Our approach to quality assurance (QA) for the ASYE focuses on enabling employers to provide a consistent level of support, assesment and outcomes for newly qualified social workers (NQSWs).
There are two interlinked elements to our approach to quality assurance, which are the cycle of quality assurance and continuous improvement and the quality assurance (QA) framework.
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This process is underpinned by a shared commitment to ensuring that ASYE programmes deliver the best possible learning experience for NQSWs.
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This diagram shows all of the elements of the quality assurance framework and how they work together.
The ASYE quality assurance (QA) framework has been developed with employers. It will support individual programmes continuously to develop the consistency of the support, assessment and outcomes they deliver to NQSWs, so promoting national consistency.
Four key elements of the framework
1. National evaluation criteria (NEC)
The national evaluation criteria sets out the elements expected of a successful ASYE programme and supports the continuous development and quality of a programme.
It's not expected that an organisation will meet all of the criteria at the same level in one year. Strengthening your programme is a journey and you should use the national evaluation criteria as guidance.
2. Gathering and assessment of QA evidence by individual programmes
This process supports the development of an action plan for continuous development. The action plan is produced annually and submitted in support of a grant funding application.
3. Action plan for continuous development
The action plan for continuous development of a programme:
- is produced annually by the ASYE co-ordinator working closely with the senior manager with responsibility for the programme, or person with strategic responsibility for the programme
- will set out the sources of QA evidence used to develop the action plan, what programme areas have been strengthened over the previous 12 months and also the areas for development in the next 12 months
- will support an organisation's grant funding application each year. A completed and signed action plan will need to be submitted. Information on how to do this will be communicated soon. There will be transitional arrangements for the grant funding cycle 2023-24.
4. The national quality assurance panel (NQAP)
This panel will:
- undertake in a more limited way the moderation function of the national moderation panel and be accessible to child and family programmes on an elective basis
- provide individual feedback to programmes that have submitted portfolios for moderation
- provide an annual key message to ASYE programmes on areas of continuous improvement in the support, assessment and outcomes for NQSWs
- consider applications for the endorsement of a specific area of a programme that meets or contributes to meeting in a meaningful way one of the national evaluation criteria or NEC+. Our future aim is that the endorsed practice will be made available to all programmes via our website to support their own journey of continuous development.
Quality assurance review visits
Skills for Care undertake annual quality assurance/peer review visits to organisations who have registered for ASYE funding on the NQSW portal. We identify organisations using a randomised sampling method.
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This process is underpinned by a shared commitment to ensuring that ASYE programmes deliver the best possible learning experience for NQSWs.
Roles and responsibilities
Within the cycle of quality assurance and continuous improvement NQSWs play a key role in influencing quality. NQSWs should be ‘active participants not passive recipients’ of their ASYE programme.
Our regular NQSW forums allow NQSWs to feedback on their experience and be invested in future developments of the ASYE.
Local ASYE programmes are encouraged to enable NQSWs to play a full part in influencing programme development.
360-degree organisational evaluation tool
The 360-degree organisational evaluation tool is an online tool built around the ASYE evaluation criteria. You can download guidance on how to use the 360-degree feedback tool
- Feedback about how the organisation delivers the programme comes from those involved including managers, peers, supervisors/assessors and NQSWs
- Employers can download reports to inform their quality assurance and related process of continuous improvement of the programme
- Skills for Care can download a national analysis of the collated 360 anonymised reports to inform an understanding of what's happening across the ASYE community
- Employers should use the 360 tool on a regular basis and ensure that those taking part have sufficient understanding of the programme so they can provide meaningful feedback.
This video details the principles of quality assurance which are in place to support the consistency of the ASYE programme and the experience of NQSWs.