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care and repair
STANDARDS AND GUIDANCE

Section Six: Standards

Based on the core activities and principles identified, standards to which all Care and Repair services in Scotland should operate have been developed. These standards have the overarching aim of ensuring that the activities undertaken by Care and Repair services throughout Scotland all meet the same high quality levels of service provision.

The first section of the standards - 'General Standards' - apply to all Care and Repair services across all areas of their work. The second section - 'Standards Relating to Service Provision' - is more detailed and applies to certain areas of Care and Repair services' activities. This section is based around the core Care and Repair activities identified and, as such, each Care and Repair service will need to establish which standards are applicable to the activities which they undertake.

The standards have been designed in such a way that they set out general standards to which services should operate, while not being overly prescriptive in the way in which they perform their activities. This is intended to ensure that each Care and Repair service can continue to adapt to local circumstances, develop their own ethos, and provide assistance in the way which best meets the needs of local communities.

The standards cover eight key themes:

General Standards
1. Fair Access to Services
2. Efficient and Effective Management
3. Being an Employer
4. Joined Up Service Delivery
5. Information and Advice

Standards Relating to Service Provision
6. Providing the Service - Major Repairs and Adaptations
7. Providing the Service - Handyperson and Small Repair Services
8. Providing the Service - Home Visits

General Standards

1. Fair Access to Services

All Care and Repair services should have in place a written statement which sets out the client group catered for, the services provided and criteria for accessing these services, and should ensure that potential clients are well informed of the availability of these services.

Guidance on Standard 1.1

• A written statement should be available, which sets out the above issues
• This statement can either be a stand alone document or incorporated within the service business plan, annual report or publicity materials
• This statement should be available to clients, the public in general and key stakeholders
• A clear publicity strategy should be in place and all publicity should accurately reflect the services offered and state eligibility criteria

Sources of Support

• The Care and Repair Forum has standard publicity materials available for Care and Repair services

It is important that service users understand that within the target group catered for, Care and Repair services may choose to prioritise either certain clients (e.g. those aged over 75), certain needs (e.g. repairs related to home safety or hospital discharge) or certain types of repair (e.g. urgent/ non-urgent). This is particularly important as in many areas demand outstrips supply and many Care and Repair services choose to target those most in need. In order that this happens in a transparent way, any prioritisation strategy should be written down and available to clients.

Guidance on Standard 1.2

• If prioritisation is occurring, the Care and Repair service should set out, within a written strategy, the way in which priority is decided
• Information on the way in which service delivery is prioritised should be available to clients and the public in general

Those accessing Care and Repair services should be able to do so in the confidence that they will all receive the same high quality assistance. Services are still able to target particular client groups, for example by housing tenure or age, but should ensure that within the target group equality of access is provided. The service provided should be flexible to accommodate the needs of individual clients.

Guidance on Standard 1.3

• Service delivery should comply with relevant equalities legislation
• An equal opportunities policy should be in place which covers service planning and provision
• Where services have a managing agent, it should be determined whether the equal opportunities policy of the managing agent is applicable, or whether a separate policy should be developed
• Services should have a clear statement of target group and any prioritisation strategy (as highlighted in Standard 1.1 and 1.2)

• Mechanisms for ensuring all client groups can receive equal access to services should be in place, for example text phone or email facilities for those with hearing difficulties, or access to interpretation services ( see Standard 5.1)
• The value of current home based, individual approach to the delivery of Care and Repair services should be recognised as an effective way of ensuring access
• Projects should seek to gather data on at least the following categories - age, ethnicity, disability and gender of service users
• Client satisfaction monitoring should analyse satisfaction by at least the following categories - age, ethnicity, disability and gender

Sources of Support

• Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000
• Commission for Racial Equality Scotland - www.cre.gov.uk/scotland
• Disability Discrimination Act 1995
• Employers in Voluntary Housing Information Note on DDA 1995 - www.evh.org.uk

• Disability Rights Commission Scotland - www.drc-gb.org/scotland
• Age Concern Scotland - www.ageconcernscotland.org.uk
• Sex Discrimination Act 1975

The assistance provided by Care and Repair should aim to be flexible in meeting individual needs, and should provide a package of services which best suit the client. However, there should be procedures in place which ensure that both client and Care and Repair service understand the type of assistance which will be provided.

