Legal advisory and representation services

Tender description

An advocacy service for parents and young people who make a reference to the Additional Support Needs Tribunal against an education authority's decisions regarding the provision of educational support. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (as amended) provides the legal framework for the provision of additional support for learning. This centres around the concept of support being needed for any reason, for short or long term periods and determined by the individual learning needs of a child or young person. The key duties on education authorities are to identify, make provision for, and review provision for the additional support needs of children and young people for whose education they are responsible. In certain circumstances, the Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland (ASNTS) consider appeals (references) made by parents and young people against decisions of education authorities. The 2004 Act places a legal duty on Scottish Ministers to provide an advocacy service on request and be free of charge to parents and young people who make a reference to the ASNTS against an education authority's decisions regarding the provision of educational support. Therefore the Scottish Government has a requirement to place a contract with an external service provider for the provision of the National Advocacy Service. The contract will commence 1st April 2018 for a maximum period of 36 months.