FIVE STANDARDS OF THE QUALITY ASSURANCE FRAMEWORK (QAF)

1. Members are responsive to the young person’s needs and to their positive outcomes. Members work in partnership with the young person, their parents and overseas partners to identify the young person’s needs in order to ensure they benefit from an enriching placement and positive outcomes. Members are responsive to the changing needs of young people, they plan and review the programmes offered and seek feedback from them in order to improve and develop the services offered
2. Members are committed to providing young person-centred services. Members place the young person’s well-being, safety and best interest at the core of their work and decision-making. They recognise that every young person is unique, with their own interests, abilities and learning style, and are active participants in their own development. Programmes provide young people with learning and social opportunities that support their development and offer a personally rewarding and enriching experience in a different culture
3. Effective management structures promote the young person having a fulfilling experience. Members have strong management structures that ensure they are well run, such as good financial planning and oversight with clear accountability and effective decision-making systems. Members are compliant with the requirements of Irish legislation, regulations and relevant codes of conduct, and have systems, policies and procedures in place that promote and support the young person’s successful placement in Ireland
4. Partners work together to ensure a successful student placement. Members are committed to working together effectively to achieve positive outcomes for the young person. Members provide clear information about what they deliver, how they will work with others, as well as what they need from others in order to ensure the young person has a successful placement. The processes and systems which support successful partnership working are effective and efficient
5. Members promote quality relationships with young people’s parents. The nature of the relationship with the young person’s parents is positive, open and purposeful. Members value each young person and their parents by respecting them, and staff members communicate constructively and openly with them via our overseas partners. Members recognise the primacy of the young person’s family and the role of their parents as primary carers

GOVERNANCE

1. The Guardianship Provider must be a legally formed Irish company
2. The Directors / Shareholders / Beneficial Owners must not be disqualified from acting as a company Director
3. The company must present a tax clearance number which verifies the company’s tax affairs and returns are in order and up to date
4. The company must present a letter from an auditor or accountant certifying that the company is solvent and in good standing with the authorities in Ireland
5. The company must have adequate Public Liability and Employer’s Liability Insurance

OPERATIONS

The company has implemented or will implement the following practices and systems in advance of the IGI inspection.

1. The company legally employs qualified staff to look after international students with a maximum of 30 students per full-time staff member
2. The company has documented systems and policies in place which guarantee quality, efficiency and professionalism, from the application stage, right through to the departure of the international student, ensuring student welfare, pastoral care, academic progress, and personal safety
3. The company adopts a collaborative communicative approach, connecting the young person, their parents, the overseas agent, the school, the host family and the guardianship provider
4. Staff and host families are Garda vetted every three years
5. The company has a clearly defined and implemented Child Protection Policy
6. The company has a documented Student Care Plan for each student in their care
7. Staff working with young people have undergone Child Safeguard Training (minimum TUSLA “Introduction to Children First” E-learning Programme)
8. At least one staff member has undergone professional Designated Liaison Person (DLP) training and acts as
9. The company provides a 24/7 emergency telephone
10. A staff member meets each student on a one-to-one basis, at least once per month, to monitor progress and deal with any issues the student may have
11. A member of staff meets with the hosting parent / boarding house manager on a one-to-one basis, at least once per month to ensure the student’s welfare and happiness in the home / boarding house
12. Student progress reports are issued monthly to the parents (via agent or directly)

INSPECTION

Members must agree that as part of the inspection process to be carried out by the Independent Guardianship Inspection CLG IGI), IGI may conduct enquiries with schools, host families, staff, overseas partners, students and their natural parents and/or legal guardians with regard to the veracity or otherwise of statements and confirmations contained in this application and in any documents or statements submitted in support of my application for membership of AGPI to either AGPI or the IGI; and with regard to the frequency and quality of services provided by the company. For this purpose, IGI Inspectors will attend at the company’s offices and will be allowed full and complete access to placement details for all current and past students and attendant data. This information will not be shared with any person or entity other than the Independent Voting Board Members of IGI, to the exclusion of any AGPI board members, or any persons or entities other than legally appointed independent IGI board members.