Guidance on Standard 1.4

• Clients should be informed of the range of services which Care and Repair organisations could provide them with ( see Standard 1.6 below)
• Clients should be able to choose the level of support they wish to receive from Care and Repair, provided they are eligible for the service
• Clients should be provided with adequate information and advice to enable them to make an informed decision
• Clients should demonstrate their acceptance of chosen services through receiving and signing a statement to this effect

Sources of Support

• Standard letters have been produced by the Care and Repair Forum

Procedures for assessing the needs of clients with regard to Care and Repair services should be in place, and should be appropriate to the type and scale of assistance being provided. For example, for the provision of handyperson services it may be possible to assess needs by telephone, while other services will require a more in depth analysis and home visit.

Guidance on Standard 1.5

• Written procedures for assessing needs should be in place within the Care and Repair organisation
• All staff should be aware of the procedures for assessing needs and should follow these accordingly
• Clients should be informed of the outcome of these assessments ( see Standard 1.6 below)
• Where possible, this assessment procedure should attempt to pick up where clients may be in need of alternative services, and clients referred accordingly

As the service available to clients varies on an individual basis, it is important that all clients understand the assistance which Care and Repair organisations are able to provide.

Guidance on Standard 1.6

• All clients should receive a letter which informs them of the service which Care and Repair can offer them, and how to take this forward
• Where possible, clients who are not eligible should be informed, either verbally or in writing, of any alternative sources of assistance for which they may be eligible

Sources of Support

• Standard letters have been produced by the Care and Repair Forum

In a very small number of cases, Care and Repair services may have to decline individuals access to the service due to concerns over staff safety or security when dealing with this client. In these circumstances, clients should be informed of this decision in writing.

Guidance on Standard 1.7

• A statement on when access to services can reasonably be refused should be in place
• Where access is refused, clients should be informed of this decision in writing, with an explanation of the reason for this decision
• All clients refused access should receive details of
• • how to appeal this decision ( see Standard 1.8)
  • other options available to them which may help resolve their situation

Where a decision has been taken to exclude a target group client from receipt of a Care and Repair service, this decision should be open to appeal by the client.

Guidance on Standard 1.8

• Procedures for appealing decisions to deny access to the service should be in place, and should involve consideration of the case by someone other than the staff member directly involved in the case (e.g. the Co-ordinator/ Advisory Group/ Management Board)
• Clients denied access should be informed of these procedures
• Clients should be kept up-to-date with the progress of their appeal

It is important that clients have a route through which they can register dissatisfaction with the Care and Repair service and, if appropriate, any action can be taken to provide redress. As Care and Repair organisations are often co-ordinating the works rather than undertaking them themselves, it is important that the complaints policy explains the procedures for dealing with poor performance of contractors, which the client has a contractual relationship with; grant administration which is largely the responsibility of the local authority; as well as of those working on behalf of the Care and Repair service itself (e.g. staff, trainees, volunteers, contracted services).

Guidance on Standard 1.9

• A written complaints policy should be in place in all Care and Repair services which sets out the procedure for dealing with client complaints
• The complaints policy should be publicised to clients
• Complaints should be monitored and the outcomes used for future service planning

2. Efficient and Effective Management

As Care and Repair services throughout Scotland can cater to different client groups, undertake different activities and have a different ethos in the way in which assistance is provided, it is important that each Care and Repair service clearly sets out what it aims to achieve in a formal written statement.

Guidance on Standard 2.1

• A written statement should be prepared which sets out the strategic role and purpose of the Care and Repair service
• This statement can be a stand alone document or can be incorporated within a business plan or other relevant document
• This statement should be available to clients and other relevant stakeholders

It is important that the role of the Care and Repair service is formalised in a Service Level Agreement or similar document, which sets out the activities that the Care and Repair service will undertake in exchange for funding from the local authority.

