Women’s Aid re-launches National Quality Standards (NQS)

First developed in 2015, the Women’s Aid National Quality Standards have this year undergone a significant review and been revised accordingly, reflecting new legislation, guidance and research, enabling their member services to continue in their work in supporting survivors to live a life free of domestic abuse. 

The Women’s Aid NQS is the only accreditation that recognises and represents the work of specialist women-led domestic abuse services in England. These standards effectively evidence the enormous impact that their member organisations have when it comes to offering dedicated, lifesaving domestic abuse services that focus on the needs and experiences of survivors.

Organisations that prove themselves against the Standards get a Quality Mark, which gives them the credentials they need to reassure survivors and demonstrate their skills and expertise when applying for funding.

The Women’s Aid Standards are entirely unique in the domestic abuse, and wider violence against women and girls (VWG) sector, as they encompass the entirety of the specialist domestic abuse service provision. The NQS looks at both the expertise and effectiveness of specialist domestic abuse services, as well as their ability to centre the long-term needs of survivors, enabling their long-term safety and prevention of further harm from perpetrators. They are also referenced in the government’s statutory guidance (Domestic Abuse Act 2021) as best practice. Women’s Aid said:

“Now in our 50th year, we are acutely aware of the numerous challenges that face our member services – from a lack of long-term, sustainable funding, through to ongoing systemic issues. In light of this, the updated National Quality Standards are rooted in a rights-based approach to ending violence against women and girls that recognises the importance of domestic abuse support that is independent, whilst existing in a multi-agency context.

We are aware, for example, that many of our member services are delivering support in an increasingly hostile environment, helping women that other services have been unable to support. Our new, updated set of Standards reflect this more challenging environment, offering additional ways to recognise and accommodate a wide range and diversity of services. Vitally, our refreshed standards can reflect the many specialisms of our ‘by and for’ led members and smaller grassroots community-based services.”

Another major update in their National Quality Standards mirrors ‘by and for’ services’ approach to addressing structural inequality, systemic discrimination, and improving equitable access to domestic abuse support. They have seen an increase in the number of ‘by and for’ services becoming members of Women’s Aid over the past few years and think that it is fundamental that their National Quality Standards framework is able to accredit their work appropriately. Their expertise in addressing the issues and barriers experienced by Black, minoritised, marginalised and migrant women and children, has improved wider sector expertise in navigating the immense challenges that many women and girls experience due to a myriad of societal barriers.

Women’s Aid know that commissioners are increasingly interested in quality and are including quality standards in service specifications and commissioning processes. They added:

“We’re pleased that since our standards were launched over a decade ago they have been increasingly referenced and used in local domestic abuse commissioning processes – but we do recognise there’s a long way to go until they are embedded as standard practice across the country. We hope that the new, updated Standards, which reflect so many of the realities and challenges of the sector, are used widely, with more services applying to be accredited and receiving recognition for the life-saving work that they carry out on a daily basis.”

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