(AFC) Joint Advocacy and Independent Visitor Service

Achieving for Children is seeking to appoint a provider or providers working in partnership for the delivery of a Joint Advocacy and Independent Visitor Services across Operational Area 1 (London Borough of Kingston and Richmond) and Operational 2 (Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead). In order to fulfil its statutory Corporate Parenting responsibilities, AfC is seeking to appoint a provider to deliver and manage Children’s Advocacy and Independent Visitor services for its children and young people aged 8-25. These include Children in Need; Children with a Child Protection Plan (CPP); and Children Looked After (CLA); Care Leavers; Young people up to age of 25 with disabilities. The advocacy service will provide representation and support to children and young people aged 8-25( where there is an assessed disability need) to enable them make informed choices and decisions about services they receive which impact on their health and wellbeing. The independent visitor service will provide mentoring and befriending support for children and young people in care who require help in enhancing their social connections, building trusting relationships Achieving for Children is using an Open Procedure for this procurement of services categorised as ‘social and other specific services’ under Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (‘PCR 2015’). This procurement exercise will therefore be subject to the Light Touch Regime (‘LTR’) under Regulations 74 to 77 as set out in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The initial contract period is for 36 months (3 years) from 1st June 2024 - 31st May 2027, with an option to extend for 2 (two) further periods of up to 12 months. The overall contract term is therefore for 60 months (5 years).