Quality Mark

Important note:

We are currently focussing our audit resource on our contracted suppliers and those whose funding is contingent on the award of the Quality Mark.

Therefore if your organisation does not fall into these categories, it is unlikely your application will be accepted or your organisation audited. We recommend you contact your LSC regional office to check the local position.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused and if you would like to comment further, please write to the Supplier Development Group at the Head Office address.

What is it?

The Quality Mark is part of the Community Legal Service (CLS), a major government initiative launched in April 2000.The aim of the CLS is to improve access, for the public, to quality information, advice and legal services through local networks of services supported by co-ordinated funding and based on an assessment of local needs.

Initially it will consist of members with a Quality Mark for the level of service they provide. The Quality Mark is the quality standard that will underpin all CLS services, so that members of the public who need legal information, advice and other help can rely on receiving a quality assured service.

To be awarded the Quality Mark and be able to display the Quality Mark logo organisations will need to demonstrate that they meet the standard required for the type of service being delivered.

The 3 Quality Mark standards are:

Information
General Help
Specialist Help

How will the Quality Mark benefit you?

The Quality Mark logo will instantly identify you to clients and funders alike. The Quality Mark is a major government initiative - its logo will be recognised throughout England and Wales. The Quality Mark will demonstrate that you are committed to providing a quality service.

The standards have been developed specifically to assure quality legal service provision. Other service members will know what you do and will be able to refer clients to you. A regional Directory of Quality Mark holders is widely available to the public and to other service members.

The Quality Mark may give you an advantage when applying for funding. You will have an independently assessed quality standard that shows you provide a well-managed service.

Which standard should I apply for?

There are three standards within the Quality Mark, and sub-divisions within two of them.

Information Services

These services will provide information in written or oral form. Where they provide an assisted information service, they will also have someone on hand to direct clients to the right source of information and to deal with enquiries about advice services in the locality.

Neither type of information service will be involved in diagnosing the client's problem in terms of providing advice as to further action that the client should take.

Self-help Information

This level is for services that rely on the public accessing information themselves. The service may include leaflets, directories, websites or other computer-based systems, or other published materials, where there is little or no interaction with the public.

Examples:

Information stands in public places, such as libraries, doctors surgeries and community centres
Information provided via information technology

Assisted Information

This is for organisations that have a dedicated information service, although this does not have to be the sole purpose of the organisation. There should be staff that are able to help clients access information, to identify where a client needs further information or advice and help clients select an appropriate service where they will be able to receive this.

Examples:

Information centres
One-stop shops
Community centres with a specific information-giving function

Note that assisted information services will be listed in the printed CLS Directory (other information services will not), but also note that this level will require you to provide more evidence about your service in order to meet the Quality Mark.

General Help Services

The standards for general help services are sub-divided into two levels:

General help

The Community Legal Service defines you as giving General Help if you provide a service that includes :

diagnosing clients' problems;
giving information and explaining options;
identifying further action the client can take; and
giving basic assistance, e.g. filling in forms, contacting third parties to seek information.

This will generally be done in one interview although there may be some follow up work. The client then retains responsibility for further action.

Examples:

Generalist advice agencies
Organisations which provide advice as part of a wider support function.

General Help including casework

You may also be providing a casework service, i.e. taking action on behalf of clients in order to move the case on. This may include negotiation and advocacy on the clients' behalf to third parties on the telephone, by letter or face-to-face.

By definition, most cases will involve follow-up work with the provider retaining responsibility for this. You will need to apply for the General Help with Casework level in particular categories. These are currently:

Subject-based: welfare benefits; housing; debt; consumer/general contract; employment; immigration and nationality.
Client-based: disability; younger people; older people; race equality; asylum seekers and refugees.

There is also a requirement that organisations certified to the Casework level should have at least one person working in the relevant category for at least 12 hours per week.

This means that, for example, if you wanted a General Help Quality Mark with Casework in housing, debt and welfare benefits, you would need someone who worked in each of those subject areas for at least 12 hours per week. The 12 hours can include supervision, training and updating in the subject area, in addition to undertaking interviews and follow up work.

Examples:

Generalist agencies with specialist workers, who may be paid or volunteer
Specialist agencies which provide advice in a specific area of law or to a specific client group

Specialist Help Services

Specialist help services will provide advice and legal help on complex matters in specific areas of law and will carry out the full range of legal services including representation where this is permitted (some representation can only be undertaken by qualified lawyers or individuals acting under their supervision).

Organisations that apply at the Specialist level will not automatically receive a legal help contract from the Legal Services Commission although licensed work contracts will be available. You cannot receive money from the Community Legal Service or Criminal Defence Service Funds if you do not hold the Specialist Help Quality Mark.

Examples:

Solicitors
Agencies who provide specialist advice in a specific area of law
Specialist local authority services

If you apply under either the specialist help or general help standards, your organisation will also be expected to provide the minimum services set out in the assisted information standard, but you will not need to make a separate application for this. Where your organisation provides both specialist help and general help, you may want to apply under both standards.

Other quality marks

Information on the following quality marks is also available from this site:

Quality Mark for the Bar
Mediation Quality Mark
Quality Mark for Websites
Telephone Standards
Specialist Support

Where can I obtain further information?

Further information and application packs are available on this website. Please contact your local Legal Services Commission Regional Office.