Section 1: About the Bureau

Citizens Advice North Somerset

Office Manual for LAA /Specialist Quality Mark/AQS/Casework

Issue Date: [10/16]

Prepared for BMIS: 10/03/10

Contents

Section 1:About the local office Page No.

1.1Services provided3

1.2How the services are organised5

1.3Management structure6

1.4Family tree6

1.5Business and development planning process6

1.6Risk assessment7

1.7Client-centered services7

1.8Providing advice to clients7

1.9Trustee board members8

1.10Sub-committees9

1.11Bureau staff10

Section 2: Personnel

2.1Equality and diversity 10

2.2Recruitment and selection11

2.3Induction of new staff14

2.4Appraisal16

2.5 Training18

2.6Supervision19

2.7Independent file review22

Section 3: Financial management

3.1Responsibility25

3.2Financial procedures25

Section 4: Complaints and feedback27

Section 5: Confidentiality

5.1Principle of confidentiality28

5.2Procedures29

Section 6: Case management

6.1Conflict of interest29

6.2Opening of a new file31

6.3Outset of a case32

6.4Case administration35

6.5Time limits: key dates and diary systems37

6.6Undertakings38

6.7End of the case – Keeping the client informed38

6.8End of the case – Administration40

Section 7: Services of other professionals and disbursements

7.1Services of other professionals42

7.2Services of other professionals: disbursements45

Section 8: Signposting and referral

8.1Signposting46

8.2Referral46

Section 9: Current forms and standard letters50

Section 1: AboutCANS

The Citizens Advice service provides free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. It values diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination.

The service aims:

• to provide the advice people need for the problems they face
• to improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives.

Citizens Advice North Somerset is the only generalist advice agency in the Unitary Authority of North Somerset. The geographical area is 143.7 sq.mls. and there are 4 large urban conurbations: Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon, Nailsea, Portishead.

These 4 towns support many smaller towns and villages (there 39 town and Parish Councils), plus an extensive rural hinterland. The total population at the 2001 census was 188,564.

1.1 Services provided

The local office provides a generalist advice service which is open to the public at the following times:

The local office provides a generalist open access advice service which is open to the public from its main office location at The Badger Centre in Weston super Mare, at the following times:

Monday9:45am – 1:00pm

9:45am – 12noon –Polish Clinic (interpreters available)

Tuesday9:45am – 1:00pm

4:30pm – 7:00pm

Wednesday9:45am – 1:00pm

Thursday Open access service is closed

Friday9:45am – 1:00pm

Pre-booked appointments are available Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm

Telephone advice is available via the Avon Advice Line

Monday to Friday 10:00am – 2:00pm

Outreach sessions are provided at Clevedon:

Tuesday10:00am – 3:00pm

Wednesday10:00am – 3:00pm

Outreach sessions are provided at Pill Resource Centre:

Tuesday9:00am – 1:00pm (by appt only)

Outreach sessions are provided at Nailsea:

Friday10:00am – 2:00pm

Outreach sessions are provided at Portishead:

Monday10:00am – 2:00pm

Outreach sessions are provided at Yatton Library:

ThursdayThis service is closed temporarily

(17 November 2018)

All these services provide generalist advice in consumer, money advice, welfare benefits, employment, housing, family & personal matters, taxes, immigration & nationality, health, education and discrimination related to any of these.

E Mail advice is available via the local office website with a reply guaranteed within 3 working days.

Home visits are only available for specific specialist services e.g. Macmillan.

Casework / specialist services:

Citizens Advice North Somerset is contracted to deliver publically funded legal services in North Somerset. These services are provided from the main offices in Weston super Mare.

In addition the local office is able to provide specialist advice on employment law, this available by appointment at Weston super Mare and Clevedon.

The local office has developed direct referral to specialist caseworker services with a number of organisations including

• North Somerset Council, housing advice team
• Alliance Homes
• Knightstone Housing

The local office has two contracts with North Somerset Council Supporting People Service:

• Income maximisation for mental health service users
• Independent Appeal tribunal representation.

Another service funded by Community Safety Partnership/Drug Action Team provides a specific outreach service for clients with drug and/or alcohol issues at the town’s Homelessness Day Centre (Somewhere to Go) and at Addaction

The local office is part of BDAC-SW Consortium providing face to face debt advice funded by Money Advice Service (MAS). This service provides debt advice throughout North Somerset at our offices in Weston, Clevedon and Nailsea. All these venues are by appointment.

