PROMETHEUS: Promoting quality of social services of general interest (2008-2010)
Funded by
European Commission - DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
Duration
25 Months, From December 2008 to November 2010
Summary
Since several years, public authorities and various actors in the social field agree that a European approach to quality of social services becomes increasingly important. However, few attempts have been made to actually define and to design such a common quality framework (‘what' is quality).
This project is thus proposed to develop, validate and pilot the cross-sectoral and trans-national application of a quality assurance system for social services.
The project addresses the various aspects of quality: Definition of quality (Quality framework and criteria), measurement (indicators), assessment (processes, procedures for (self)-assessment) and improvement of quality of Social Services of Genral Interest (SSGI) (development of action plans for improvement of quality). The definition of 'quality in social services' will be defined in a way that it will overcome legal, socio-economic and cultural differences in the various EU countries. It applies a bottom-up approach which is driven by the various sectoral stakeholders in the social field (service-users, service providers, funders, policy-makers, social partners) who supervise / monitor the quality framework, the assessment procedures and a certification process.
Objectives
- To reach agreements on common leading principles for quality and criteria for quality assurance for the social sector via a CEN workshop with a wide range of European and national sectoral stakeholders in the field of social services.
- To implement the quality system in four EU Member States and in four different social service sectors:
- Services to people with disabilities / Portugal
- Services to homeless people / Romania
- Residential long-term care to elderly and dependent people / Denmark
- Child care services / Greece
- To improve the quality of the services in the pilot sites via training, advice and bench learning. The four pilot sites will draft with the help of external experts an improvement plan which is based on the self-evaluation, and aims to meet the criteria for quality assurance of the common quality framework.
- To develop and disseminate the quality approach to numerous stakeholders at European as well as on national level.
Activities and outcomes
Activities
This project is organised into 7 workpackages:
- Review EQUASS Assurance Certification Programme: Principles for quality and criteria for quality assurance for the social sector will be developed through CEN workshop using the input from representatives of project partners and any other individuals and organisations and EQUASS Expert Group.
- Capacity Building: Information Seminar, Consultancy Training, EQUASS auditor training and National information events to individual social service providers and other relevant national stakeholders about the common quality framework for Social Services of General Interest and its core criteria for quality assurance.
- Piloting: Self-Evaluation, Implementation, test audits, internal audit and external audit.
- Designing of the format and structure of the bench learning instrument
- Information Dissemination: Organisation of international and national information events and seminars conducted by the European and National partner in the project. Organisation of a 2 days European project awareness conference for 150 participants. Production of publications and marketing materials.
- Evaluation: The evaluation will be carried out by EPR under the supervision of the Portuguese University to enhance the credibility of the project results.
- Management: All the activities will be initiated, managed and supported by EPR.
Expected Outcomes
- Common quality framework for SSGI: Quality principles and criteria for quality assurance.
- Operational performance indicators for measuring and benchmarking performance on quality criteria in social services.
- Evidence based and validated system (processes and procedures) of (self)-assessment based on the European Quality Frame work for SSGI.
- A network of relevant national and international bodies for an effective and sustainable cooperation within and across countries.
- Standardized Programme for national information and training seminars
- A network of trained auditors who will be able to promote quality in the social sector, advise social service providers and perform external audits.
- Agreements will be signed with the national stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of the project results.
Lead organisation
European Platform for Rehabilitation (EPR)
Partners
The European partners:
Mental Health Europe (MHE), Belgium
European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA), Belgium
Veneto Region, Italy on behalf of the European Network of Social Authorities (ENSA)
European Federation of Older Persons (EURAG), Austria
European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Belgium
The National partners:
Centro de Reabilitação Profissional de Gaia (CRPG), Portugal
Centre of Accreditation and Quality Development (CAKU), Denmark
Casa Ioana, Romania
Municipality of Alimos in Athens, Greece
Website
http://www.epr.eu/index.php/equass/projects/25-projects/128-prometheus
Contact Person
Astrid Mechel, Social Policy Officer