Guidance on Standard 2.2

• A Service Level Agreement should be in place and should cover issues such as:
• • aims of the service
  • targets for the year
  • monitoring arrangements - for both service delivery and financial outcomes
• This document should be reviewed on an annual basis

Sources of Support

• A standard Service Level Agreement has been prepared by the Care and Repair Working Group and can be accessed through the Care and Repair Forum

For those services with managing agents, it is important that the role of this organisation, including its funders and regulators, is clearly specified and agreed with the Care and Repair service. As the managing agent has ultimate legal and financial responsibility for the Care and Repair service, it is vital that these relationships are clearly set out.

Guidance on Standard 2.3

• Written terms of reference should set out the responsibilities of the managing agent and project
• These terms of reference should be reviewed on a regular basis

Sources of Support

• 'Care and Repair: A Good Practice Guide', produced by Communities Scotland sets out the responsibilities of managing agents (Appendix 7)

Where Care and Repair services have an Advisory Group and/ or Management Board, the remit of this group should be clearly set out. It is particularly important to establish the relative responsibilities of Care and Repair staff, managing agents and the Advisory Group/ Management Board.

Guidance on Standard 2.4

• A written document should set out the responsibilities of the Advisory Group/ Management Board, and should specify:
• • any restrictions on the minimum/ maximum number of people on the group/ board
  • criteria for membership of the group
  • rules of operation, including frequency of meetings, quorum for decisions, arrangements for servicing and appointment of chairperson (if applicable)
• Where there is no managing agent, the role and responsibilities of the Management Board should be set out in more detail, and should cover the key issues of:
• • who the legal employer is and arrangements for managing employees
  • where financial responsibility for the service lies

Sources of Support

• 'Care and Repair: A Good Practice Guide', produced by Communities Scotland contains a standard statement on role and composition of the Advisory Group (Appendix 7)

Forward planning for the delivery of Care and Repair services is essential to ensure that activities fit within a strategy which effectively targets the needs of local people.

Guidance on Standard 2.5

• A business plan should be prepared each year which sets out future service provision plans and anticipated resources in the next three years
• The business plan should include an assessment of local needs and estimates of future needs
• The business plan should demonstrate linkages between the Care and Repair service and the local strategic context - for example Local Housing Strategies, Community Care Plans and Joint Future strategies
• Consideration should be given to the availability of other similar services in the area
• Annual targets should be set for service provision

Sources of Support

• 'Care and Repair: A Good Practice Guide', produced by Communities Scotland contains guidelines for analysis of local needs to assist service planning
• Local Housing Strategies are available from the local authority, and are often accessible online

Services should review their performance on a regular basis to ensure that they are meeting the targets set in the business plan.

Guidance on Standard 2.6

• Reports on service provision performance should be produced on at least a quarterly basis, ideally on a regular basis which is consistent with Advisory Group/ Management Board meetings
• The results of these regular reviews should be built into future service planning

Services should provide regular reports on their financial position. The financial performance of each Care and Repair service should be monitored on an annual basis, with comparison between budgets and final statements made. This should then feed back into financial planning for future years.

Guidance on Standard 2.7

• Budgets should be produced at the beginning of each financial year
• Reports on financial performance should be produced on at least a quarterly basis, ideally on a regular basis which is consistent with Advisory Group/ Management Board meetings
• The results of these regular reviews should be built into future financial planning
• At the financial year end, a statement on the financial performance of the service over the year should be produced
• End of year financial statements should be audited independently, either through the Managing Agent's audit or on an individual basis

Sources of Support

• 'Care & Repair: Good Practice Guide' produced by Communities Scotland contains a guidance note on preparation of business plans and revenue budgets (although this is somewhat targeted at new projects)

It is vital that Care and Repair services are accountable not only to the Advisory Group/ Management Board but also to funders and other key stakeholders.

