Type I accreditation

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The step-by-step guide below sets out clearly what you have to do to gain Type I accreditation. Please email us if you are still unsure of what is required after reading this guidance or need further information.

Before continuing you should check that your advice agency is considered Type I under the SNSIAP.

Preparing for accreditation

Step 1 - Get ready to self assess against the organisational standards

Read the Self Assessment Guidance to help you identify what evidence the auditor will be looking for when you are audited.

Step 2 - complete your self assessment

 

Step 3 - are you ready for Type I accreditation?

  • If yes, move on to Step 4
  • If no, use the Self Assessment Guidance to identify what is missing and what you need to do to be ready for accreditation. If you are still unsure of what you need to do please contact the SNSIAP Auditor.

Do not send the completed Self Assessment and Application Form to us until Step 7.

Applying for accreditation

Step 4 - apply for accreditation

When you are satisfied that you are ready for Type I Accreditation you should email the Scottish Government to lodge your interest in applying for Accreditation. Your email must include:

  •  Name of your organisation.
  •  Main contact details.
  •  The topic(s) of advice you wish to be accredited in, i.e. housing and/or welfare benefits and/or money and debt.
  •  Confirmation that you have completed the Self Assessment and Application Form.

Step 5 - Scottish Government forwards your application email to us

We are administering the SNSIAP for the Scottish Government.

Step 6 - Date for audit visit and forms

Our Auditor will contact your agency as soon as possible after receiving the information from the Scottish Government and:

  • Agree a date for an audit visit to take place
  • Confirm what information you must provide and when
  • Send you a New User Form for NextCloud  to be signed and returned to us
  • Check that you have signed the Data Sharing Agreement and ask you to send it to us
  • Send you a Type I audit declaration
  • Send you a Core Competencies verification.

Step 7 - send your forms to us

You should submit your SNSIAP Self Assessment and Application Form (and all supporting documents) on Nextcloud to the auditor a minimum of four weeks before the audit visit takes place.

Audit

Step 8 - audit visit

The audit visit takes place - you can find out what you can expect from it here.

Step 9 - draft audit report sent to you

  • You will be made aware of the outcome of the Audit and the Auditor will forward you a copy of the draft Audit Report, where you have provided all further information requested by the auditor as per agreed timescales.
  • You are expected to consider the draft report and where you have any comments these can be discussed with the Auditor before the report is finalised (two weeks maximum).
  • Any changes to the report must be supported by evidence from the agency and agreed by the Auditor.

What happens next?

Step 10 - final report sent to the Scottish Government

We will send the finalised report to the Scottish Government with a recommendation regarding accreditation.

Step 11 - outcome

The Scottish Government will inform you of the outcome of your application for accreditation.

What happens if I don’t pass the Audit?

Your agency will be given 12 months to implement the recommendations made in your audit report and you will be audited again by a desktop review. Please email AdviceAudit@slab.org.uk if you have any questions about this.