SEPTEMBER 2007 — This handbook compiles the work of 23 organizations to develop standards of care in seven service areas of Namibia. The work was part of a larger process to develop standards in several African countries using the facilitation guide Quality Programs for Orphans and Vulnerable Children: A Facilitator's Guide to Establishing Service Standards, by Lori DiPrete Brown. This booklet responds to a request from participants to share their experiences with other partners and practitioners. But local practitioners also understand that developing standards and guiding people in their use for quality improvement must be ongoing. Continuous revision will be needed to respond to changing circumstances and the most recent evidence and information on quality care. The booklet contains the following:

• Section 1 addresses why standards are needed.
• Section 2 outlines the different parts of a standard and how these are developed in Namibia.
• Section 3 provides a set of standards for seven service areas.
• Section 4 describes a quality improvement process undertaken by four organizations using the standards.
• Section 5 suggests next steps.