Childrens Independent Visitor Services

Nottinghamshire County Council’s vision for all commissioned services is that they should be of high quality, effective and led by demand, need and the desired outcomes for people in Nottinghamshire. This specification describes the key features of the Independent Visitors Service and the outcomes required. All Local Authorities have a duty to provide an Independent Visitor Service for the children and young people in their care (Children Act 1989; Children and Young Persons Act 2008). The Independent Visitor Service matches volunteers with specific young people on referral by social care workers. Independent visitors (IVs) are volunteers who befriend a child or young person within local authority care, who is isolated and has limited or no family contact. They provide a good, stable, adult role model for the young person, befriending and listening to them. The independent visitor’s functions are to visit, advise and befriend the child. The way these functions are carried out will vary according to the needs and wishes of the individual child. Together they will share a variety of activities which might range from time to talk to active The Provider is responsible for recruiting, assessing, training, and supporting IVs, and co-ordinates, manages and is accountable for the IV service commissioned by the Council. Nottinghamshire County Council has recently commissioned an Advocacy contract which commenced in October 2021. The Independent Visitor service which had previously been procured alongside the advocacy service was not simultaneously tendered, and an interim contract will be in place from October 2021 until March 2022