{"id":15144,"date":"2021-10-06T16:51:12","date_gmt":"2021-10-06T15:51:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/?page_id=120"},"modified":"2026-03-23T19:03:40","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T19:03:40","slug":"quality-assurance","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/quality-assurance\/","title":{"rendered":"Quality Assurance"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Quality Assurance<\/span><\/h1>\n

What is it?\u00a0<\/h3>\n

Quality assurance is a range of monitoring, moderation<\/a> and evaluation activities that help settings assess the quality of the service for children and families.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A quality assurance calendar<\/a> helps leaders map out what aspects of practice will be monitored, moderated, or evaluated to determine if a high-quality service is being provided.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Practitioners then need to take action when quality falls short or identify strong practice that can be further built upon.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Immediate action would be relevant to issues of quality, particularly where children\u2019s safety or wellbeing is compromised.\u00a0 For example, a quality assurance activity highlights that nappy changing procedures are not being followed consistently by all staff which is leading to compromised infection prevention and control procedures.\u00a0 This presents a hygiene risk so immediate action needs to be taken.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Longer term action could form an improvement agenda and could be taken forward through a focus in the setting improvement plan.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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How does quality assurance link to self-evaluation?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Regular and effective self-evaluation<\/a> against a range of frameworks requires practitioners to reflect on their practice and use a range of information to make informed decisions about how well the setting is doing and what needs to improve.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Children, families and partners<\/a> views must be taken into account when evaluating aspects of practice and when planning for improvement.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Those views, together with the evidence from quality assurance and other relevant activities, help settings effectively and robustly self-evaluate.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Key messages about effective quality assurance:\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

An effective quality assurance calendar should:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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    • Be set out what is being monitored, moderated or evaluated<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Indicate how it will be done (the activities that will be done)<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Indicate the month\/date the activity will be completed<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Name the practitioner responsible for completing that activity<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Reflect the needs of your service at the time of planning the calendar<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Be flexible to take account of emerging needs which may not have been identified at the time of planning the calendar<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Identify strengths and areas of practice that need to improve<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Be followed up as appropriate – minutes of staff meetings, or quality assurance or self-evaluation, or setting improvement floor books, are good ways to evidence strengths and\/or any action being taken as a result of quality assurance activities and the impact it has had on children<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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      Resources<\/small> \uf0ab<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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      \u00a0<\/h4>\n

      Spotlight on Practice\u00a0\uf03d<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      Quality Assurance\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      Fiona Duncan-Kerr, funded childminder in SBC, shares her approach to quality assurance, self-evaluation & monitoring the impact of training on outcomes for children.<\/p>\n

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