Availability of trained counsellors or referral pathways
Assesses the availability of confidential and professional counselling services, either in-house or through formal referral partnerships, to support the mental and emotional wellbeing of the community. Pastoral/faith guidance (e.g., imam support) must be clearly separated from clinical counselling, with staff trained to triage and refer to qualified professionals when issues exceed pastoral scope.
| Metric | Counselling access, safety and quality |
|---|---|
| Target | Composite Targets Met |
| Frequency | Quarterly |
| Method | Composite score of: Time to first contact (target ≤7 days), Appointment availability (target ≥80%), Safeguarding compliance (100%), Supervision compliance (100%), User satisfaction (≥4.2/5), Referral completion rate (≥60%). |
| Unit | Multi-metric |
Level 1: Initial/Ad-hoc
Nascent: Community members rely on informal advice from untrained leadership (e.g., Imam). There are no formal processes, confidentiality protocols, or designated support services.
Level 2: Developing
Developing: The need for mental and emotional support is recognized. Ad-hoc referrals are made to external providers, but there are no formal partnerships. A basic written signposting pack (NHS 111/999, Samaritans, local crisis team) and a named safeguarding contact are in place.
Level 3: Established
Defined: A formal referral system is established with documented procedures. The organization has formal partnerships (e.g., MOUs) with qualified external counselling services that specify scope, referral method, safeguarding escalation, and data sharing. A clear confidentiality policy is in place.
Level 4: Advanced
Managed: The organization provides in-house counselling by at least one trained and qualified individual, or has a deeply integrated and well-managed referral partnership. Service standards are documented, supervision is monthly, and usage is tracked (anonymously) for planning.
Level 5: Optimizing
Optimizing: A comprehensive, culturally and Islamically-integrated counselling service is a core part of the organization's offerings. It is led by qualified professionals, proactively addresses community needs, and uses feedback and outcome data for continuous improvement. The service is a model of excellence for other organizations.
Organisation Types
By Organisation Size
| Size | Applicability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Micro | partial | In-house trained counsellors and complex data protection (DPIA/ROPA) are disproportionate; focus is on basic signposting/referral pathways and essential safeguarding. |
| Small | partial | Can rely on documented referral pathways rather than in-house qualified professionals; formal data protection requirements scale down unless providing direct counselling. |
| Medium | full | |
| Large | full | |
| Major | full |
Applicable When
- Organization serves a community or has employees whose mental wellbeing is relevant
- Organization interacts with individuals facing challenges (e.g., financial difficulties, grief, personal crises)
- Organization has resources to provide or facilitate access to counselling
Not Applicable When
- Organization has no employees or beneficiaries that may need counselling
- The organisation is very small with limited scope/interaction with communities outside its own employee base
- The organisation offers no services or interactions that expose beneficiaries to trauma or mental health challenges
Related Criteria
Discussion (1)
📋 **Version updated: 1.0.0 → 2.9.7** **Changes:** Updated islamic_references from mizan-297.json
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