2023 - Aberdeen City - Whole Family Support Services

Aberdeen City Council require a Service Provider to provide a service for:

1.Fit Like Family Wellbeing Team

2.New Scots Early Involvement Support

The Service Provider will work with the Fit Like Partnership to deliver on the core aims and principles in a coordinated integrated system of support. Meeting families where they are at and offer support with a family first, strength-based approach.

The Service Provider will provide targeted help for families, children and young people which reduce the need for social work by supporting their identified needs, including but not limited to:

-Parenting routines and boundaries, financial concerns, lack of access to employability skills, unsatisfactory living conditions and low-level mental health issues impacting on confidence and self-esteem.

-Providing whole family support to families with children who have unmet additional support needs which are social in nature and require support to avoid escalation into Social Work with Disabilities team. Working in collaboration with local improvement groups to improve pathways and support for children and their families with ASN & Disabilities. Examples of the level of need include (but are not limited to):

-a young person/child and family with a diagnosis/awaiting diagnosis;

-where there is more than one child/young person in the household with a disability;

-where parents need help in managing routines. These services are not aimed at children and young people who could be described as “struggling at school”.

-Supporting children and young people to re-engage with education/life when their mental health/life circumstances get in the way

-Support to young people who are impacted directly or indirectly by alcohol and substance use

-Children & Young people Mental health issues (anxiety & Low mood) & emotional regulation support

-Family Stress, behavioural support needs, child parent violence, self-injury

-Access to social activities, peer interaction

-Sibling needs – whole family support

-Separated Families, working across households and considering the needs of blended families and their children’s needs.

-Families advocating their child’s needs and navigate the systems to ensure that they can access the right support.

-Practical help, and transport support.

-Financial advice supporting families access wider care services

-Linking in with community supports to facilitate soft touch connection for parents Additional information: Maximum total funding for 5 years including optional extensions (2+1+1+1) is GBP3079613

Aberdeen City Council require targeted help for families, children and young people services are those which reduce the need for social work Intervention with children, young people and their families by supporting those:

-at the margin of statutory social work involvement

-at risk of becoming looked after by the local authority and/or subject to compulsory measures from the Children's Panel

-who need continued support following a period of social work involvement

-Children/young people in Conflict with the Law

Based on current service provision and an expectation that more efficient ways of working will generate more capacity, Service Providers will be expected to work with a minimum of 93 services users at any one time. Additional information: Annual contract value GBP400500. Initial two year term, plus 3x1 year optional extensions, i.e., 2+1+1+1.

Maximum estimated contract value of GBP2002500 for full 5 years.

Aberdeen City Council is seeking to procure a Priority Families Service.

The key aim is to:

Improve whole family outcomes through the delivery of family intervention support to families affected by complex and multiple issues which impact on their life outcomes.

Families will be resident in Aberdeen City Council tenancies and be affected by a range of adverse issues and life experiences which impact on their ability to achieve successful life outcomes. The service will provide a significant opportunity for referred families to take time to reflect, assess and commit to proactively build on their strengths to make the necessary changes to improve their lives.

Referral criteria will typically include anti-social and/or risk-taking behaviour including exploitation, offending, poor mental health/long- term low mood significantly impacting on self-motivation, family functioning and ability to carry out tasks, family breakdown, child/adult conflict, low school attendance and exclusions, communication issues, social isolation, trauma and poor parenting experience.

There are 3 key features to the model to which the successful Service Provider will adhere:

1.Intensive and consistent support by a dedicated Practitioner, appropriate to the level of assessed need.

2.Small caseloads to ensure Practitioners have the necessary capacity and time to dedicate to families and avoid drift.

3.A persistent, assertive and practical, hands-on approach to sustaining engagement, support and continued progress. Additional information: Maximum budget for 5 years including optional extensions (2+1+1+1) is GBP1948114.