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Advice Strategy

Appendix A

Information and advice strategy

The Quality Mark

The CLS has developed its Quality Mark to help people gain trust in the legal system. The Quality Mark is awarded only to organisations that pass regular quality checks carried out by the Legal Services Commission. When you approach a Quality Marked organisation for help, you can be confident of receiving a service that meets an agreed minimum standard. Providers who have achieved the Quality Mark will display the CLS logo, the CDS logo, or both.

In addition, whenever you use a Quality Marked service, the referral network will ensure that you are signposted or referred to the most appropriate source of help. If the first organisation you contact cannot help, they will signpost or refer you to another organisation which will be better placed to help you.

What organisations have a Quality Mark?

The Quality Mark is awarded to a range of services from basic information providers through to providers of specialist legal help. The Quality Mark is also awarded on an organisation’s ability to provide advice for specific client groups or specific areas of work. All organisations with a Quality Mark should have an up to date copy of the CLS Directory.

There are two main categories of providers: Information Services and Help Services.

1. Information services

   Community Legal Service information organisations will help you find the best place to get information, advice or help. To display a CLS logo, an Information provider must typically be able to supply information such as leaflets and other reference material, access to the CLS Directory or access to the CLS website "Just Ask!" Two types of information providers can have a Quality Mark - Self Help Information providers and Assisted Information providers.

   • Self help information

     This is the most basic form of service – generally these are information points which hold reference material, with no one available to answer questions. Organisations providing Self Help Information may include your local library, court, Benefits Agency or police station. Details of these basic service providers are not included in the CLS Directory.

   • Assisted information

     Assisted Information providers will have someone available to help you find the information you need or to help you decide on the most appropriate source of help. Organisations providing Assisted Information may include: information centres, one-stop information shops, community centres providing information, and central libraries. An index of Assisted Information providers is included in the CLS Directory.

2. Help services

   If you need someone who can identify the key elements of your problem and provide advice on the action that you need to take, then you need to contact a CLS Help point. CLS Help can be provided at three different levels: General Help, General Help including Casework, and Specialist Help. The CLS Directory shows which areas of work are provided at each of these levels within the entry for each organisation.

   • General help

     General Help organisations will identify the key elements of a problem, explain the options available, identify further action you can take, and give basic assistance. For example, you can get help filling in forms, drafting letters or contacting another organisation for further information.

   • General help including casework

     Some organisations at the General Help level also provide casework. Organisations offering casework will take action on your behalf, putting your case to someone else to persuade them to make or change a decision in your favour. This might include negotiation by telephone, by letter or face to face. The organisation may also provide advocacy or representation services, where they are able to speak for you at formal proceedings such as tribunals.

     Organisations providing General Help or General Help including Casework may include: Citizens’ Advice Bureaux ( CABx), generalist advice centres and advice centres providing help for specific client groups.

   • Specialist help

     Specialist Help organisations offer advice and legal help on complex matters in specific areas of law. These organisations may carry out the full range of legal services including representation in court where this is permitted. Specialist Help organisations will have particular expertise in certain areas of law. All members of the Criminal Defence Service are Specialist Help providers.

     Most Specialist Help organisations provide free/low cost help funded by the CLS/CDS to clients who are eligible. Organisations offering Specialist Help are listed in the CLS Directory, with their specialist help areas of work clearly indicated.

     Organisations providing Specialist Help may include: solicitors, law centres, Citizens’ Advice Bureaux ( CABx) and other advice agencies who provide specialist advice in a specific area of law.

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