Advocacy in the children's hearings system - national practice model: guidance
National practice model for children's advocacy in the children’s hearings system.
Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance Model
The Quality Assurance Model for the National Practice Model and the Service Delivery Model sets out the overarching approach to ensuring advocacy within the Children’s Hearings System is of high quality.
Quality assurance is a process of systematic, planned, regular and reflective assessment of a service or a process. As such, it is fundamental in supporting learning and continuous improvement as it helps improve outcomes, identify areas of strengths and areas for development within practice, policy and strategy.
The Quality Assurance Model is rooted in the National Practice Model, developed in partnership young people with experience of the Children’s Hearings System and key stakeholders from across Scotland.
The Quality Assurance Model aims to:
- Establish the quality of outputs for advocacy within the Children’s Hearings System for:
- Children and young people
- Commissioners
- Advocacy organisations
- Assess to what degree advocacy is:
- accessible to all who need it
- child-centred
- effective within the Children’s Hearings System
- Provide learning mechanisms to improve advocacy in the Children’s Hearings System.
- Ensure advocacy in the Children’s Hearings System is of consistent quality across Scotland.
- Monitor performance of advocacy provision at local level within the Children’s Hearings System.
The Quality Assurance approach incorporates three functions: Defining, Measuring and Improving Quality.
Defining
Defining quality includes setting expectations or standards of quality practice engrained in the principles - that is, broad statements of advocacy within the Children’s Hearings System.
Measuring
Measuring quality consists of quantifying the level of performance or compliance against agreed standards or expectations. This process requires determining performance indicators which should be specific, reliable, consistent, proportionate and valid, and directly related to the standards. Indicators measure how well the outcome or process has been achieved.
Improving
Improving quality includes an ongoing assessment of collected data in order to identify gaps in the quality of work delivered.
PDSA
This process should be based on the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) quality improvement method which focuses on change, translating ideas into actions and ultimately improving the quality of service provided.
The PDSA concept is central to many quality improvement approaches, including lean, sigma and quality management. PDSA, and the Quality Assurance approach in particular, gleans information from a variety of sources and stakeholders, predominantly directly from children and young people who have experienced advocacy within the Children’s Hearings System.
The Quality Assurance Model covers organisational, policy, practice and advocacy process and outcome activities and is:
- Evidence-based and rooted in the views and experiences of children and young people who do or could access advocacy.
- Child- and young person-centred.
- Fair and proportionate to ensure the advocacy relationship is not undermined by onerous feedback processes.
- Imaginative and participative.
- Ethical.
The quality assurance model will establish the quality of advocacy within the Children’s Hearings System through:
- Review of organisational policies and procedures.
- Review of relevant reports, documents and plans.
- Assessment of practice and its evidence.
- Direct involvement of key stakeholders, namely children and young people.
- Review of organisational and inter-organisation structures.
Key messages of effective quality assurance when delivering advocacy within the Children’s Hearings System are:
- Advocacy organisations should clearly define their role so that children and young people understand what their involvement entails.
- Advocacy organisations should adopt a person-centred approach.
- Advocacy organisations should be independent of commissioners and external and internal influencers.
- Advocacy should be co-produced with children and young people.
- Advocacy organisations should ensure they reach and meet diverse needs.
- Advocacy workers should be knowledgeable and experienced in human rights.
- Outcomes of advocacy should be recorded and monitored.
This Quality Assurance Model consists of:
Examples of evidence supporting the National Practice Model
Principle 1: Advocacy puts the child or young person first.
Standard 1.1
Advocacy workers will listen to children and young people to understand what matters to them, help them explore their options and have their voice heard.
Standard 1.2
Advocacy workers will only work for and on behalf of the child or young person, meaning the child or young person is in charge of how and with whom their views are shared.
Outcome 1.1
The child or young person feels listened to. The child or a young person is able to express to their advocacy worker what matters to them. The child or a young person has explored their options and had their voice heard.
Outcome 1.2
The child or young person knows that their advocacy worker works only for them. The advocacy worker will only share what the young person wishes to be shared.
