Human Services Quality

Framework

(HSQF)

Roll-out to Community Services and Child

and Family Support ServicesFrom 1 July 2015

Overview of the session

Part 1 - The big picture

• Introduction and background of HSQF

• Human Services Quality Standards

Part 2 – HSQF Roll-Out to Community Services and Child and Family

Support Services

• Methods of demonstrating compliance for new services

• Timeframes and processes

• Resources and supports

• Tips on preparing for quality assessment activities

Why do we have standards and a quality

framework? • Universally standards provide a benchmark for assessing the quality of

service delivery

• Standards help to:

– provide consistency and reliability in service delivery

– improve quality practices

– safeguard vulnerable customers and provide confidence

• Quality framework helps to ensure that the government gets what it pays for

when contracting organisations to deliver services or when delivering

services itself (e.g. disability services)

• Integral part of Queensland disability services since 2004 resulting in more

than 280 organisations improving quality of service delivery

HSQF features and benefits

• A framework for assessing and improving the quality of human

services.

• It features:

– a set of quality standards (Human Services Quality Standards) covering

core elements of human service delivery

– an assessment process to review the performance of service providers

against the standards

– a continuous improvement framework supporting the participation of

customers in quality improvement.

Designed to: ensure the rights and individual needs of customers are respected

promote quality outcomes for customers

enable customer participation in service development, planning and

evaluation

support and promote ownership of quality systems by service providers

be administratively efficient

support and promote innovation in service delivery.

Governance

Set of common standards for

human services

Standard 1:

Governance and

management

Standard 2:

Service access

Standard 3:

Responding to individual

need

Standard 4:

Safety, wellbeing and rights

Standard 5:

Feedback, complaints and appeals

Standard 6:

Human resources

Human Services Quality Standards

Useful terms to clarify

• Organisations are expected to deliver services in accordance with

Human Services Quality Standards

• There are different methods of demonstrating compliance with the

standards – most common are certification and self-assessment

Term What does it mean? What does it involve?

Certification Where an independent third party

(known as a certification body) assesses

a service provider for compliance

against the standards

An assessment (audit) of policies,

procedures, systems and processes to

ensure these are working and services

are being delivered to a required

standard and identifying areas for

further improvement

Self-assessment Where a service provider rates their

own performance against the standards,

identifying what is working well and what

improvements need to be implemented

over time

Reviewing processes and

documentation through completing a

workbook and then implementing a

continuous improvement plan

Service Provider Experience

• Fears vs reality

• https://youtu.be/YTm8_hpOepg

• The HSQF standards

• https://youtu.be/jcYsZxKliWU

Roll-out to Community

Services and Child and

Family Support Services

(Phase 2)

Phase 2 Roll-out

Commences from 1 July 2015

• Progressive transition of Community Services and Child and

Family Support Services to new quality requirements

• Changes to quality requirements for community care

services and for low-funded and low risk disability services

to ensure a consistent whole-of-department approach to

quality

New version of the HSQF

• To support Phase 2 roll-out, a new

version of the Quality Framework

(Version 3.0), has been issued.

• V3.0 specifies an inclusion status

for all services types across all

funding streams

• The previous V2.1 did not cover

Phase 2 Community Services and

Child and Family Support Service

types and the methods of

demonstrating compliance with

the standards.

• Available on the HSQF website.

Methods of demonstrating

compliance with the standards

3-step process to respond to the diversity of Phase 2 service

types

1.Risk assessment to determine an inclusion status for each service type:

• In-scope for certification

• Evidence of other accreditation or certification

• Self-assessable

• Not required to demonstrate compliance

2.Identified exceptions – where the inclusion status will not apply.

3.Simplified further – one method of demonstration only for each organisation

and only one self-assessment required.

Inclusion Status: In-scope for

certification

The majority of Phase 2 service types funded under the Investment

Specifications listed below provide direct services to vulnerable clients and

will therefore be in-scope for certification:

• Child Protection (Support Services)

• Families

• Domestic and Family Violence

• Individuals

• Young People

• Older People

A small number of service types are deferred until advised by the department:

• Child Safety Recognised Entity

• Secondary Intensive Family Support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Family Support Services

• Gambling Help services

• Majority of seniors services (until 1 January 2016)

Inclusion Status: Evidence of other

accreditation or certification

Applies on a case-by-case basis where an organisation is accredited or

certified against approved industry standards for specific services or where the

HSQS are not the most appropriate standards

1. Peaks – ISO 9001:2008

2. Seniors Legal and Support Services – National Accreditation Scheme for

Community Legal Services

3. Volunteering – Australian Quality Training Framework

Other standards may emerge through Phase 2 roll-out – applications for

recognition will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If your organisation is

already certified under other standards, contact your regional office to

discuss.

Inclusion Status: Self-assessable

Applies to non-direct service delivery and/or universal or low-intensity

services.

