Representation, Rights and Advocacy Service

Kent County Council (KCC) is looking for an organisation or a consortium of organisations to deliver a Representation, Rights and Advocacy Service, that includes individual elements that are a recurring statutory requirement for KCC, as defined by the Children’s Act 1989. The aim will be to provide a dedicated service that offers robust, consistent and sustainable support to children, young people and vulnerable adults. The service model will bring together six interconnected elements of support which include: 1. Advocacy for Children in Care and for Care Leavers aged 16 – 24. 2. Independent Visitors for Children in Care aged 8 – 18 years. 3. Independent Persons for Stage 2 complaints under the Children Act 1989. 4. Appropriate Adults for young people aged 10 - 17 years, and vulnerable adults, detained at police custody suites who require support. 5. Accompanying Adults for the purpose of age assessment interviews for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, Children Act 1989. 6. In addition, and in support to the Independent Visitors Service, funding will be provided for 10 places for a Leaving Care Mentoring Service. This additional funding is for young people who turn 18 and who choose to retain the support of the Independent Visitor as a Mentor. The Leaving Care Mentoring Service is not a statutory requirement under the Children’s Act. It is KCC's intention to award the contract for up to 3 years, to begin in April 2022. A set of soft market engagement questions and an opportunity to comment on the proposals at an engagement event, held on a one-to-one basis, will be available to those who express an interest via the Kent Business Portal. Kent County Council is committed to ensuring fairness, openness and transparency and to following EU procurement regulations. The Prior Information Notice (PIN) is issued solely for the purpose of conducting pre-procurement market testing. EOI will be open from 15.00 on the 03/12/2021 to 14.00 on the 10/12/2021.