Quality Standards
In order to attain the organisation's vision, mission and values Depaul UK strives to achieve the highest possible standard of service in all aspects of its practice. Since merging with Nightstop UK in 2007 Depaul UK is now, not only the proprietor of the trademark Nightstop, but also the organisation charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the reputation earned by that brand continues to be maintained. Depaul Nightstop UK is responsible for the day to day management of the benchmark of quality implicit in the Nightstop name.
Depaul Nightstop UK Quality Standards
1. Governance
Nightstop services will have appropriate governance structures in place and will ensure governing body members have or will acquire the apporopriate qualities, skills and knowledge for the role. Governing body member roles and responsibilities will be clearly stated. The governing body will be accountable for all legal and financial matters in addition to policy and procedure development and implementation. Governing body members will work with staff, volunteers and young people to provide the best service possible. Nightstop services will manage their resources, including funding, prudently.
2. Equal Opportunities and Diversity
Nightstop services will ensure they comply with equal opportunities. Policies will be in place so that governing body members, staff, volunteers and young people are not discriminated against and do not discriminate against others.
3. Volunteer Management
Nightstop services will work with volunteers who are recruited, assessed, trained, and approved for a specific role/s. Volunteers must understand their role and responsibilities. Volunteers will be valued and supported.
4. Staff Management
Nightstop services who recruit paid/unpaid staff will ensure they have the necessary skills to develop, manage and grow identifiable services for young people, ensuring all legal and regulatory conditions are met. Support for staff will include regular line management and an annual appraisal.
5. Confidentiality
Nightstop services will work within clear confidentiality policies and procedures for the protection of young people, volunteers and staff.
6. Quality and Service Development
Through continued training and improvement to services, Nightstop services show a commitment to delivering a quality service for young people. Systems are in place to ensure feedback from young people is central to continued service delivery and development. In order to continually improve good practice Nightstop services have a willingness to share relevant information at a local, regional and national level and keep themselves informed of what is happening in the field of youth homelessness.
7. Assessment of Nightstop Services
Nightstop services undertake a Quality Standards Assessment prior to being operational and engage in a further Quality Standards Assessment 12 months from the date of becoming operational. Subsequently assessments are carried out every 3 years, or as deemed necessary, after consultation between an individual Nightstop service and Depaul Nightstop UK.
8. Partnership Working
Nightstop services work in partnership with external agencies to promote the work of Nightstop and to take advantage of networking opportunities that will ensure services for young people continue to be developed and delivered in a unified way.
9. Health and Safety
Nightstop services ensure the health and safety of staff, volunteers and young people by robust risk assessment policy, procedures and guidelines.
10. Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults
Nightstop services work to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults, by ensuring policies and procedures fit within the safeguarding children and vulnerable adult processes of the local authority in which they are based. This ensures that employee and volunteer screening is robust and effective.