Guidance on Standard 2.8

• Final financial and service provision performance figures for the year should be produced in an annual report
• This report should be made available on request

Most Care and Repair services currently maintain a database of all cases taken on, with areas monitored including client details, property details, job schedule, work carried out, costs, funding and case outcomes. Such databases should be maintained by all Care and Repair services.

Guidance on Standard 2.9

• All new cases should be entered into a database as soon as is practical
• Care and Repair services should update their database entries on a regular basis
• When gathering client details, services should make clear that they will be entered onto a database and should explain the purpose of this database
• All information should be treated in accordance with the service's policy on privacy, confidentiality and data protection ( see Standard 5.2)

At present, Communities Scotland gather a set of 13 National Indicators for Care and Repair services each year. Current arrangements are under review but the requirement for a framework to monitor performance on a national level is likely to remain.

Guidance on Standard 2.10

• Care and Repair service monitoring systems should ensure that information on the 13 National Indicators (or other monitoring information as required) is gathered throughout the year
• Monitoring information should be submitted as required

Sources of Support

• For assistance in compiling National Indicators contact the Care and Repair Forum

With the focus of Care and Repair services being on delivering a client centred approach, it is very important for projects to gather feedback on the views of clients. Through monitoring satisfaction, services can adapt future activities to take account of any issues raised by clients.

Guidance on Standard 2.11

• All clients receiving Care and Repair services should have the opportunity to provide feedback
• Feedback should be gathered in a structured way which allows for analysis of satisfaction
• Results of client satisfaction analysis should feed into future service planning and provision
• Linkages between client satisfaction and the complaints procedure should be in place

Care and Repair services undertake a range of activities which require insurances to be in place. This is particularly true of the home based aspect of the service, the nebulous nature of information and advice provision, and the fact that Care and Repair staff are often undertaking activities on behalf of their client.

Guidance on Standard 2.12

• Care and Repair services should ensure that they have the relevant insurances in place to cover their activities
• In particular, insurance for information and advice provision and undertaking home visits should be in place
• For services with a managing agent, particular care should be taken to verify that the insurances held by the managing agent cover the activities undertaken by the Care and Repair service, or that individual insurance policies are in place for the service

Sources of Support

• Insurance packages tailored at Care and Repair services are available, and details can be provided through the Care and Repair Forum

3. Being an Employer

Whether it is the managing agent or independent organisation with responsibility for employment issues, it is important that a policy for recruitment and selection of staff is in place. For projects with managing agents in place, it may be that recruitment policies for this organisation will be readily applicable or adaptable.

Guidance on Standard 3.1

• A recruitment and selection policy should be in place which sets out:
• • procedures for advertising, interviewing and selecting
  • responsibility for selection of staff
  • induction and training process
  • equal opportunities statement
• This policy should be reviewed on a regular basis and should be updated to meet any relevant legislative changes

Sources of Support

• Employers in Voluntary Housing provides a range of assistance in developing employment related policies - www.evh.org.uk
• For those organisations which are members of EVH phone, email and in person support is available
• Full EVH policies are generally only available to member organisations, but initial enquiries are welcome at no cost

All Care and Repair staff should be clear about their employment status, their responsibilities and their rights.

Guidance on Standard 3.2

• Written contracts should be in place for all staff
• Conditions of service should also be in place for all staff, and should include areas such as working hours, sick pay, holiday entitlement and grievances
• All staff should have job descriptions setting out their responsibilities, and these should be updated regularly in consultation with staff
• When recruiting for a new position a job description for the post should be developed
• Trainees and volunteers should also have written agreements with the service which clearly set out their rights and role in providing the service

Sources of Support

• Employers in Voluntary Housing provides a range of assistance in developing employment related policies - www.evh.org.uk

Care and Repair representatives (staff, volunteers, trainees, contracted companies) undertake a wide range of activities, and it is important to ensure that individuals are suitably qualified to undertake these activities.

