Children’s Social Care Services Advice, Support and Challenge - Intervention advisers

Tender description

DfE is responsible for supporting improvement in Local Authorities, as part of interventions, in response to failure or weakness in the provision of children’s social care services, including adoption services. The Department is looking to extend the pool of expertise to support authorities through REDIMO2, with a view to drawing down expertise to work directly with a number of local authorities with existing DfE Directions or Improvement Notices, and to other authorities following poor Ofsted judgements, to provide focused challenge and support that decisively turns around performance. Bidders will have an outstanding track record in delivering improvement and experience which may include previous local authority high-profile roles, such as Director/Assistant Director of Children’s Services, as an Ofsted HMI, or companies that provide strategic advice and support to local authorities. We are inviting bids from individuals, organisations and companies who have the expertise to undertake this work. Successful bidders will be matched to individual local authorities according the needs of the local authority, their skill profiles and knowledge, availability, and regional preferences. Suppliers must offer expertise across children’s services and undertake a range of activities: • monitor, support, advise and challenge poor performing local authorities to improve performance and social care practice, including adoption and permanency planning; • provide sharp, evidenced, progress assessments and alert Ministers to any emerging issues; • work collaboratively and engage with DfE officials and senior leadership teams in local authorities, elected members, front line staff and partners in all aspects of support and challenge; and • identify and share good and innovative practice with local authorities and DfE.