FCSS proves a high standard

By Susan Hofforth

Whitecourt FCSS has successfully renewed its Family Community Liaison Certification. This certificate shows it has achieved a high standard in Canada for public social programs in the family support/day home category.

Sharon Shannon, FCSS manager for the Town of Whitecourt, is very pleased with the award. “We have been granted approval for four years, which is the maximum,” she said. “That means we were not deficient in any area.”

Whitecourt FCSS structures its policies and procedures according to the benchmarks set by the accreditation board. The standards include the organizational structure and operating procedures as well as things like ethical conduct, conflict resolution, and risk management for employees and clients.

So, it’s business as usual for FCSS for the next four years. Shannon says they will continue to work with the standards as they move forward and changes are made, either to the program or to the standards. “There is ongoing quality improvement on both sides,” she said.

Shannon is particularly pleased with the award because it means that not only does FCSS meet all its requirements, it is also pleasing its stakeholders. “Management, staff, clients, and student volunteers were all interviewed and asked if they were happy, and if they were well informed of their rights,” she said. “So, it means that all were pleased. It’s awesome to get that sort of feedback from the community, from the people we work with and serve.”