Standard Operating Procedures are designed to be shared with members and new member applicants in the interests of transparency
Key definitions:
| Site / Centre: | A single location housing animals, or a group of locations housing animals but under common management. These may or may not be owned by the rescue. |
| Foster Carer: | Typically a domestic home providing temporary care for an animal, or small number of animals. The animals may be housed in the home, or in purpose built facilities on private property. If a foster home is under the management of a specific site / centre of an organisation, it is not always essential to be separately assessed, but the process for selection and management of foster homes will be assessed. |
| SAWC: | ADCH’s Standards and Animal Welfare Committee, which has delegated authority from the Trustees to make decisions on Membership. |
Procedure:
Further guidance can be obtained from ADCH staff ([email protected])
1. External assessments are assessments by external assessors, not by staff or volunteers of members.
2. External Assessments of members will be carried out according to plans agreed by SAWC. The intention is that, over time, every member will be assessed at least once every three years.
3. External assessments may take place in the same year as self-assessments.
4. The members to be externally assessed each year will be decided by SAWC that reports to the Board of Trustees.
5. One or two Assessors will be appointed by the Board or SAWC to complete the external assessment within a timescale set each year by SAWC. When carrying out assessments, Assessors are acting in and representing the view of ADCH, and not their employer (if applicable). Members and assessors will be made aware of ADCH’s risk assessment for carrying out onsite risk assessments available here.
6. The Assessor(s) will submit their completed assessment form including the member’s action plans for any areas scoring less than 2, and the assessment report and recommendations to [email protected], or via the online form.
7. A copy of the completed assessment form will be sent to the member. This will be sent automatically from the online form, if used.
8. A report based on assessment forms received, will be prepared for SAWC. The report will include all areas of non-compliance highlighted by members and external assessors.
9. In cases where Members persistently fail to facilitate an external assessment SOP 7 applies.
10. For non-compliant members, remedial action plans from the assessment form will be reviewed by SAWC and further discussion may take place regarding the scale and implementation time frame of plans. If a non-compliant member has not submitted remedial action plans as part of their assessment, SAWC may recommend to the Board of Trustees that their membership be terminated, as per SOP 7.
11. For members with multiple sites, please refer to SOP4 for guidance on the process for external assessment.