Four service types are self-assessable:

1. Neighbourhood Centres

2. Youth Parliament

3. Safer Schoolies

4. Child Safety Educational Support

These services will not be audited even in organisations that have other

services that are in-scope for independent audit.

Inclusion Status: Not required to

demonstrate compliance

Service types delivering one-off funding or other types of

non-direct service delivery.

• One-off grants including emergency relief, community recovery and

drought support

• Events and ‘weeks’ e.g. Child Protection Week, Foster and Kinship

Care Week, Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month

• Research and conferences

• Multi-Tenant Service Centers

• Pilots including Drink Safe Precincts

Exceptions

1. One-off, short-term and pilot funding - No demonstration required

2. Low funded organisations receiving less than $120,000 per annum

in total funding for in-scope services - Self-assessableNote: Organisations that receive less than $20,000 in funding for in-scope services will generally

not be required to demonstrate compliance.

3. Health and hospital services under National Safety and Quality

Health Service Standards - No demonstration required.

Note:

• Exceptions 2 and 3 do not apply where service types are subject to

regulatory or other requirements specified by the department e.g. child

safety placement services, Male Perpetrator Domestic and Family Violence

Intervention Programs, Disability Services using restrictive practices.

Simplifying Further

1. Organisations will only need to demonstrate compliance

through one method i.e. either audit, other evidence or

through self-assessment.

2. Organisations with multiple self-assessable services will

only need to complete one self-assessment.

What is the HSQF inclusion status?

Org A Targeted Family Support - $70,000

Domestic Violence Counselling - $70,000Audit & Certification

Org B Disability Services - $45,000

Youth Support - $50,000

Neighbourhood Centre - $140,000

Self-Assessableone self-assessment only to

cover 3 services

Org C Tertiary Family Support - $350,000

Neighbourhood Centre - $120,000

Neighbourhood Centre - $140,000

Emergency Relief - $5,000 one-off

Audit & CertificationNeighbourhood Centres – not

audited & no self-assessment

required

ER – not required to demonstrate

Org D Assertive Outreach & Case Management

for ATSI People Affected by Alcohol -

$230,000 short-term funding

Not Required to

Demonstrate Compliancebut will be in-scope for audit if

defined term funding approved

Org E Community Support Older People

Experiencing Social Isolation -$9,500Not Required to

Demonstrate Compliance

How do you find out the inclusion status for

your organisation?1. Review the HSQF Quality Framework V3.0

(with your service agreement)

– details these principles and exceptions in writing

– companion document to service agreements

2. Contact your regional contract manager or

the HSQF team

– ring and we will advise you

– regions will progressively meet with organisations

to discuss inclusion and commencement dates

3. Review HSQF Organisation Summaries

– a list of service outlets that are required to

demonstrate compliance for each organisation

– will be uploaded to your OASIS Organisation

Details Display page from July 2015

HSQF Organisation

Summaries

A list of service outlets

that are required to

demonstrate compliance

for each organisation

Current as at June 2015

Will be uploaded to your

OASIS Organisation

Details Display page –

from July 2015

Contact your region for a

copy if you cannot locate

the document on OASIS.

Timeframes and commencement

1 July 2015 to 1 July 2016

• All services that are required to demonstrate compliance will transition in or

commence.

• Transition will be gradual to allow organisations, certification bodies and the

department to prepare and to prevent a spike in audits.

• Commencement dates will be spread over 12 months.

Your HSQF Commencement Date

Organisations will commence on:

• The date they enter into a new service agreement from 1 July 2015.

• The date service agreements that commenced prior to 1 July 2015 are

varied.

From 1 July 2015, new service agreements will contain the requirement to

demonstrate compliance with HSQF.

Timeframes for Organisations New to HSQF

Independent

audit

completed

HSQF

Commencement

Date

Approx. 15 months

Certification

under HSQF

OR

other standards

OR

self-assessment

submitted

18 months

30 months

Continuous

Improvement Plan

submitted

Preparation time

Note: For existing Phase 1 organisations that have Phase 2 services to transition into audit, timeframes

will need to align to your audit cycle and be finalised in consultation with your regional contract manager.

Guiding principles

1. Flexibility

• where possible, the department will be flexible

• for many organisations it will be possible to agree to a suitable

commencement date for each organisation

2. Early adopters

• organisations can be ‘early adopters’

• you can elect to commence earlier or have an early audit

3. Different timeframes, where necessary

• the department can agree to a different timeframe for certification than the

timeframe specified in a service agreement, where the timeframe is not

appropriate or reasonably achievable given an individual organisation’s

circumstances.

Commencement – What Next?

Regions will progressively set up meetings with organisations to:

1. Discuss and finalise your commencement date.

2. Discuss any service agreement notifications and/or variations that

may be required. These will be sent following the meeting.

Note:

•For organisations already under HSQF that have Phase 2 service outlets the department

will negotiate transition arrangements based on scheduled audit dates.

•Where existing Phase 1 organisations have a large number of services to transition to

audit, a phased approach can be considered.

Regions, the HSQF team and QCOSS are here to provide information and

answer your questions and assist you to access resources and supports.

Resources and Support

Support

The support available is outlined in:1. HSQF Transition Plan – Community Services and

Child and Family Support Services

2. Quality Audit Financial Contributions Fact Sheet

Available on the HSQF website

Resources and tools• Human Services Quality Framework

V3.0

• Human Services Quality Standards

• User Guide - currently being updated

• Self-assessment resources - currently being updated

• Standards comparison tool

• Fact sheets and FAQs

New resources being developed:

• Pathways to Quality – resources and workshops

• Standards booklet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

These resources and additional information are

available online at:

Financial Contributions

Supplementary funding will be available in 2015-16 and 2016-17 to

eligible providers as a contribution towards audit costs

• One-off payment for an audit undertaken in the financial year.

• Payment amount will reflect the type and scope of audit undertaken and calculated

using the approved HSQF audit pricing structure.

• Payment amounts commence from $3,200 (for a maintenance audit of one service

outlet).

• Financial contributions only available towards audit costs.

Longer-term strategy

• Build audit costs into service agreement budgets.

The Quality Audit Financial Contributions Fact Sheet provides

further information – this is available on the HSQF website.

Support Strategy

QCOSS will support Phase 2 roll-out through:

1. Promoting available support to new organisations.

2. Making information available on Community Door.

3. Running workshops on a range of topics responsive to organisational

needs e.g. self-assessment, translating standards into practice and

preparing for audit.

4. Partnering new and existing organisations.

5. One-on-one support on request from organisations or referral from regions.

HSQF – Two Key Websites

Click on the pictures below to access the websites

Tips on Preparing for Quality Assessment Activities

Service Provider Experience

• The audit process

• https://youtu.be/taHgWC1EUXA

What is this thing called audit?

“...audits (among other things) assess the effectiveness of quality and identify improvement”

Audit = “a systematic, independent and documented process for obtaining evidence and evaluating it objectively to determine the extent to which criteria are fulfilled”

Evidence = “… statements of fact or other information which are relevant to the audit criteria and verifiable - evidence can be qualitative or quantitative”

Mr David HamerManaging Director

HDAA Australia Pty Ltd

Tips for preparing for self-assessment and audit

Become familiar with the HSQF, standards, resources and tools

Engage with stakeholders on what is going to happen - demystify the process for staff

Work together to identify roles and responsibilities for planning and preparation

Review the specific requirements of each standard and associated indicator

Identify and collect evidence that meets the requirement (such as policy and procedure

documents, information about service activities, feedback from customers)

Make sure policies and procedures drive and reflect service delivery

Use the information available on the QCOSS Community Door to assist your

organisation in preparing for audit

Choosing an auditing body• Each organisation is responsible for selecting and contracting an auditing body

(known as certification body) to undertake the HSQF audit.

• Prior to contracting:

– shop around – ask other service providers for referrals and recommendations

– ask for a fee structure and obtain comparative quotes - organisations may need

to provide information to receive a quote including the type, location and number

of service outlets, the number of staff and estimated number of service users.

• Ask a certification body about:

– their audit team’s experience in human services

– what will the audit report include (the report is a valuable tool to inform ongoing

continuous improvement activities)

– their ongoing responsibilities or obligations.

• Also consider:

– engaging a certification body in sufficient time to plan the audit and submit

relevant documents as evidence before the audit

– joining with other organisations in the local area to engage the same certification

body, sharing the travel and accommodation cost of an audit team.

Who is approved to audit under the HSQF?

• AHA Quality Certification Services

• BSI Group (Australia and New Zealand) Pty Ltd

• Global-Mark Pty Ltd

• HDAA Australia Pty Ltd

• Institute for Healthy Communities Australia Certification Pty Ltd

• International Standards Certification Pty Ltd

• SAI Global Certification Services Pty Ltd

“Last week the South East Region Disability Services had the pleasure of

completing the HSQS Maintenance Audit. The auditors reported that all

staff were gracious, patient and willing to participate. They advised that

our systems and processes were mature and quality was well embedded

in practice. They advised that families were happy with the quality of staff

and the support they receive. In particular, they described the Clinical

Services Guide and the Capacity Management Tool as “Gold Intellectual

Property”, which could easily applied to a wider audience at a national

level. In essence, they witnessed good people doing fantastic work in a

very challenging environment”.

Patrick Sherry, Regional Director, South East Region, 17 February 2015

Service Provider Experience

• Tips and tricks

• https://youtu.be/Gp16YqEpU0c

Thank you