The local office has a Macmillan funded Welfare Benefits Service for people affected by cancer. This service whilst based at the Badger Centre provides appointments from referrals by the Cancer Information and Support Centre (CISC) and Specialist Cancer Nurse Specialists based at the hospital and from Weston Hospice. Clients are also able to self refer via information on Macmillan’s website

1.2 How the services are organised

The organisation operates a Gateway Assessment Interview process with the aim of quickly identifying the most appropriate service for the client.

The service provides generalist advice in consumer, money advice, welfare benefits, employment, housing, family and personal matters, taxes, immigration and nationality, health, education and discrimination related to any of these.

All advice sessions and casework services are detailed on the chart below.

The supervision arrangements are:

All generalist advice services are supervised by the Advice Session Supervisor Team on a daily basis and by annual appraisal.

Casework and specialist services are supervised by Team Leaders, with regular one to one meetings, Independent File Review and annual appraisal

1.3 Management structure

The local office is governed by its board of trustees which is drawn from the local community. The members of the board are charity trustees and company directors who are collectively responsible for the governance of the bureau, including setting an overall vision and making strategic decisions. The board ensures that there is effective planning, financial management and control. It holds staff accountable while carrying ultimate responsibility for the activities of the bureau. The board is also responsible for ensuring that the local office complies with charity law, company law and other relevant legislation and with the Citizens Advice Membership Agreement and Quality Assurance standards.

In practice, day-to-day management is delegated to the Chief Officer who is also responsible for quality and for liaison with Citizens Advice regarding meeting Membership Scheme standards.

1.4 Family tree

See chart at end of this section.

1.5 Business and development planning process

The local office has a three-year business and development plan based on the advice needs of the community, the Citizens Advice service strategic plan, an annual review of service delivery and the funding available. The plan details objectives to be achieved for the current year and outlines those for the subsequent year. The implementation of the plan is reviewed at least annually by the trustee board, staff and volunteers in April and Octoberand is updated and rolled forward by one year at each annual review. The plan includes objectives which specify how the local office will develop and deliver services to promote equality, how it will be inclusive of those facing social exclusion and discrimination, and how services are resourced.

Copies of the plan are held by the Chief Officer and are available on the Staff pages of the local office website.

1.6 Risk assessment

The local office undertakes an annual risk assessment in April. This is done in accordance with the guidance on BMISand the results are used to inform financial and business planning for contingency.

1.7 Client-centred services

The service to clients is based on the needs of the community locally, including people and groups who are disadvantaged through social exclusion and / or discrimination, and is available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.

• The local office records client statistics relating to disability and ethnicity in order to assist identification of underuse by client groups.
• Posters stating the service’s commitment to equality, diversity and non-discrimination are displayed in all permanent bureau locations
• Promotional material is prepared and distributed in locations as well as to other key stakeholders and organisations including an accurate entry of services available on the LSC Directory.
• Facilities are in place for disabled clients, those for whom English is not a first language, rurally isolated communities. All locations are accessible to clients with mobility issues. In addition the local office provides a targeted advice service for Polish clients.

• The local office has an up-to-date child protection policy.

1.8 Providing advice to clients

This includes establishing client expectations and explaining what the local office can provide, making a diagnosis about the issue(s) and identifying other related issues.

The local office ensures that advice is independent and is provided in a non-judgmental and non-discriminatory way.

Information is collected from the client, on which advice is based and information is provided relevant to the person and their particular situation, including any entitlement calculations.

Options are explained to the client, including consequences and limitations applicable to their particular circumstances.

Where possible, an objective assessment of the most likely successful remedy is given.

The client is assisted in identifying the most appropriate way forward, including any social policy action the client and / or the local office can take.

The client is assisted with the completing of forms and by the making of telephone calls, the drafting and writing of letters, by negotiation on their behalf and by the making of referrals to other agencies that can provide specialist help beyond that which the local office can provide.

1.9 Trustee board members

1.10 Sub-committees

Membership

1

Citizens Advice North Somerset

Office Manual for CLS Specialist Quality Mark/AQS/Casework

Issue Date : [10/16]

Prepared for BMIS: 04/10/10

1.11 Bureau staff

* staff working under SQM

Details of volunteer staff are available on the local office HR management system.

