IA2880 Children & Young People’s Advocacy Independent Visitors, Mediation & Advice Service

Staffordshire County Council are seeking the provision of a Children & Young Person’s Advocacy Service, a Statutory Independent Visitors Service for Children in Care, Independent Persons for Secure Accommodation Reviews, Appropriate Adults for Independent Age Assessments of Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children & Young People and a Parenting Advocacy Service. The Council’s overall aim of the Service is to fulfil their statutory requirements with respect to the availability of independent Advocates to a high standard and improve outcomes for Children & Young People in receipt of the Service. The Provider will do this by ensuring the views of Children & Young People are well represented and where required, they are provided with appropriate Advocacy. The Service will also be required to: Deliver an Independent Visitor programme for Children in Care and Young People. Arrange for an Independent Person to attend Secure Accommodation Reviews as and when required. Arrange for an Appropriate Adults for Independent Age Assessments of Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children & Young People. Deliver a Parenting Advocacy Service for adults who are aged over 25 years of age and have assessed Special Education Needs and Disability or have had a cognitive/capacity assessment that has deemed that the individual lacks the capacity to Advocate for themselves.

The procurement is for two distinct statutory Services that are required by Staffordshire County Council and Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board in relation to the provision of Independent Disagreement Resolution Services for SEND and Independent Mediation Services for Education Health and Care (EHC) Assessments and Reviews. Independent Disagreement Resolution Services will put in place arrangements for manging disagreements across special educational provision, and health and care provision in relation to EHC Plans. A Mediation Service will offer independent Mediation to Parents & Young People and will provide an opportunity to resolve issues linked to requests for an Education, Health and Care Assessment and the outcome of Education, Health, and Care (EHC) Plans Assessments /&Reviews prior to Parents & Young People lodging an appeal via the First-Tier Tribunal.

Staffordshire County Council (lead authority), Herefordshire Council, Shropshire Council, Stoke-On-Trent City Council and Telford & Wrekin Borough Council (together ‘the Partner Local Authorities) are working in collaboration to jointly procure a contract for an Advice and Mediation Service for Fostering Families. The Service is required to ensure that Foster Carers are well supported in carrying out their role as a Foster Carer and ensuring the early resolution of issues. Advice Service Delivering Advice and information to both approved and Prospective Foster Carers, on a wide range of issues which may affect the Foster Carer role and providing Advice and information to Partner Local Authorities where required. Mediation Mediation is defined as the attempt to settle a dispute through a neutral third party. Mediation is a structured process that allows people to negotiate the issues with a hands-on approach.