Unit 7: Referral in Information. Advice or Guidance
The difference between signposting and referral
Signposting and referral take place when it becomes clear that another member of staff, another provider or another agency can offer more appropriate help or support than we can. Someone may be signposted or referred for:
- Further or specialist information, advice or guidance
- Other forms of learning
- Work experience
- Employment opportunities
- Support and so on.
When to signpost and when to refer
There is a distinction to be made between signposting and referral:
- When a person is signposted to further help, they are given all the necessary details to
make an approach. It is then their responsibility to follow this up. - When a person is referred, Association staff take on responsibility for facilitating initial contacts
between the person and the referral point.
Whether someone is signposted or referred will depend on complex factors, including their confidence levels and ease of access to the referral point. It is always a good idea to offer a person both options so that they can choose for themselves.
All signposting and referrals carried out should comply with an organisations procedures, these are often based on the matrix Standard, Gatsby Benchmark or similar.
The following are situations in which a client should be signposted:
- the service required is not or can’t be provided by the adviser as it is beyond
- their authorised level of competence
- specialist legal advice is required that the adviser can’t provide
- another adviser is able to deal with the case more effectively
- the adviser cannot deal with the case due to their workload
- the case needs urgent action that the adviser can’t provide
- the adviser thinks there might be a conflict of interest if they take the case
- the adviser decides to withdraw from a case
Think of an example, within your organisation, of when you would signpost and refer a client. Write these in the comment box.