The Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi, the regulatory body for the social sector in the emirate, in collaboration with the Emirates Classification Society (Tasneef), organised introductory workshops for the fourth batch of social care facilities on the Social Care Services Quality Assessment Framework, Reyada. This innovative framework was launched by the department in November 2023.
The workshop focused on 22 social care facilities in the emirate, attracting over 50 participants. Its goal was to clarify the standards and key pillars of the framework, as well as outline the next steps, including the self-assessment process which measures how well the facilities are implementing these standards, ahead of the official field assessments conducted by the DCD team and its partner, the Emirates Classification Foundation. This session was the sixth in a series of workshops aimed at engaging service providers and raising awareness of the framework’s objectives and requirements.
The DCD has completed 17 field assessments so far, including centres and institutions for people of determination services and family counselling centres. Social care service quality assessment report was developed for each of these centres according to the criteria of the Reyada framework and within its five domains: Leadership and Governance, Safety, Effectiveness, Beneficiary Centricity, and Sustainability. Based on the assessment results, improvement plans were developed by the centres to raise the quality of social care services provided.
The framework, part of the DCD’s strategy to enhance the quality of social care services, aims to transform the concept of social care by continuously improving service quality in Abu Dhabi through a comprehensive and structured approach. It seeks to establish a culture of quality and excellence in service provision, with a strong focus on meeting the needs of beneficiaries in line with the highest international standards.
Regarding the workshop, Mariam Alowais, Manager of Social Service Quality at the Department of Community Development, said: “The department is dedicated to improving the quality of social services through a scientific, evidence-based approach that promotes individual accountability. By empowering the social sector with increased awareness and capabilities, the self-assessment process allows facilities to evaluate their current status and readiness ahead of our assessments.”
Al Owais added: “The framework works through involving social sector entities in developing and improving social care services that are centred around the needs of beneficiaries and ensuring their effectiveness, which will contribute to improving the quality of life in the emirate. It was developed after conducting studies and benchmarking with international organisations specialising in quality, such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in the United Kingdom and the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua).”
An innovative framework for continuous quality improvement
Reyada, the Social Care Services Quality Assessment Framework, began to be implemented in late 2023 on all social care service providers in the emirate, including the government, private and third sectors, totalling more than 60 centres. The assessment of the first and second batches of social care facilities, which included 12 social care centres in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, has already been completed. Thirteen centres are currently being assessed within the third batch. The self-evaluation phase and the submission of supporting evidence and documents have also begun with the social care facilities from the fourth batch.
The Reyada framework works to unify the principles of providing high-quality social services, improve the quality of social services in Abu Dhabi, promote a culture of quality and accountability, and develop a platform for continuous improvement, in addition to improving the experience of beneficiaries and their families. The framework is a unique regulatory tool that specialises in defining the quality standards of social care services in addition to establishing a platform that includes decision-makers, policymakers and service providers for the purpose of continuous improvement. Reyada is based on fundamental principles that include focusing on beneficiaries, effective management, trust and transparency, in addition to innovation and sustainability.
Facilitating the framework procedures
In order to ensure that social care facilities can better align with the requirements of the Reyada framework, the DCD cooperated with Tasneef to design an electronic system that streamlines the processes related to the various assessment stages of the framework.
This includes registering centres in the Reyada database of social care facilities in Abu Dhabi, in addition to facilitating the procedures for completing the self-assessment requirements and submitting the required evidence and documents to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of the procedures, while improving the user experience when completing the assessment requirements with ease and convenience.