Provision of Childrens Rights Advocacy and Independent Visitors Services

This is NOT a call for competition or request to participate. Herefordshire Council intends to commence a competitive procurement for the provision of the Children's Rights and Advocacy Service and the Independent Visitors Service. It is anticipated that the procurement will be carried out using the open procedure under the Procurement Act 2023 using the Light Touch Regime permitted under the Procurement Act 2023, Section 9, and therefore applying the flexibilities afforded under the above regulation. The Children's Rights and Advocacy Service supports children and young people to understand and exercise their rights, ensuring that their views, wishes and feelings are heard and represented. The Independent Visitor Service provides children and young people in care with access to a consistent, independent and trusted adult relationship that promotes their wellbeing, resilience and positive outcomes. Both services are statutory functions and play an important role in supporting vulnerable children and young people open to Herefordshire's social care services, whether placed within or outside the county boundaries. The Council intends to procure these services as two separate contract lots, allowing providers to bid for either individual lot or both lots. This approach is intended to maximise competition, encourage participation from a broad range of providers and provide flexibility in the delivery of these services. To provide a children's rights and advocacy service for looked after children, to children who are not looked after but in need, and care leavers aged up to their 25th birthday. This includes providing advocacy for a looked after child, care leavers, and children with a child protection plan. The Council has extended this to provide advocacy to all 16 and 17-year-olds presenting as homeless. The service will recruit, train and support appropriate adult volunteers to act as Independent Visitors for Children and Young People looked after by the Council. The Service shall be available to all Children and Young People in the care of Herefordshire Children's Social Care Services, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), regardless of whether they are placed within or outside of Herefordshire. The Service shall also be available to eligible Care Leavers up to the age of 25, ensuring access to appropriate support in line with their assessed needs and statutory entitlements.