Health and social work services

Tender description

Cornwall Council has a specific duty to provide advocacy and independent visitor services for young people aged 6-18. (up to age 25 if the child has and Education Health and Care Plan). Cornwall Council wants to work with you to understand how we can provide an advocacy and independent visitor service that is high quality and affordable. We would like to invite you to attend our engagement event that is likely to be held virtually. We would like to continue to build on our partnership and encourage you to attend. Background The current service provides advocacy to children and young people aged 6-18 who are: • children and young people in care • children and young people involved in child protection proceedings • children and young people with a disability • any child or young person wishing to make a complaint about a service that they have received from Cornwall Council. In addition, independent visitors are to be provided to: • children and young people in care. In June 2019 The Children’s Commissioner produced new guidance in relation to advocacy for children and young people under the age of 18. Children’s entitlement to statutory advocacy is determined by virtue of their circumstances, namely their care status, physical and/or mental health needs, special educational needs and disabilities, or their position in the youth justice system. The following list outlines the updated groups of children who are entitled to statutory advocacy support: • 16- and 17-year olds who are homeless • 16- and 17-year olds who lack mental capacity • care leavers • children and young people in custody • children and young people in England who are detained under the Mental Health Act • children and young people in receipt of social care services (including child protection) who wish to make a representation (including a complaint, and those subject to child protection processes) • children and young people living in children’s homes • children in receipt of health services who wish to make a complaint • children who may continue to need care and support in adulthood • children with special educational needs and disabilities • looked after children and young people who go missing • looked after children whose care and progress are being reviewed Young carers Current provision: • cornwall spends approximately GBP 115 085 per year on the Advocacy and Independent provision each year. Disclaimer notice: This publication is subject to change. It is anticipated it will be an open tender, the feedback from the market engagement event may or may not support this. All dates are provisional and also subject to change. Cornwall Council has a specific duty to provide advocacy and independent visitor services for young people aged 6-18. (up to age 25 if the child has and Education Health and Care Plan). Cornwall Council wants to work with you to understand how we can provide an advocacy and independent visitor service that is high quality and affordable. We would like to invite you to attend our engagement event that is likely to be held virtually. We would like to continue to build on our partnership and encourage you to attend. If you would like to attend, please let us know on your reply slip. The session is to be held: Date time Location reply by noon Tuesday 29 September 2020 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Microsoft Teams Tuesday 22 September 2020 If you are interested in offering advocacy and independent visitor services for young people and would like to come to the workshop please complete the ‘Information Required’ section at the end of this notice and return this via the due north messaging system or email to Michelle.Collins@cornwall.gov.uk by noon on the 22 September 2020. This event is not part of any procurement process. It is purely for information purposes. Questions and matters raised at these meetings may be used by the Council in developing this service. Participation in this event will not prejudice suppliers participating in any future procurement.