Mission

To provide excellent training, facilitation, development consultancy and review in the fields of social services, health and social inclusion.

Values

• Clients and customers have the right to the best possible service. They determine what that is and we do everything we can to meet their requirements.
• Clients and customers have the right to good value for money. Savings or improvements should exceed expenditure; impact on quality should be significant and long term.
• We will only undertake work for which we are trained and competent.
• Evaluation of the services we have provided shall the basis on which future services are offered.

Quality Assurance

Objectives

We aim to provide a service which is:-

• REALISTIC: by drawing on a range of experience, research and theory to help clients to identify achievable solutions;
• RESPONSIVE: by seeking to understand the unique values and history of each client organisation as the starting point for future development;
• ENABLING: by achieving results which enable clients to pursue their objectives in the most effective way;
• EFFECTIVE: by monitoring progress and seeking feedback as an integral part of our work, and by helping clients to plan for future development and recognise progress.

Responding to demand

Relevant skills and knowledge

We regularly analyse our own and our potential clients' environment and information needs under Statutory, Economic, organisational, Technological and resource headings. The world in which we and our clients operate is complex and rapidly changing. We keep abreast, and where possible ahead, of developments in order to provide a high quality service. We have a budget for training and publications and set time aside for attending courses, seminars and other personal development opportunities. We analyse completed assignments for future application.

A clear brief

We work only to a clear brief which we understand and have agreed with our client. However the brief originates, whether from a tender, a response to a client request or a proposal originating from us, we contact potential clients to discuss the brief and possible modifications to ensure that it meets their needs. Pre-contract for this purpose is at no cost to or obligation on the client.

A clear and flexible proposal

Proposals follow our own format or that of the client but cover the following ground in either event.

• An introduction summarising the current position.
• An agency profile summarising our experience relevant to the proposed task.
• A methodology describing the processes and techniques we propose to employ.
• A cost estimate broken down to meet the requirements of the client. We are happy to provide a global figure, a project figure plus expenses or a rate per day plus expenses, depending on the nature of the project and the accounting needs of the client.
• A timetable, administration and personnel including:-

the target dates for stages (where appropriate) and completion

details and responsibilities of each consultant to be involved.

proposals for client liaison and progress reporting. Proposals are made using the best information available to us, but are open to modification in discussion with the client. Detailed aspects of methodology, time and cost estimate and timetable/administration are all open to negotiation. Negotiation takes place at the initial meeting with the client, after the contract has been awarded in principle.

Undertaking work

Information gathering

We gather information from all the appropriate people with due regard for confidentiality. Comments are aggregated and are not attributed to individuals. All notes and written materials such as questionnaires are destroyed after completion of the consultancy. We seek to minimise the impact of the consultancy on the organisation.

Reviewing progress

Depending on the length and complexity of the assignment, we plan and cost in opportunities to review the brief, any difficulties which may have arisen, and the need for change. Ideas and possible alternative courses of action often emerge during the process. The brief should include the time and the space to check out the information on which the ideas are based and to discuss them with the client and other stakeholders.

Reports

Interim and final reports are produced jointly by the consultants and are written in clear, jargon free language. Reports are normally submitted in draft to the client for a check on factual accuracy and appropriate amendment to ensure fair balance and effective impact. We are always happy to meet clients to discuss draft reports before the final submission.

Clients can help by

• recognising that work to this quality standard takes time, especially between the information gathering and draft report stages, and allowing sufficient elapsed time for the process;
• being flexible to suggest or take on additions or amendments to the consultancy as it progresses;
• setting aside time to play their part in the consultation process.

After completion

We analyse all our work after the event, involving associates if appropriate. We now use a standard form to seek feedback about our performance.

• Have we completed the brief?

• Have we adhered to the cost estimate and timetable?
• Have the stakeholders with whom we have had contact found the experience useful?
• Has the project and outcome been realistic, responsive, enabling and effective?
• May we conduct a brief (free) follow-up six months after the completion of the project?

The project team

Social Services Strategic Planning operates within a consortium of trusted associates. Proposals will include the personnel which we intend to deploy to undertake the project in order to enable us to respond flexibly to demand and to provide the best skill mix and expertise to meet its requirements. The client will normally meet the project team in advance of the contract and it will not be changed without their agreement and approval. Associates are sub-contractors to SSSP and, as such, are required to work to the standards set out in this statement.

Feedback: the learning loop

Much of the value we are able to add stems from the learning we gain from the research and experience accrued from one project to another. We therefore undertake a half yearly review of our work as a whole; drawing heavily on the feedback we have received from clients and our half year follow up of individual projects and analysing in the light of emerging research and Government guidance.

Guarantee

Clients are entitled to expect added value in excess of their expenditure on our services. We will repeat or revise any aspect of a project which, in their opinion, fails to meet that criterion and refund the part of our fee which relates to that aspect should they remain dissatisfied following our attempts to remedy the situation.
 

© SSSP Ltd., September 2003