology (in addition to where covered above)
1.10 General Benefits Checking, Income Maximisation and Information Gathering (in housing debt and housing affordability cases)
2 Housing Specific Competences
2.1 Rent Arrears
2.2 Mortgages/Secured Loans
2.3 Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
2.4 Disrepair in Rented Housing
2.5 Housing Options
2.6 Discrimination in Housing
2.7 Eviction
2.8 Anti-Social Behaviour
2.9 Harassment and Illegal Eviction (including Race Discrimination)
2.10 Homelessness
2.11 Relationship Breakdown
2.12 Rent: Private Sector
2.13 Security of Tenure
2.14 Statutory Tenancy Rights
2.15 Repair and Improvement Grants
Competences for Advisers
3 Money and Welfare Benefits Related Advice Competences - Foundation Knowledge
3.1 Administrative Structure of the Benefits and Tax Credits Systems
3.2 National Insurance Scheme
3.3 Claims and Backdating
3.4 Decision-Making, Revisions, Supersessions and Appeals
3.5 Benefit and Tax Credit Overpayments
3.6 Assessment, Initial Decision-Making and Holding Activity in Debt Cases
4 Money and Welfare Benefits Related Advice Competences - Specialist Areas
4.1 Means-Tested Benefits
4.2 Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
4.3 Tax Credits
4.4 The Social Fund
4.5 The Impact of Work on Benefits
4.6 Child Benefit and Guardian's Allowance
4.7 State Retirement Pension
4.8 Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance
4.9 Benefits for People who are Incapable of Work
4.10 Benefits for Work-Related Illnesses and Disabilities
4.11 Benefits for Veterans
4.12 Carers Allowance
4.13 Jobseeker's Allowance
4.14 Benefits for Maternity, Paternity and Adoption
4.15 Bereavement Benefits
4.16 Benefits for People in Public Care
4.17 Benefits for Students
4.18 Benefits for People from Abroad and/or who are Subject to Immigration Control
4.19 Ancillary Benefits
4.20 Financial Statements
4.21 Liability for Debts, Extortionate Credit, Unfair Contract Terms, Unenforceable Debts, Creditor Malpractice, Codes of Practice, etc
4.22 Identifying and Agreeing Options in Debt Cases
4.23 Negotiating and Making Offers to Creditors
4.24 Diligence, Diligence Stoppers and Court Proceedings
4.25 Bankruptcy and Sequestration, Voluntary Trust Deeds
4.26 Recalls and Appeals against Court Decrees and Orders
4.27 Utility Debts
4.28 Local and National Tax Debts
4.29 Rent Arrears
4.30 Mortgages and Secured Loans
4.31 Civil and Criminal Fines and other Financial Penalties
4.32 Business Debts