Our standards

Principal Members of the NZ Federation of Disability Information Centres uphold and operate by the Federation standards for information and referral services. The Federation has developed these Standards as a reference guideline and toolkit to assist services to provide information to people with disabilities, older people, their families/whanau and carers.

They provide a framework for the professional delivery of information services to consumers.

When providing information to disabled people, it is important to consider a range of access needs, including:

• Learning disabilities

• Developmental disabilities

• Communication impairments

• Mental health support needs

• Long-term and/or progressive illness

• People experiencing frailty and conditions associated with aging.

Involve

• Identify individuals, organisations, networks and stakeholders who can be involved in an ongoing basis.

• Involve disabled people in deciding which channels and formats are most effective.

• Test information with disabled people and incorporate their feedback.

• Find out about disabled people's user journeys and signpost services around them.

• Reduce the number of portals disabled people have to go through to get access to services.

• Make sure that each Centre has an identified champion for information services and resources for disabled people in the development of your services.

Inform

• Find out what information disabled people want and how they want it to be provided.

• Make sure disabled people are aware that information is available, where it is available and in what formats.

• Test new materials with different groups of disabled people. Actively seek feedback and act on it.

• Make sure that users have all the information they need about other services.

• Make sure you have enough time and resources to produce materials in a range of formats and channels. Check out its accessibility with the intended users.

Embed

• Make user involvement part of service design, development and delivery. Build up good working relationships with local organisations of disabled people.

• Regularly audit and review how your organisation provides information.

• Routinely test the information you provide with the people who use it and act on their feedback.

• Build and sustain relationships with other organisations across the voluntary, statutory and private sectors and work together to provide information for service users.

• Make sure there is organisational commitment, resources and accountability to improve information for disabled people.

Standard 1: Information access and referral

Actions

• All enquiries are responded to within one working day.

• Information provided to clients is at little or no cost.

• Centres are expected to co-ordinate their service delivery with other community agencies/organisations.

• Centres are expected to actively promote themselves within their Region to ensure profile and access.

Standard 2: Information management

Actions

• Centres will regularly source and manage information in a way that enables easy access.

• All information databases are to be updated regularly including Firstport.

• Feedback to be provided to Firstport to ensure correctness of ongoing information.

• All information is to be managed in a variety of formats (where practicable) for example, hard copy, electronic, Braille, etc.

• All information is dated and the source shown (cited).

• Centres are responsible for regular review and discard of obsolete information.

• Centres to maintain co-operative relationships with NGO's and Government organisations.

• All information is disseminated in a variety of mediums eg: television, radio, press, newsletters, websites etc

• Report service gaps to Management.

Standard 3: Consumer rights

Actions

• Centres will provide ethical, professional and respectful services.

• All staff within Centres will comply with the code of Health and Disability Consumers Rights, to ensure that the consumer's rights and dignity are upheld.

• All clients are aware of the Centres complaints procedure.

Standard 4: Community profile

Actions

• Centres will actively participate with local, regional and national agencies in activities supporting disability.

• Centres will make submissions, aligned to the New Zealand Disability Strategy to relevant local bodies (e.g. Health boards and City councils) on matters promoting the concerns of the disability sector.

• Centres will ensure promotional information is readily available in all formats (i.e. electronic, paper, website and where appropriate bi-lingual translations).

Standard 5: Treaty of Waitangi Partnership

Recognition that Maori disabled will have their disability needs met in a way that respects and acknowledges their individual beliefs and values.

Centres will reflect a commitment to cultural sensitivity and Treaty in all aspects of their organizations, i.e. governance, management and operation.

Actions

• Centre Staff will ensure they have access to appropriate skills and expertise to work appropriately with Maori.

• Centres will provide accessible services to Maori with disabilities and their support networks.

Standard 6: Quality assurance

Centres will demonstrate evaluation and monitoring systems in all aspects of their operation.

Actions

Centres will seek client feedback via some of the following methods:-

• Customer surveys

• Forums interviews

• Complaints

• Repeat services

• Suggestion box

Appraisals with purchasers including:-

• Statistics

• Outcomes

• Service gaps

• Trends