It’s official: Contact’s helpline team offers top-rate service

3 mins read

Thursday 16 April 2026

We’re delighted to let you know that Contact’s freephone helpline has been awarded the Helplines Partnership’s Standard accreditation for the fifth time.

The Helplines Standard is the nationally-recognised quality standard which defines and certifies best practice in helpline work. Meeting this standard means our helpline is rated consistent, relevant to the needs of service users and effective.

Achieving re-accreditation for a further three years means parents can be assured they are receiving first-rate information, advice and support from our team. Our advisers can help you with issues such as education, benefits, health, social care and getting support.  

How was our helpline assessed?

The assessment process included:

  • The assessor reviewing documentary evidence produced by the helpline and conducting follow-up interviews with the team.
  • Making test calls, email and chat enquiries to the helpline.
  • In-person observation of the adviser handling enquiries.
  • Conducting telephone interviews with key team members. 

The assessor noted several areas of strength during the assessment process. These included a well-established strategic plan, as well as our advisers’ breadth of knowledge of the parent carer experience, alongside the dedication and professionalism of the team.

Quality backed up parent carers

And it’s not just the Helpline Partnership who’ve rated our helpline service top standard.

Twice a year we run a survey all about our information, advice and support (IAS) services. In March 2026, almost 400 people took part. Of the 370 who answered questions about using our services:

  • 94% were satisfied / very satisfied with our telephone helpline.
  • 89% were satisfied / very satisfied with our website.
  • 88% were satisfied / very satisfied with our helpline team’s email advice.
  • 90% were satisfied / very satisfied with our printed guides and factsheets.

Of the 338 who answered questions about the impact of our services:

  • 92% felt better informed about how to get support.
  • 85% felt more confident.
  • 96% would recommend Contact to others.

Thank you to everyone who took part.

“I can’t really put it into words to show the impact Contact has had on our family. Amazing. Everything is amazing, helpful, easy to understand, made us aware of things we didn’t know before, gave us support when we had none, signposted us to other support we didn’t know we could get. Amazing staff in all aspects of Contact. Thank God for them. Came to our knowledge at a critical time but wish we had known about them years ago! Finally got the right support for our disabled son thanks to the services provided by this God-send group of people!!“

IAS survey responder

Find out more about the Contact helpline and how to get in get in touch with the team.