Examples of Evidence
Advocacy issues
Analysis of complaints
Complaints system
Consent policy in place
Documented policies explaining how organisation deliver advocacy (peer, systemic, etc)
Ethical guidelines
Evidence of consent being informed and meaningful
Evidence of children and young people being able to self-advocacy worker
Evidence of how feedback from children and young people is used to improve advocacy
Evidence of ongoing evaluation of advocacy
Feedback from children and young people about advocacy workers
Induction policies
Information about advocacy available in various formats
Involvement of young people in decision-making
Non-discriminatory and cultural awareness training undertaken
Peer and individual practice observations
Policies on confidentiality and personal information
Policies related to non-instructed advocacy
Policies up-to-date and in line with legislation
Principle 2: Advocacy seeks to understand and explain what is going on.
Standard 2.1
Advocacy workers will have detailed knowledge of children's rights and entitlements.
Standard 2.2
Advocacy workers will understand the law and procedures that apply to the Children’s Hearings System and to other care and justice procedures as they apply to young people. They will be able to help children and young people understand what is happening and explore their options.
Standard 2.3
Advocacy workers will speak to relevant professionals and carers on behalf of the child or young person with their permission, to help them get answers to any questions or concerns they have.
Outcome 2.1
The child or young person feels they are better informed about their rights and entitlements.
Outcome 2.2
The child or young person has a better understanding of the Children’s Hearings System as it relates to their life. They better understand their options and rights within the Children’s Hearings System.
Outcome 2.3
The child or young person feels supported in seeking answers to the questions that matter to them.
Examples of evidence
Action plans based on feedback from children and young people
Analysis of complaints
Code of practice
Consent policy in place
Consistency of staff in advocacy
Children and young people satisfaction with the advocacy support provided
Data protection policy
Documented policies explaining how organisation deliver advocacy (peer, systemic, etc.)
Ethical guidelines
Evidence of consent being informed and meaningful
Evidence of diversity of children and young people
Evidence of further professional development of advocacy workers
Evidence of how feedback from children and young people is used to improve advocacy
Evidence of multiagency work
Evidence of outcomes for children and young people
Evidence of advocacy workers knowledge about human rights
Induction policies
Individual and group supervision
Involvement of young people in decision-making
Non-discriminatory and cultural awareness training undertaken
Peer and individual observations
Policies on information sharing
Policies on confidentiality and personal information
Policies related to non-instructed advocacy
Policies up-to-date and in line with legislation
Principle 3: Advocacy workers only work for the child or young person.
Standard 3.1
Advocacy workers will only work on behalf of children and young people. They will only share information with other people with permission from the child or young person, unless someone is at risk of harm.
Standard 3.2
Advocacy workers will not give their own or anyone else’s views or opinions while advocating for the child or young person, they will only represent the child or young person’s wishes.
Standard 3.3
Advocacy workers will not be influenced by anyone or anything else while they are supporting the child or young person.
Outcome 3.1
The child or young person trusts that the advocacy worker only works for them and understands confidentiality of the advocacy relationship.
Outcome 3.2
The child or young person feels supported in expressing their views. The child or young person knows the advocacy worker is only there to support them.
Outcome 3.3
The child or young person knows that their advocacy worker is not influenced by the wishes of others and focuses solely on their views.
Examples of evidence
Analysis of advocacy issues faced by children and young people
Analysis of referrals
Appraisal system in place
First person testimony – Case study
Barriers faced and ways of addressing them
Board meeting minutes
Child Protection policy
Code of practice
Complaints system
Consent policy in place
Diverse communication resources
Documented policies explaining how organisation deliver advocacy (peer, systemic, etc)
Ethical guidelines
Evidence of consent being informed and meaningful
Evidence of children and young people being able to self-advocacy worker
Evidence of children and young people understanding complaints policy
Evidence of how feedback from children and young people is used to improve advocacy
Evidence of multiagency work
Evidence of ongoing evaluation of advocacy
Evidence of outcomes for children and young people
Evidence of representative take-up of advocacy within the Children’s Hearings System
Evidence of staff knowledge about human rights
Evidence of systemic change based on children and young people advocacy issues
External accreditation
Feedback from children and young people on how they supported they feel in decision-making processes
Induction policies
Individual and group supervision
Information about advocacy available in various formats
Involvement of young people in decision-making
Membership of Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance(SIAA)
Memorandum of Association
Non-discriminatory and cultural awareness training undertaken
Observations
Policies on information sharing
Policies on confidentiality and personal information
Policies related to non-instructed advocacy
Policies up-to-date and in line with legislation
Recruitment policies
Staff reporting understanding of relevant policies
Secure advocacy database/recording system in place
Spot checks
Strategic and operational plan
Principle 4: Advocacy is for all children and young people who wish to take up the offer of Advocacy.
