Quality criteria for social services for people with disabilities

The quality criteria explain how social services for disabled people should be like. They are based on Icelandic law and human rights agreements, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The quality criteria are useful for the service recipients, for the service providers and for regulators to check and evaluate whether the service is adequate.

The four quality criteria

Rules for viewing the service

Each quality criterion contains 4 rules that are used to view the service.

• Social participation. The services i receive, helps me to participate in society the way I want.

• Overall vision and welfare. When my service is organized, my feelings, what I want and what I need is important. I get to be involved in decision making regarding the services I receive.

• Equality and respect. I feel that the service I receive is based on respect for me. I do not experience discrimination regarding the service. I make decisions in my life and my right to privacy is respected.

• Quality of service. I can count on getting the service I need, when I need it.

Quality indicators

In reviewing the service, quality indicators are used in the form of statements.

Quality indicators help disabled people describe what they think the service is like. Some of the claims apply to families of the disabled people. Both children and adults can use these quality indicators to review the services they receive.

Look at the quality indicators

Cooperation on the formulation of quality criteria

The quality indicators were prepared in close cooperation with the key stakeholders in the field. The below institutes worked on the quality indicators with GEV.

• The State Diagnostic and Counselling Centre

• National Association of People with Intellectual Disabilities

• Icelandic Association of Local Authorities

• The Association of Directors of Social Work

• The City of Reykjavík Welfare Department

• The Icelandic Community for Disabled People.