Accreditation

Accreditation means we have to meet certain standards of governance, financial accountability, service standards (how we look after our riders), and have certain policies and procedures by which we must operate, particularly meeting legislative requirements.

Recommendations arising from accreditation are aimed at achieving continuous improvement in how the Association is run.  Recommendations are expressed in Action Plans, which in turn are included into the Strategic and Operational Planning processes.

The major accreditations we have undergone in the past five years are:
* Home and Community Care (HACC) accreditation - focussed on client services, grievance processes, management of waiting lists, and policies and procedures. Mandatory accreditation. Next round due in mid-2012.
* Service Excellence Program (SEP) - recently launched Australia-wide as Australian Service Excellence Program (ASEP) - focussed on governance, financial management, strategic planning, policies and procedures. Voluntary accreditation. Last conducted in September 2011.
* Finance and Governance Review - conducted in 2008 by PKF for the Office for Recreation and Sport in South Australia. Scrutinised policies and procedures at Board and state office level.  Copy of the report available below.  Mandatory.
* Annual Audit of all centres' finances, plus state office, as required under the Associations Incorporation Act and Charity and Lottery Licensing.  Reporting to the Office for Business and Consumer Affairs (SA).

Our centres are regularly accredited in accordance with RDAA national standards, covering service delivery, centre safety and administration (eg, records management issues such as privacy, meeting minutes, financial management).

15 December 2011