Standard 4.1
Advocacy workers will liaise with carers and other professionals already working with children and young people to ensure that they are sensitive to the individual child or young person’s needs.
Standard 4.2
Advocacy workers will work with children and young people of all backgrounds and respect the identify, culture and preferences of all children and young people and treat them fairly and equally.
Outcome 4.1
The child or young person's individual needs have shaped the way they receive advocacy and they have been appropriately supported by their carers and professionals in the advocacy process.
Outcome 4.2
Children and young people of all backgrounds have access to advocacy. The child or young person feels that they have been treated equally and with respect throughout their advocacy relationship.
Examples of evidence
Action plans based on feedback from children and young people
Analysis of complaints
Barriers faced and ways of addressing them
Code of practice
Consistency of staff in advocacy
Children and young people satisfaction with the way advocacy was explained to them
Ethical guidelines
Evidence of diversity of children and young people
Evidence of further professional development
Evidence of how feedback from children and young people is used to improve advocacy
Evidence of multiagency work
Evidence of representative take-up of advocacy within the Children’s Hearings System
Evidence of staff knowledge about human rights
Feedback from children and young people about advocacy workers
Information about advocacy available in various formats
Involvement of young people in decision-making
Non-discriminatory and cultural awareness training undertaken
Non-discriminatory policies in place
Observations
Policies for information sharing
Policies on confidentiality and personal information
Policies related to non-instructed advocacy
Policies up-to-date and in line with legislation
Self-assessment tool
Self-assessment tool is expected to be completed by advocacy organisations and returned to the management organisation within one month of the end of financial year.
The advocacy organisation should score itself against each outcome based on the indicators.
For each area scored 0 or 1, the advocacy organisation needs to prepare a SMART plan to address areas for improvement.
Assessment scored 0 should be prioritised.
Assessment scored 2 should be brought to the attention of the management organisation to share good practice across Scotland.
| Standard | Assessment (0-not met, 1-attention needed, 2- outcome met) | Indicator/ Evidence |
Action plan based on evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard 1.1 Advocacy workers will listen to children and young people to understand what matters to them, help them explore their options and have their voice heard. |
|||
| Standard 1.2 Advocacy workers will only work for and on behalf of the child or young person, meaning the child or young person is in charge of how and with whom their views are shared. |
| Standard | Assessment (0-not met, 1-attention needed, 2- outcome met) | Indicator/ Evidence | Action plan based on evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard 2.1 Advocacy workers will have detailed knowledge of children's rights and entitlements. |
|||
| Standard 2.2 Advocacy workers will understand the law and procedures that apply to the Children’s Hearings System and to other care and justice procedures as they apply to young people. They will be able to help children and young people understand what is happening and explore their options. |
|||
| Standard 2.3 Advocacy workers will speak to relevant professionals and carers on behalf of the child or young person with their permission, to help them get answers to any questions or concerns they have. |
| Standard | Assessment (0-not met, 1-attention needed, 2- outcome met) | Indicator/ Evidence | Action plan based on evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard 3.1 Advocacy workers will only work on behalf of children and young people. They will only share information with other people with permission from the child or young person, unless someone is at risk of harm. | |||
| Standard 3.2 Advocacy workers will not give their own or anyone else’s views or opinions while advocating for the child or young person, they will only represent the child or young person's wishes. | |||
| Standard 3.3 Advocacy workers will not be influenced by anyone or anything else while they are supporting the child or young person. |
| Standard | Assessment (0-not met, 1-attention needed, 2- outcome met) | Indicator/ Evidence | Action plan based on evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard 4. 1 Advocacy workers will liaise with carers and other professionals already working with children and young people to ensure that they are sensitive to the individual child or young person's needs. | |||
| Standard 4. 2 Advocacy workers will work with children and young people of all backgrounds and respect the identity, culture, needs and preferences of all children and young people and treat them fairly and equally. |
Contact
Email: CYPAdvocacy@gov.scot
There is a problem
Thanks for your feedback