Guidance on Standard 3.3

• Job descriptions for each staff member should include specification of any qualifications required
• Mechanisms by which qualifications are verified prior to appointing staff/ volunteers should be in place
• Skills required to undertake activities should be reviewed regularly in line with reviews of job descriptions
• Where representatives require additional skills due to changing requirements of the job, training programmes should be in place to address these skills

Sources of Support

• Employers in Voluntary Housing provides a range of assistance in developing employment related policies - www.evh.org.uk

It is good practice for all service providers to have in place policies on equal opportunities and health and safety, and these should be in place in all Care and Repair services.

Guidance on Standard 3.4

• An equal opportunities policy should be in place and comply with relevant equalities legislation
• A Health and Safety policy should be in place which covers Health and Safety both in the office and on home visits

Sources of Support

• Employers in Voluntary Housing provides a range of assistance in developing employment related policies - www.evh.org.uk

Care and Repair services deal specifically with a vulnerable client group, often within their own home. As a result, it is essential that all staff and volunteers with contact with clients or access to client information are checked by Disclosure Scotland. This should be contained within a written policy that deals with the level of disclosure required, procedures for assessing results, appeals and timescales for re-registration.

Guidance on Standard 3.5

• All staff (paid and voluntary) should undergo a Basic Disclosure check. In addition certain positions will require a greater level of Disclosure. Disclosure Scotland can be contacted for advice on individual cases if required
• Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) procedures require all new staff to be checked prior to an offer of employment and existing staff to be rechecked every three years, or if the level of contact with the client group increases. This practice is considered to be appropriate and is recommended by the Scottish Executive and Communities Scotland as suitable for Care and Repair services
• All existing staff should have undergone Disclosure checks by 31 December 2006
• Whilst funders can be advised of the outcome of Disclosure assessments, they should not have access to the Disclosure document without the persons written consent
• The Central Registered Body in Scotland (CRBS) provides free Disclosures for volunteers working for "not for profit" organisations only

Sources of Support

• Disclosure Scotland and the Care and Repair Forum are able to provide advice on the level at which representatives should be checked. Information is available online at www.disclosurescotland.co.uk
• The CRBS can provide advice on Disclosure Checks for volunteers at www.crbs.org.uk
• Employers in Voluntary Housing have prepared an information note on Disclosures and can also provide specific advice to members - www.evh.org.uk

4. Joined Up Service Delivery

Care and Repair services depend upon effective linkages being made with other agencies and organisations in the local area. It is important that every service has some mechanism in place which enables key stakeholders to be involved in planning service delivery.

Guidance on Standard 4.1

• All services should have an Advisory Group or another mechanism which brings together agencies and organisations with which Care and Repair services work, such as the local authority Housing and Social Work functions, Health representatives, client representative bodies, funders and other relevant organisations
• The composition of this group should be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that relevant representatives are involved

Local authorities produce a range of strategic documents which set out their priorities in terms of meeting local needs within a range of fields. Local authorities now have responsibility for co-ordination of Care and Repair service delivery within their area, and have the strategic role for funding of these services. As such, Care and Repair services should demonstrate an awareness of the strategic context in their service planning, through targeting those groups which the local authority has identified as being most in need. The key strategic document which will overarch service planning is the Community Plan which each local authority is required to produce. Underlying this strategy are a range of theme based strategies including Local Housing Strategies, Community Care Plans and Joint Future strategies.

Guidance on Standard 4.2

• Business plans should take account of the priorities identified in local authority strategies, and services targeted accordingly
• Where new strategies are produced by the local authority, the business plan should be adapted accordingly

Sources of Support

• Community Plans and other strategic documents will be available from your local authority - many can also be found online

Care and Repair type services are not only delivered by Care and Repair organisations, but in some areas are also delivered by local authorities and voluntary organisations. This is particularly evident with regard to small repair and handyperson services in certain areas. It is therefore vital that prior to launching any new activities, Care and Repair services are aware of existing activity within the local authority area and ensure that any new services complement rather than replicate existing service provision.