Section 2: Personnel

2.1 Equality and diversity

Citizens Advice North Somerset has an equality and diversity policy for paid staffwhich is containedin the Policies document appended to the Staff Handbook

Citizens Advice North Somerset has an equality and diversity policy for volunteers which is containedin the Policies document appended to the Staff Handbook

2.2 Recruitment and selection

This procedure covers the steps that will be followed when recruiting paid staff.

2.2.1 The recruitment panel

As soon as possible after it is decided to undertake a recruitment exercise, a decision will be made on the membership of the recruitment panel. The members of the panel will then take part in each stage of the process. Exactly who is on the panel will depend on the nature of the post; but will normally include the person managing the post and a representative of the trustee board. At least one member of the panel will, if possible, have undertaken training in recruitment and selection using an equal opportunities policy.

2.2.2 Job descriptions

Every post will have a job description, which is produced by the recruitment panel, having analysed the requirements of the post. Other staff in the local office may be encouraged to comment on a draft. The job description will be written in simple language, identifying each different aspect of the post and including any special features such as evening work, need to travel etc.

The job description must include:

• A title which simply but accurately describes the nature of the work.
• To whom the person is responsible.
• A summary of the duties and responsibilities of the post.

2.2.3 Person specifications

The panel will produce a person specification, which is a list of those skills and abilities which will be required by the person doing the job. The person specification will be used when preparing advertisements, drawing up a shortlist, and choosing the best person for the job. The panel will ensure that they do not draft the person specification in ways which could create unnecessary barriers for applicants or perpetuate patterns of discrimination.

The requirements in the person specification must be:

• as specific as possible
• directly related to the job
• reasonable.

2.2.4 Advertising

The recruitment panel will consider the most appropriate method used to advertise any job and will give serious consideration to taking positive steps to encourage applications from people who are currently under-represented in the service. Such steps may include identifying publications, newsletters and other information networks that will reach its target groups: black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) press, community centres, women's interest group newspapers, disability action groups, gay and lesbian groups etc.

The information provided in any advertisement will include: name of the organisation, title of the post, salary and / or other benefits, outline of duties and requirements, method of application, closing date, interview date, and equal opportunities statement which confirms that the local office will not discriminate on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic or national origins, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disability or religion in the selection or treatment of staff.

2.2.5 Responding to enquiries

The panel will ensure that someone will be ready to deal with requests for information as soon as possible after the recruitment exercise has been publicised.

The recruitment pack to be sent to candidates will include: the application form, the aims, principles and activities of the service and the local office, the job description, the person specification, a summary of the terms and conditions of employment, details of access for disabled people, interview date(s), the equal opportunities policy statement and monitoring form, and arrangements for paying attendance expenses. It will also include information about whether the post requires criminal record screening and / or registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

2.2.6 Dealing with applications

All applications will be treated as confidential by the members of the recruitment panel. Applicants will be kept informed of any significant changes in the recruitment schedule.

Applications will be monitored so that the trustee board can assess how well the advertising is reaching all parts of the community. The total number of enquiries will be compared with the number of applications received to establish whether the advertisement has been effective in encouraging applicants to enter the recruitment process.

2.2.7 Selecting a shortlist

The recruitment panel will assess each candidate's ability to meet the essential requirements of the job as set out in the person specification, using a simple scoring system. The panel will keep a record of the reasons for not shortlisting any candidate. If the post requires registration with ISA the bureau will check whether the candidate is registered.

2.2.8 Planning the interview day

The panel will decide whether a practical task directly related to the requirements of the job is required to inform its assessment of a person's suitability, in addition to an interview.

A realistic timetable will be agreed to allow sufficient time for each candidate to complete any task in addition to the interview. The timetable will also allow sufficient time after each interview for each member of the panel to complete his / her notes on the candidate.

The panel will convene in good time to finalise the procedure they will follow. One of the panel members will act as chair.

2.2.9 The interview / assessment procedure

The aim of the interview is to get candidates talking, to encourage them to provide facts and information, to describe past events or experiences and express feelings or opinions. A general question may be used as a starting point but more specific follow-up questions should then focus on those matters of interest to the panel.

The chair is responsible for: