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Lifelong Links Service Accreditation
Lifelong Links service accreditation is a means for local authorities to demonstrate that they meet high standards of Lifelong Links practice.
What is Lifelong Links Service Accreditation?
Family Rights Group has been at the forefront of developing and promoting high quality practice. We have developed a set of nine standards which set out the basic requirements which should be expected from services delivering Lifelong Links.
Nine quality standards of a service - text description
- Coordinators are independent, trained and supported.
- All necessary consents and agreements are in place.
- A Lifelong Links planning meeting involving all relevant people is convened, and next steps agreed.
- The child’s network is thoroughly explored with them and next steps agreed.
- The coordinator engages the family and wider network, and supports them in contributing to the Lifelong Links plan.
- The Lifelong Links family group conference is planned and takes place in a safe environment.
- Lifelong Links plans are shared, implemented and embedded in the child’s care plan.
- Local authority supports the plan to ensure child’s ‘Lifelong Links’ are developed.
- The service works to the principles of equality and inclusivity, promoting diversity.
Who is Lifelong Links accreditation for?
All Lifelong Links services are welcome to apply to become accredited. Accreditation lasts for three years.
Local authorities with an accredited service
Family Rights Group is delighted that the following local authorities have an accredited Lifelong Links service:
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- Coventry City Council
- Doncaster Council
- Hertfordshire County Council
- Kent County Council
- Lancashire County Council
- Leeds City Council
- North East Lincolnshire Council
- Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
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Local authorities working towards Lifelong Links accreditation
East of England
- Norfolk County Council
London
- Camden Council
- London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
- London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
- London Borough of Islington
- London Borough of Southwark
- Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
- Tower Hamlets Council
- Wandsworth Borough Council
- Westminster City Council
North East
- Darlington Borough Council
- Durham County Council
- Gateshead Council
- Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
North West
- Blackpool Council
- Lancashire County Council
- Manchester City Council
- Salford City Council
- Sefton Council
- St Helens Borough Council
- Warrington Borough Council
South East
- Brighton and Hove City Council
- East Sussex County Council
- Oxfordshire County Council
- Portsmouth City Council
South West
- Bath and North East Somerset Council
- Devon County Council
- Wiltshire Council
West Midlands
- Birmingham Children’s Trust
- Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Yorkshire and Humber
- East Riding of Yorkshire Council
- Leeds City Council
Wales
- Denbighshire County Council
How does Lifelong Links accreditation work?
The accreditation framework sets out the minimum requirements for a Lifelong Links service to be accredited and provides:
- Clear guidance as to how services should operate;
- A benchmark against which a service can be measured; and
- An opportunity for external peer led scrutiny of practice.
The framework draws together a number of elements encompassing:
- A set of standards pertaining to Lifelong Links practice; and
- Training requirements and support for Lifelong Links coordinators.
In order to submit a portfolio for Lifelong Links accreditation, the family group conference service must be accredited, or if submitting both portfolios together then the service’s family group conference practice will be assessed and accredited prior to Lifelong Links practice being assessed.
Lifelong Links Service Accreditation framework
This guidance document sets out the standards framework; what a Lifelong Links service needs to do to become accredited; how to submit the accreditation portfolio and the assessment process.
DownloadFind out more about Lifelong Links accreditation
To find out more about accreditation including costings, please email the FGC and Lifelong Links team at: fgcteam@frg.org.uk
December 2024
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