Performance

The performance of the CAB advice service is measured using a combination of eight criteria:

1 Casework quality

The The Full-time Joint Manager and Casework Supervisor monitors casework quality by

• being available as advice session supervisor (or other nominated person)
• applying the CAB's Independent File Review procedure
• addressing casework issues that arise during Support and Supervision work.

2 Numbers of enquiries dealt with

The Bureau collects monthly statistics using the parent organisation Citizens Advice 'paradox' system. The results are passed to Citizens Advice and periodically monitored by the Finance and Development Sub Group of our Board of Directors. The enquiry rate is also monitored by our funders and compared to agreed targets.

3 Referral quality and monitoring

Activities and monitoring are defined by the Bureau's "Active signposting and referral procedure" document.

4 Home visits activity

As defined by the CAB policy and procedure document.

5 Our clients and their views

This is monitored through regular surveys. The results of these surveys are passed to the Finance and Development Sub Group of our Board of Directors.

6 Complaints

Citizens Advice's complaints procedure applies. The nature of complaints received is monitored by the Board on an annual basis.

7 Service Level Agreement

(our contract with Waltham Forest to provide an advice service to this borough)

This sets out more detailed performance criteria and how to tell whether or not they are being met.

8 Audits

Our performance is audited by the London Borough of Waltham Forest, Citizens Advice and the Legal Services Commission.

Assessing client satisfaction

The biannual client profile contains five additional questions probing client satisfaction. Clients are asked to rate performance as 'excellent', 'good', 'adequate', 'poor' or 'very poor' in relation to the following criteria:

• Quality of advice, including the processes once a case has been taken on
  (this was rated as excellent or very good by over 90% in the last survey)
• Staff politeness or attitude
  (rated as excellent or very good by over 90% in the last survey)
• Quality of explanations
  (rated as excellent or very good by nearly 90% in the last survey)

Clients are then asked to give details of:

• The things they most like about Leytonstone CAB
• The things they most dislike about Leytonstone CAB

Data from the client satisfaction questions is reported to the CAB Board (Finance and Development Sub Group). The Sub Group decides whether any trend in comments warrants developmental work as part of its equal opportunities and accessibility .

Achievement of objectives

The Bureau has been effective in addressing disadvantages across a range of areas.

The majority (68%) of our work is related to poverty issues.
80 % of those who use our service are black and ethnic minority residents.
50% of our users do not have English as a first language and the Bureau now offers advice in Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Somali, Arabic, Spanish, Russian, Polish, French and Yoroba.
36% of users have a long-term illness or disability and the Bureau has been successful in bridging a gap in the advice needs of mentally ill people. Building upon a pilot project the Bureau as been successful in obtaining 3-year funding (1998-2001) to expand and develop services to people with mental health needs.

The Bureau, again building upon a pilot project, has obtained funding for an expanded Somali/Refugee Advice Project 1997-2001.

The Leytonstone CAB has developed a whole range of specialist or outreach services over the past two years. Additional funding has allowed us to make great improvements in our services to some of the most disadvantaged groups in the borough, yet the funding that these services is short-term and precarious. Our development plans are informed by the need to secure the long-term future of projects whose funding will expire in 2001.

Background information page
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