Information Service for Parents

Transcription

1 Infmation Service f Parents Website links in Start4Life Infmation Service f Parents s The NHS Start4Life Infmation Service f Parents links to numerous websites. These links are provided to give readers access to the widest possible range of high quality infmation resources on parenting and related subjects. We take great care over the websites we link to and review them regularly, but the Start4Life Infmation Service f Parents is not responsible f the content of those sites. The inclusion of a link in a Start4Life Infmation Service f Parents should not, therefe, be interpreted as an endsement of that site, its content, any product service it may provide. How our links are chosen Befe we link to an external website we perfm a careful check to assess its suitability. We do not link to sites in return f cash, services any other consideration in kind. It is a requirement of all websites that we link to that they meet the essential assurance criteria, agreed by the Start4Life Infmation Service f Parents project board. The essential criteria are that 1. Access to the website is free of charge 2. The website does not require people to register registration is f part of the site only (such as a fum) 3. The website contains content that is appropriate within the context of parenting and related subjects 4. The website is not dominated by advertising 5. The website has a clear distinction between advertisements and non-advertising material 6. The website does not run inappropriate advertising

2 There are also a number of desirable requirements. To see the full list of desirable criteria, see the Assurance criteria table below. Assurance criteria f linking to external sites This checklist will be used to ascertain whether a website meets the criteria f sites the NHS Start4Life Infmation Service f Parents links to. The Start4Life Infmation Service f Parents is keen to link to key providers of good quality infmation on parenting and related subjects. If the site meets the criteria we may include a link to it in our Start4Life Infmation Service f Parents service to parents. Criteria Details Availability Essential 1. Access to website is free of charge. Sites that are not free to access will be Essential 2. Website does not require people to register Registration is f a part of site only (e.g. to discussion fa and distribution of newsletters) and the main pages do not require registration. Essential 3. Website contains content that is appropriate within the context of parenting and related subjects. Sites that require registration and log in to move beyond the first page will be Sites with registration f a small part of the site, f example discussion fa, and sign up f other services e.g. newsletters may be acceptable. Sites with content that is considered by the Start4Life Infmation Service f Parents project board to be inappropriate within the context of the Start4Life Infmation Service f Parents will be

3 Advertising and competing interests Essential 4. Website content is not dominated by advertising. 5. Website has a clear distinction between advertisements and non-advertising material. 6. Website does not run inappropriate advertising. Sites with an unreasonably high level of advertising will be Sites with advertising not clearly identifiable will be Sites running inappropriate advertising will be Sites set up solely f the purposes of dering consumables will be 7. Website clearly states its source(s) of funding and sponsship. Commercial funding sponsship would not rule out a site but sites which fail to point out potential conflicts of interest to their users may be excluded Organisations that do not describe their funding sources on their web sites may be Authity & reliability 8. All website content is regularly updated. Sites should list date of publication and date of update. Sites without date of last update publication may be

4 9. Website is covered by a quality assurance scheme, f example Health on the Net Code, Website has its own quality assurance procedures that are clearly described on the site. 10. Website content provides a useful and valuable contribution to parenting infmation. Websites without a policy f quality assurance may be Sites that simply act as gateways to other sites (unless f a specific reason) may be Accuracy 11. Website content is based on current, good clinical research evidence that is verifiable from other sources. Sites that are simply personal ganisational opinion may be 12. Website reviews and updates content in line with emerging evidence-based material. Websites that do not state their policy f updating content in line with new evidence based development may be 13. Website presents a responsible perspective, reflecting existence of choices. Websites that do not reflect choice where it exists may be

5 14. Website with clinical content infmed with clinical input through a clinical advis board. Sites containing clinical content should always have a process f clinical assurance; sites without this may be Sites without clinical assurance may be User involvement 15. Website has involved parents and/ members of the public in its development Website has taken steps to consider how people will use its website in its development. Design & accessibility Sites that cannot demonstrate evidence of involving users in design, piloting other processes may be 16. Website layout is appropriate f the end user. Websites with po design and navigation and sites prepared without consideration to accessibility f people with disabilities may be Links 17. Website contains link to Infmation Service f Parents sign-up fm from its home page useful links page. Websites that do not link to the Infmation Service f Parents sign-up fm where appropriate may be