Guidance on Standard 4.3

• Prior to the establishment of additional activities, Care and Repair services should investigate the current services provided in the area
• If a gap is identified, Care and Repair services should undertake research into the demand for additional services and consult with key stakeholders
• Where possible, referral or signposting systems should be established with other similar services

5. Information and Advice

Care and Repair services aim to provide high quality information and advice to their clients in both verbal and written forms. Clients should be able to access information and advice in a variety of ways which meet their needs. Clients should not be disadvantaged in accessing information/ advice due to particular needs which they may have.

Guidance on Standard 5.1

• Verbal and/ or written information should be provided in a way which best meets the needs of individual clients
• Care and Repair services should ensure that there is a route through which all clients can obtain accessible information, and that clients are made aware of this
• There should be arrangements in place which enable Care and Repair services to provide information and advice in a range of formats/ languages which meet the needs of people from ethnic minority communities and people with disabilities, if requested
• Written information provided should be clear, simple and aim to meet 'Plain English' standards
• Prior to accepting a service, clients should be clearly informed both verbally and in writing of their rights and responsibilities

Care and Repair services gather a range of information on clients, and it is important that clients are aware of how this information will be used and are confident that this information will be used in a sensitive manner.

Guidance on Standard 5.2

• All Care and Repair services should have a written privacy and confidentiality policy which covers issues such as:
• • reason for gathering information
  • circumstances in which information can be passed on
  • how clients can access any information held about them
  • data protection and human rights legislation
• The key points of this policy should be explained to clients, and the policy should be made available to clients if requested

Sources of Support - All Standards in Section Five

• The document 'Standards and Good Practice Guidance for Housing Information and Advice Services' produced by Home Point, Communities Scotland is a useful source of guidance - contact Communities Scotland for further information

Standards Relating to Service Provision

6. Providing the Service - Major Repairs and Adaptations

Prior to accepting assistance from Care and Repair services, all clients should be informed in writing of the services which the Care and Repair service is able to offer them. This ensures that the relative roles and responsibilities of the client and the Care and Repair service are clearly established from the outset.

Guidance on Standard 6.1

• A written statement should be sent to each client explaining:
• • the services which Care and Repair can offer to the client
  • the responsibilities of the Care and Repair service
  • the responsibilities of the client
  • the procedures for accepting these services
• If the client wishes to accept the services of the Care and Repair service, they should be asked to sign a statement agreeing to the conditions specified

Sources of Support

• Standard letters have been produced by the Care and Repair Forum

The development of a close working relationship between Care and Repair and local authorities is essential, particularly to enable efficient procedures for applying for and receiving grant funding for clients. As such, clearly established procedures for joint working should be in place.

Guidance on Standard 6.2

• Procedures for accessing grant funding for Care and Repair clients should be confirmed in a written agreement
• The procedures for assessing quality and signing off work should be agreed in writing ( see Standard 6.6)
• Referral mechanisms between local authority services and Care and Repair services should be in place

Sources of Support

• The Care and Repair Forum is able to offer advice and assistance regarding developing joint working arrangements

It is very important to ensure that adequate funding is in place to pay for any works required, and that the Care and Repair service, local authority and client are all clear about where funding for the works is coming from. Clear funding arrangements should be in place prior to any works commencing.

Guidance on Standard 6.3

• A funding statement should be provided to the client prior to works commencing which clearly sets out the amount of funding to which the local authority has confirmed it will provide, and client responsibilities for paying for components of the works
• In no circumstances should work commence prior to confirmation from the local authority of the level of funding which will be available
• All parties should make every effort to ensure that funding arrangements are identified and put in place for any critical unforeseen works which may arise during completion of the works, which were not included in the original costs

It is particularly important to ensure that contractors and other agents are adequately insured should any problems arise. In addition, clients should be made aware of the need to have insurance in place when commissioning building works ^.

Guidance on Standard 6.4

• Contractors and other agents should be asked to provide evidence of relevant insurances on a regular basis
• Care and Repair projects should make clients aware of the need for adequate buildings and contents insurance
• It should be the decision of the client to decide whether to increase/ obtain insurance if the level is found do be insufficient

Sources of Support

• The Care and Repair Forum can provide further details regarding insurance related issues.

