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Community Action Suffolk Quality Framework (QF)

An effective and trusted framework for the Voluntary Community Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) Sector. Supporting quality in organisations since 2005.

One resource, multiple uses and benefits

The Quality Framework is designed with you in mind. You are in control and have the flexibility to choose the level of support and resources that are right for you. There are three options to choose from.

Option 1: Organisation HealthCheck
Option 2: Organisation HealthCheck Plus
Option 3: Quality Standards

Each section acts as a stand-alone resource. However, they are designed to allow you to move from one to another as your organisation grows and your needs change.

Start your journey now.
Click on the sections below for more information.

Reasons to use the Quality Framework (QF)

Having effective policies and procedures are a foundation and hallmark of a safe, well run, sustainable organisation.

Policies and Procedures help keep your staff, service users and organisation safe. Your policies enable staff, volunteers and service users to understand your approach, values and attitude in specific areas and informs them how you would want them to act when handling specific situations. They show why, for example safeguarding, equality diversity and inclusion are important and how you want everyone to be treated and act. Procedures set out the actions people need to take in specific situations.

Without effective policies and procedures your organisation has no reliable or consistent way of responding to specific situations meaning staff and volunteers will be forced to invent what they think needs to be done. This can be highly stressful for staff and volunteers who have no guidance about what is expected of them and there can be serious consequences for individuals and organisations if the wrong approach is taken. Governance is a key priority for charities, and the VCFSE sector according to the Charity Commission.

Support your organisation, staff, volunteers and service users by having effective policies and procedures in place to keep people safe and supported.

The benefits of QF are many and varied, including:

  • Valuable insight: Understand how well you are leading and governing your organisation
  • Clear structure to follow: A tool to complete a structured assessment of your organisations governance, policies and procedures
  • Quick results: The Organisation HealthCheck and Organisation HealthCheck Plus  are self assessments providing you with your own insights into your organisations health.
  • Build confidence: A comprehensive range of quality example policies and procedures are available for you to download with the Organisation HealthCheck Plus and the Quality Standard
  • Compliance: Supporting you to understand your legal obligations including safeguarding, equalities, health and safety and governance.
  • Putting you in control: You choose the level of support that you need.
  • Flexibility: The Framework supports you as you grow.  It’s easy to progress through the framework.
  • Validation: The Quality Standard is externally assessed and reviewed with dedicated support from Community Action Suffolk supporting you to achieve the standard
  • Understanding – a quality framework for the VCFSE by the VCFSE: The framework is built on nearly 20 years of experience supporting the VCFSE to be a safe, well run provider of services.
  • Demonstrate your commitment to continuous improvement

What does the CAS Quality Framework (QF) cover?

Having effective policies and procedures are a foundation and hallmark of a safe, well run, sustainable organisation.The CAS Quality Framework covers the four main areas an organisation requires to demonstrate it has the relevant policies and procedures in place to support its commitment to being a safe, well run provider of services to those that use its services and work or volunteer for it.

The four areas covered are: Safeguarding, Health and safety, Recruitment and development, organisation management.

‘It’s a useful tool helping shape discussions in our organisation so we can all get ‘on the same page’. Organisation HealthCheck February 2023

Don’t just take our word for it. Read what users say about it here

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