Certification - Quality requirements and resources
This information is provided to assist organisations that are required to demonstrate compliance with HSQF through certification against the Human Services Quality Standards (the standards). Certification generally applies for direct service delivery to vulnerable people.
The HSQF User Guide - Certification HSQF User Guide - Certification Version 9.0 explains each standard in detail and outlines evidence requirements for different service types that are required to demonstrate compliance through certification.
Certification is granted when an organisation has been assessed by an independent, third-party (known as a certification body) as meeting the standards. Certification indicates that standards are being met and that organisational performance is being enhanced through continuous improvement. Certification occurs over ongoing three-year cycles, with audits approximately every 18 months. A certification cycle incorporates:
- a certification/recertification audit
- a mid-term maintenance audit conducted within 18 months of the certification decision.
Certification bodies auditing against the HSQF are required to be accredited by the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ) which is the government-appointed body for accrediting and monitoring certification bodies and designing certification systems.
Accredited certification bodies conduct audits in line with the two-part 'HSQF Scheme Rules', consisting of:
- Human Services Scheme Part 1, Common requirements for bodies certifying Human Services
- Human Services Scheme Part 2 – Additional common requirements for bodies certifying Human Services in Queensland .
The HSQF Scheme Rules were developed in partnership with JAS-ANZ and a technical committee involving industry, service providers and technical experts. Further information regarding the accreditation process is available on the JAS-ANZ website.
Organisations are required to contract a JAS-ANZ accredited certification body to assess their suitability for certification. To assist with selection of a certification body that is a good fit for each unique organisation, it is suggested that organisations:
- request a fee structure and obtain comparative quotes from a number of certification bodies
- ask the certification bodies about:
- their experience auditing human services and their depth of knowledge of particular service types
- their availability to undertake the audit in a suitable timeframe
- the structure and content of their audit reports
- their complaints processes and privacy/confidentiality policies
- their ongoing obligations to the organisations they certify.
It is important that organisations commence the process of engaging a certification body and working through the key steps towards certification at least 12 months before their certification due date. The Key milestones for achieving initial HSQF certification Key milestones for achieving initial HSQF certification resource provides an overview of the key steps and guidance on the timeframes to assist organisations achieve certification.
Organisations that are delivering, or wish to, provide child protection placement services and gain an organisational level licence for those services, should review the Child Safety Licensing website. It provides information about the licensing process and how HSQF certification fits into that process.
HSQF audits provide an opportunity for independent auditors to assess whether an organisation has the systems and practices to ensure effective implementation of the standards, which include important safeguards for people using services. Where gaps or areas for improvement are identified, auditors have a range of options to deal with these including raising an observation, non-conformity or major non-conformity. These will be documented in the audit report and any associated corrective action plan. The HSQF Scheme rules contain further information about these options.
HSQF audits provide service users with an opportunity to share their experiences of the services and supports they receive from their service provider. The HSQF audit participation factsheet HSQF audit participation factsheet provides information for service users about participating in a HSQF audit.
During an audit, if an auditor becomes aware of a serious concern, for example client safety or financial impropriety, they are required to refer the matter as a Notifiable Issue to the department/s for investigation. The HSQF audits and notifiable issues factsheet HSQF audits and notifiable issues factsheet provides further information about how notifiable issues are handled.
Organisations are an equal partner in the certification process. If an organisation has questions or concerns regarding their audit findings or any aspect of the certification process, they should follow the process outlined below. If a concern is not adequately addressed, it can then be escalated to the next level:
- discuss the question/concern directly with the auditor
- discuss the concern with the certification body
- make a complaint to the certification body using their complaints process
- make a formal complaint to JAS-ANZ using their process.
At any stage, organisations can also contact the HSQF team to discuss any aspect of the certification process.
Resources
- Human Services Quality Framework User Guide - Certification Human Services Quality Framework User Guide - Certification Version 9.0 - a consolidated guide which explains each standard in detail and outlines evidence requirements for different services.
- Version 9.0 Amendments - HSQF User Guide - Certification Version 9.0 Amendments - HSQF User Guide - Certification - details the changes and updates made in Version 9.0. This document replaces the previously provided Version Control and Change Log.
- Accredited certification bodies Accredited certification bodies - a list of the five independent certification bodies accredited by JAS-ANZ to audit under the HSQF Scheme in Queensland
- HSQF quality certification costs HSQF quality certification costs - information about how organisations meet HSQF audit costs
- Key milestones for achieving initial HSQF certification Key milestones for achieving initial HSQF certification - an overview of key stages and timeframes for achieving initial certification
- HSQF audits and notifiable issues factsheet HSQF audits and notifiable issues factsheet - answers to frequently asked questions about the requirements for auditors to notify the department of specific issues
- HSQF audit participation factsheet HSQF audit participation factsheet - information about participating in the audit process for people who use services
Tools
- Self-Assessment workbook - certification Self-Assessment workbook - certification - a tool for reviewing processes and practices against the standards
- Continuous improvement plan - certification Continuous improvement plan - certification - a template plan to record and monitor actions for improvement to be used in conjunction with the Word version of the self-assessment workbook
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence