Our Quality Policy
Scope
Overview
This document outlines DCA’s commitment to quality as well as the objectives and targets we wish to achieve.
This document is reviewed annually to ensure it remains relevant and reflects the current state of our organisation.
DCA is committed to delivering high-quality programs, services and resources through an accredited Quality Management System (QMS) that aligns with AS/NZSISO:9001:2015 and other relevant government standards.
This policy ensures that:
- Participants and stakeholders receive high-quality support
- Compliance with all funding agreements, legislative requirements, and governance standards is maintained
- A culture of continuous improvement and accountability is embedded across DCA
Quality Objectives
DCA’s Quality Policy supports the following objectives:
- To meet participant’s support needs.
- To meet funding contractual requirements.
- To comply with the requirements of applicable State and Federal standards.
- To ensure compliance with statutory, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
- To maintain efficient purchasing, tendering, and quality verification.
- To ensure constant investigation, research and application of improved service methodology, equipment, techniques, and procedures.
- To improve work practices.
DCA will continually review implementation of our Quality Policy by following continuous improvement practices and meeting our Quality Objectives.
New services will be incorporated into the DCA QMS from their inception.
Information on products and services is detailed in brochures and available to all parties on request.
Statement of Commitment to Quality
Deaf Children Australia (DCA) is a not-for-profit organisation committed to removing the barriers to personal development and social inclusion faced by deaf and hard of hearing children, youth, and their families.
We provide a range of services including Parent Mentoring, Family Camps, Disability Employment Services, bilingual language resources, and specialist -e-learning and information resources for the community.
Through our Quality Management System (QMS), DCA intends to deliver and maintain reliable quality products and services that meet, or better, the expectations of our participants and other stakeholders.
The prime responsibility for all our staff is to satisfy the needs and expectations of our participants and stakeholders and this will be met by the achievement of our quality objectives. The involvement and dedication of our staff to quality ensures we maintain our reputation for ongoing satisfaction and meeting the requirements of our participants.
We aim to continually achieve compliance with the priorities and conditions of Board Governance Policies, current Government Funding Agreements, Government Acts and Standards, and International Quality Assurance management requirements. To this end, we have documented our quality management practices in a format that complies with the exacting standards of AS/NZS ISO 9001:2015 and the specific standards that apply to each area of our business.
All staff are committed to this policy which provides the basis for our continuous improvement processes aimed at achieving high standards for our products and services.
Chief Executive Officer
18/02/2025
About DCA
DCA’s mission, vision and values drive our commitment to quality. These are stated as:
Mission
To provide support, advice, options, and unbiassed information families need to raise engaged, connected, and resilient deaf and hard of hearing young Australians.
Vision
To create a world where children and young people who are deaf or hard of hearing have every opportunity to reach their full potential.
Values
- Respectful: DCA respects and promotes the rights of deaf and hard of hearing children and young people; and supports them, their family members and all those around them to make informed choices and enable them to fully participate in the community at all stages of their lives.
- Accountable: We are primarily accountable to deaf and hard of hearing children, young people and their families for our decisions and actions, and accountable to our stakeholders. DCA strives to act with integrity and transparency at all times.
- Co-operative: DCA is committed to addressing the disadvantage experienced by deaf and hard of hearing children and young people. DCA’s goal is to partner to assist in achieving our vision and providing the best possible support for children and young people and their families.
- Committed to Service: DCA is a collaborative, diverse and inclusive organisation. We strive to base our work on evidence, empowering deaf and hard of hearing children and young people. DCA seeks contemporary approaches to providing unbiased support, whilst at the same time advancing knowledge and skills in the field.
Achieving our Strategic Outcomes
As part of our quality process, we acknowledge the following pillars:
- Data and Research: DCA will be guided by data and research, ensuring our programs, services, and advice meet the needs of our stakeholders. DCA will continue to be guided by those with lived experience, informing ways we can unlock opportunities and effect change.
- Digital and National: DCA will use the latest technology to build our national reach, allow us to provide our services to a greater number of people, and to better connect young DHH people to DCA, each other and to their communities Australia-wide.
- Innovation and Impact: DCA will listen and continue to look at new and better ways to support DHH children, their families, and our community.
- With and Through Others: DCA will work with stakeholders, experts, and partner with key organisations to continue to offer the best programs, advice and services nationally.
- Here for the Long Haul: DCA will use its resources wisely in order to stay sustainable over time and continue to invest in families.
Quality Policy
This Quality Policy confirms our commitment to quality and forms part of the overall Quality Assurance Program implemented by DCA.
DCA is committed to developing and maintaining participant support services that are of the highest attainable quality. To achieve this aim, every person within the organisation must play an important role.
Our commitment to quality is a continuing process that involves investment in:
- Developing management systems that meet the needs and the requirements of our participants and the various government acts and standards applicable to the services we deliver.
- Training of all staff.
- Providing up to date and accurate information to participants and other stakeholders and keeping them informed about their rights and opportunities at DCA.
- Purchasing equipment to keep up with changing business service technology and participant and stakeholder needs.
- Implementation of work practices to create a safe and healthy environment for our staff, participants, and other stakeholders.
- The capacity building of programs.
To maintain our reputation for quality service and to be competitive in the markets we operate in, we continually self-evaluate our methods and performance, and practice continuous improvement.
This critical self-analysis enables our organisation to provide our participants with effective solutions to their support needs. This is evidenced in how we develop and deliver products and services that meet our values.
The Quality Policy does not describe all quality activities in detail. This detail is defined in the policies and procedures that support the implementation of the Quality Policy.
References
- Deaf Children Australia Constitution
- Relevant State & Federal Legislation
- ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Standards
Related documents
All current policies, procedures, and forms located in the SharePoint Document Library the DCA Document Register.
Appendix A: Definitions
| Deaf Children Australia (DCA) | DCA including Sign for Work. |
| Deaf and hard of hearing | ‘Deaf and hard of hearing’ is used throughout DCA’s policy documentation. It encompasses people who identify as being members of the Deaf Community, people who have a hearing loss, people who identify as hard of hearing. The terms do not differentiate between people with a hearing loss that use oral communication or are Auslan (Australian Sign Language) users or use other forms of communication. |
| Participant | Children and young people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and their families, who receive any of our core support services. Service users who access Sign for Work Employment services. Service users who access our non-core support services such as employment programs or management services. |
| Service Users | Any person accessing or using information, support or services from DCA. |
| Customers | General term for people who purchase products through DCA’s online store and point of sale at events/conferences/expos. |
| Staff | People employed by DCA. Staff in this context also includes volunteers providing operational support or persons contracted to do specific management or operational tasks for DCA (e.g., projects). |
| Documents | All manuals, reference books, registers and files. |
