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Accreditation+ is a comprehensive accreditation service, guiding organisations through sector‑required accreditation processes with expert support, practical tools, & a clear, achievable roadmap. Whether your organisation is working toward Social Sector Accreditation through Te Kāhui Kāhu or certification under Ngā Paerewa - Health and Disability Services Standards, Accreditation+ ensures you are prepared, confident, & fully supported at every stage.

Why Accreditation+ Exists

Across Aotearoa New Zealand, social service, health, and disability providers operate in environments of high trust, high responsibility, and increasing scrutiny.


Frameworks such as Te Kāhui Kāhu Social Sector Accreditation Standards, and Ngā Paerewa Health and Disability Services Standards exist to ensure organisations can safely, consistently, and accountably deliver services to communities, whānau, and people receiving support.


Accreditation+ exists because many organisations understand why accreditation matters but struggle with how to prepare in a way that is sustainable, calm, and aligned with real practice


Accreditation+ supports organisations to move beyond last‑minute compliance and toward embedded accreditation readiness.


What Accreditation Means

Under Te Kāhui Kāhu, accreditation demonstrates that an organisation:

  • meets the Social Sector Accreditation Standards (SSAS)
  • can safely deliver contracted or regulated services
  • has systems in place for governance, workforce, safety, and continuous improvement


Accreditation is required for organisations holding outcome agreements with partner agencies and for certain regulated services, continuing after accreditation is granted through review and reassessment processes.


Ngā Paerewa sets out outcome‑focused quality and safety requirements for health and disability services. It:

  • emphasises person‑ and whānau‑centred outcomes
  • adopts a modular framework, assessing providers only against relevant sections
  • places strong emphasis on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, cultural safety, equity, and partnership
  • focuses on outcomes rather than prescriptive processes

Common Challenges

Across both frameworks, organisations commonly experience challenges such as:


Demonstrating Practice, Not Just Policy

Both frameworks require organisations to show that policies are implemented, understood, applied and governance oversight is active


Outcome‑Focused Evidence

Ngā Paerewa in particular requires organisations to demonstrate outcomes for people and whānau, not just procedural compliance.


Governance Assurance

Organisations are expected to understand their accountability, demonstrate oversight and engage meaningfully with risk, quality, and improvement


Sustaining Accreditation

Te Kāhui Kāhu accreditation carries ongoing obligations, including review assessments and maintaining standards over time, not just at assessment points.


The Accreditation+ Pathway

The five stages for supporting organisations for accreditation readiness and success.

1: Orientation & Readiness

Improve:

Understanding SSAS criteria and/or relevant Ngā Paerewa modules

Clarifying scope, eligibility, and organisational responsibilities


Focuses on:

Readiness against governance, workforce, safety, and quality expectations

Shared understanding across organisational leadership and boards


2: Build & Align

Improves:

SSAS requirements for policies, procedures, and governance systems

Ngā Paerewa’s outcome‑focused structure


Focuses on:

Aligning policies to practice and mapping evidence to relevant criteria

Ensuring systems reflect cultural safety, equity, and partnership


3: Embed & Test

Intention:

Demonstrating consistency and understanding across the organisation

Ensuring people can articulate how and why systems work


Focuses on:

Scenario testing and identifying practice-policy gaps

Staff and governance confidence


4: Accreditation Event Support

Improves:

Supporting organisations during formal assessment or audit processes


Focus:

Clear, consistent responses

Calm governance and leadership engagement

Accurate capture of feedback and findings


5: Sustain & Strengthen

Improves:

Te Kāhui Kāhu’s ongoing accreditation responsibilities

Ngā Paerewa’s emphasis on continuous improvement and outcomes


Focuses on:

Maintaining readiness between assessments and monitoring drift

Embedding accreditation into governance rhythms


Ready for Accreditation?


Stage 1 is the small first step in your Accreditation+ journey. It gives you a clear picture of where you stand, what's required, and how to move forward. 


What You Get

  • A clear assessment of your accreditation readiness
  • Identification of gaps and key risks
  • A practical, tailored action plan for next steps


No guesswork. Just a clear, confident path forward.


How It Works

  • Discovery Session - We understand your organisation and accreditation goals
  • Focused Review - We assess your existing policies and practices
  • Clear Roadmap - You receive a concise readiness report and action plan


This ensures later stages are efficient, focused, and cost‑effective.

Stage 1 
Fixed Pricing

​

$3,500 + GST

​
✔ Fixed price
✔ No obligation to proceed beyond Stage 1
✔ Designed to save time, cost, and stress later