NAC-5145 - Independent Advocacy Service for Children and Adults

Lot 1 Service Users The advocacy service will make provision to offer advocacy for children and young people with a focus on the following: Residential Care, Foster Care and Kinship Care Children and young people with additional support needs (this includes autism; ADHD; Learning Disabilities, mental health issues and Physical disabiliites such as sensory impairment etc. Looked after at home Children on the child protection register Those children and young people receiving a service within the scope to the Mental Health Care and Treatment (Scotland) Act 2003. Adolescents receiving a service withn Foxgrove the Medium Secure Residential Unit within the grounds of Ayrshire Central Hospital. Children/Young People in receipt of neurological developmental assessments conducted by or arranged by NHS Ayrshire and Arran Children and Young People’s Metal Health Services (CAMHS). Service Delivery The Service will be delivered in an easily accessible and appropriate venue which is suitable for the child or young person; this will include within the home, in hospital, residential settings and other locations as appropriate. Outcomes Independent children’s advocacy should follow an Outcome model using an outcome approach based on the Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC). The child or young person will chose and agree an achievable number of options from the GIRFEC well being indicators: Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible, Included. Additional information: NAC welcomes expressions of interest from service providers, by completing the questionnaire attached and returning to Andrewkerr@north-ayrshire.gov.uk before close of business Friday, 31st March 2023

Service Users The advocacy service will make provision to offer advocacy for adults over 16 years with a focus on the following: Mental Health Care and Treatment (Scotland) Act 2003 and 2015 (the 2003 Act covers people who have a mental health issue, learning disability, autism or dementia). This will include assisting those individuals who require support at Mental Health Tribunals Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 In receipt of social care. The Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland Report, 2021. Recommendation 8 states “more independent advocacy and brokerage services, including peer services, must be made available to people to ensure that their voices are heard, and help prepare for participation in planning and organising their support.” The Scottish Governments Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards for Scotland. Standard 8: “All people have access to independent advocacy and support for housing, welfare and income needs”. Older people, that is aged 65 and over. Service Availability The Service will be delivered in an easily accessible and appropriate venue which is suitable for the adult; this will include within the home, in hospital, residential settings and other locations as appropriate. The Service will be delivered to those who are residents of North Ayrshire and those who are temporarily residing in North Ayrshire and therefore include those out of area inpatients in Woodland View low secure and residential rehabilitation wards. Outcomes The provider’s will ensure that they can deliver and demonstrate the following service outcomes. National Outcome (1) – Independent advocacy supports people to be better informed about their rights, as well as understanding their needs and wishes and the choices they have. It increases their agency and power to choose their own actions freely, as much as possible. National Outcome (2) – Independent advocacy supports people to recognise, understand and challenge power imbalances that influence their lives. It enables them to challenge these imbalances, to try and realise their rights, needs, and wishes. When someone is unable to take personal action, their advocacy worker will ensure that their rights are upheld. National Outcome (3) – Independent advocacy supports people to know that their voices have been heard and their needs and wishes understood. Individual outcomes will include:- People have a greater awareness, and understanding, of advocacy People are more involved in decision making processes that affect their lives. People have increased choice and control regarding their care arrangements People are more able to advocate for themselves People are more aware of, and able to access, their rights and entitlements. People who use the service are involved in shaping the service and central to the development of a Quality Assurance Framework which is used to obtain stakeholder experiences of advocacy. Services for both lots will also include:- Parents of children subject to child protection procedures People who face a disadvantage on the basis of protected characteristics i.e. ethnicity; disability; religion; age,gender; sexual orientation therefore those people from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities (LGBTQ) Victims of domestic abuse (both male and female) Additional information: NAC welcomes expressions of interest from service providers, by completing the questionnaire attached and returning to Andrewkerr@north-ayrshire.gov.uk before close of business Friday, 31st March 2023