Information for FIS
What is the National Family Service Directory (NFSD)?
As part of the Parent Know how Directory project, Tribal worked with NAFIS to migrate the existing Signposter/Gingerbread Database into a new database (the National Family Service Directory).
A self-service web portal was built to enable the National Organisation/Services to submit, access and view as well as being able to maintain their service details held within the new database.
The portal is used by registered National Organisations/Services to manage their own records and by NAFIS who will use the portal to manage the process of quality assurance as well as obtaining new and enhancing existing National Organisations/Services information. The data held within the new database will be used to update the Parent Know How Directory.
What information should I expect to find from the NFSD?
The NFSD will supply data of National Organisations/Services as you would expect to find from your own Local Family Service Directory as it utilises the same data structure to be interoperable with your own systems. For a full breakdown of the data you may wish to view the Plain English Guide (insert Hyperlink) which describes each data item in detail.
The NFSD however will not supply regional/localised services of the Parent Organisation/Service; for example...
‘National Service A’ operates across England lobbying government and providing an advice service to the public
The ‘3 Sub Offices’ that run under ‘National Service A’ run specialised or similar localised services regionally/locally.
‘National Service A’ would be supplied by the NFSD whereas the ‘3 Sub Offices’ would need to come from a Local Family Service Directory.
The ‘3 Sub Offices’ therefore requires you to do one of the following...
1. If the localised service works entirely in your Local Authority boundary with no cross over to other LAs you will need to ensure the localised service is entered into your Local Family Service Directory.
2. Engage with your neighbouring Local Authorities to decide who will take ownership of the Regional Service and submit it to the Parent Know How Directory on behalf of all those where the Regional Service takes place.
3. Engage with your neighbouring Local Authorities to decide who will take ownership of the Localised Service and submit it to the Parent Know How Directory on behalf of all those where the Localised Service takes place.
How will I get data from the NFSD and when?
The NFSD will be available from the Parent Know How directory as of the go-live date of the 7th September 2009 and available to download into your own systems from the Parent Know How Directory.
How do I know the information sent via the Aggregator is correct? How often is it updated?
Like your own systems there is a requirement that the NFSD is uploaded with its revised content throughout the day every 24 hours. Similar to that of Childcare providers using self service online facilities the NFSD follows the same path assuring that the information used is the same of that supplied by the National Organisation/Service which helps them keep control of their own data.
NAFIS then runs these updates through a quality control process and it is confirmed with each Organisation/Service before submission and release to the Parent Know How Directory.
How do I add a National Organisation/Service I think is missing?
There are 2 routes:
1. Tell us and we’ll get in contact with them – use our NFSD Submission form here...
2. Tell them to look at our website for further information and they’ll have an opportunity to create themselves an account for submission to the Parent Know How Directory
Who do I contact if I find incorrect information provided by the NFSD?
