Head of Quality Assurance and Practice Improvement QA Team Development Session: Audit Report Writing Natalie Trentham Head of Quality Assurance and Practice Improvement

Think Ahead: Keeping it Manageable – Before the Report A realistic sample size Clearly defining the sample – which cases are you looking at? 5% rule or no more than 20 Use the questions in the audit to structure the report Makes collating findings easier and more accurate Really think about the questions and collect information to answer the questions only – the ‘so what’ rule: So what do we want to know? So what did the audit tell us about this? Creating new headings means you have to make your findings fit in Think about your presentation format – again do not create work Programme in follow up audits

Plain Language The Hemingway approach: Write for a 9 year old Short Sentences Short first paragraphs Be positive and not negative Simple language: bold and clear – Write in sentences Avoid jargon whoever the audience is Readability The Hemingway app / Editor; Plain English campaign; books such as: ‘The Oxford Guide to Plain English’ Examples – see sheet

Other Tips from me Practice precis - Less is more – you do not have to explain the entire audit Write in sentences – read it back. Acronyms explained and/or written in full the first time Numbering, headings, use bold and underlined Punctuation Using semi-colons wrongly (in place of full stops and colons before a list) Capital letters in the middle of sentences Capital letters only for names and titles e.g. managers and social workers are lower case Paragraphs comprising of one sentence. Do not use Times Roman Font 12 font White space is important – it stops the reader being overwhelmed

Other Tips from me Avoid complex data strings – use data for impact. Just because you can count something doesn’t mean its helpful: the ‘so what rule’ Write in 1 tense – ideally the present (or the past) Write in the third person – not we , I or you but ‘it’, ‘the audit’ etc. Use action language so not ‘we could’ but ‘it is recommended that’ Do not detract from the findings with other issues, views etc.

The Report We should not have a set template with the same headings for all reports – You are the experts and trying to squeeze your audits into a prescribed format may not be helpful. However standard sections usually include: Introduction: Why this audit? What you looked at and why? Methodology: Always keep it brief people will skip this section This can be incorporated into the introduction How many – how you decided on that sample and what the sample was Dates Who did the audit Secondary data

The Report Standard sections ctd: Short Reports Findings: Use the questions in the audit as the sub-headings for the findings What is working? What are we worried about? Recommendations: What, who and when. Short Reports Ideally 2 pages and no longer than 5 pages I am doing 8 pages for the child’s entire journey in learning audits.

Consistent Presentation Tips: Agree the corporate template – this one!! No set rule: look at your audience and subject area What does it need to cover: A clear title One line description of the audit Key findings: Themes What are we doing well? What are we worried about? Learning / Recommendations / Next steps

Consistent Presentation Presentation Skills training tips: Who has done the training? Don’t put everything on the slide – No more than 6 bullets….Not like this then!!!! 2 mins per slide for me – so ensure your slide numbers fit your time slot. White space and font size – not below 24 for the screen Make it interesting: pictures, quotes etc Don’t read from the slide / screen Print a version that works for you Use your own style and work to your strengths

You know these rules – Don’t let other things get in the way