During the process of works being undertaken, the description of works to be undertaken can change. To avoid any misunderstanding, all changes should be agreed in writing.

Guidance on Standard 6.5

• All changes should be agreed in writing by all parties
• The Care and Repair service should negotiate with the client and local authority regarding meeting any additional costs resulting from these changes

Due to the range of different stakeholders involved in the major repairs and adaptations process, it is vital that all parties are aware of their responsibilities, and those of others, when works reach the signing off stage.

Guidance on Standard 6.6

• At the outset, the role of all parties in signing off works should be agreed in writing
• Procedures for the local authority releasing grant should be agreed in writing (as in Standard 6.2)
• Clients should be involved in signing off procedures throughout

Sources of Support

• Standard letters confirming completion of works have been produced by the Care and Repair Forum

A central aspect of a Care and Repair service's activity is to maintain a list of contractors and other agents who can be approached to tender for building works. It is essential that this list is regularly reviewed and maintained.

Guidance on Standard 6.7

• Performance of contractors and other agents should be monitored on an ongoing basis in areas such as:
• • response to tenders
  • quality of works
  • client service
  • pricing structure
  • health and safety
• Client satisfaction with contractors and other agents should be gathered and monitored

It is the responsibility of Care and Repair services to ensure that clients are aware that they have responsibility for selecting and appointing a contractor, and that they can appoint any contractor they wish. However, where clients appoint contractors against the advice of Care and Repair services, any concerns regarding the contractor should be explained to the client.

Guidance on Standard 6.8

• Clients should be advised verbally or in writing of any concerns which the Care and Repair service has with the contractor
• These concerns must be based on reliable evidence gathered through monitoring the performance of contractors
• At all times the client should be aware that it is their choice who to appoint

7. Providing the Service - Handyperson and Small Repairs Services

If Handyperson or Small Repairs services are being offered, a statement should be in place which sets out the scope of the service and eligibility criteria, for example in terms of area, housing tenure, age, disability.

Guidance on Standard 7.1

• Handyperson/ Small Repairs services should specify:
• • the tasks undertaken by the service
  • how the service can be accessed, and by whom
  • any prioritisation strategy
• The charging policy for the Handyperson/ Small Repairs Service should be clearly stated

While Handyperson services focus on tasks which can be undertaken by those without professional trade qualifications, many tasks undertaken by Small Repairs Services require the skills of a qualified tradesperson. It is important that this distinction is observed by services, and that those directly providing the service are suitably qualified.

Guidance on Standard 7.2

• Those undertaking tasks should only provide those tasks specified within the service definition ( see Standard 7.1)
• Care and Repair services should ensure that all those providing Small Repairs services have the relevant qualifications to perform their role

Some Care and Repair services contract with other voluntary or private organisations to provide Handyperson/ Small Repair services on their behalf. In these cases, Care and Repair services should ensure that contractors are appointed using a rigorous recruitment method, and that performance is monitored on an ongoing basis.

Guidance on Standard 7.3

• Procedures for appointing contractors to provide services for Care and Repair services should be in place
• All companies contracted by Care and Repair to provide services should meet the relevant standards for Care and Repair services, as far as is practicable
• The performance of any contractors employed should be closely monitored on an ongoing basis

8. Providing the Service - Home Visits

A significant proportion of Care and Repair services' work is based around home visits to clients. As the services are dealing with a vulnerable client group, all Care and Repair services should ensure that home visits are undertaken in a way which puts the client at ease and ensures their safety.

Guidance on Standard 8.1

• All new clients should be informed in advance of any home visit to be made
• All staff should carry appropriate identification and mechanisms should be in place to enable clients to verify staff identity

In addition to ensuring the safety and security of clients, precautions should be taken to ensure the safety of staff undertaking home visits.

Guidance on Standard 8.2

• A written statement on staff safety should be in place, and should cover issues such as:
• • logging time and location of home visits made
  • contacting those on home visits
  • recording and monitoring incidents

Sources of Support

• The Suzy Lamplugh Trust has a range of guidance on personal safety - www.suzylamplugh.org

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