Social work and related services

Tender description

The invitation to tender will seek a contractor(s) to deliver future NAAS assessment activity to children and families social workers and continue to develop digital solutions for programme delivery. The NAAS programme sets a threshold through use of the post qualifying standards against which child and family social workers are assessed and accredited. This helps managers to focus conversations and support on a social worker’s strengths and any areas for continued development. The contractor will need to create a clear plan to ensure the continuation of assessment delivery for social workers, ensuring a smooth transition from the current contract. It is expected the contract notice will be published between November 2020 and January 2021 The contractor will need to create a clear plan to ensure the continuation of assessment delivery for social workers, ensuring a smooth transition from the current contract. A range of programme elements will need to be delivered, which include but may not be limited to: 1) Assessment centre delivery nationally in England; 2) Recruitment and training of assessors and actors as part of assessment centre activity; 3) Planning and undertaking a series of pilots for the potential online assessment delivery, identifying most suitable pilot areas in collaboration with DfE; 4) Maintaining and improving current systems for communication and feedback of results to employers and individuals including a database for securely storing results; 5) Managing and improving the current learning management system (Totara) for dealing with retakes, concerns, queries and appeals processes; 6) Managing engagement with NAAS Site Leads in Local Authorities/Trusts; 7) Working with our programme content provider to deliver content improvements as required. The contract will support the continued embedding and expansion of the National Assessment and Accreditation System for child and family social workers and practice supervisors. The programme may also investigate the feasibility of introducing a Practice Leader assessment. The Department for Education has established an assessment system based on the post qualifying standards for child and family social workers and practice supervisors. Further information on NAAS and the post qualifying standards can be found through the links below, or by contacting the email address provided in the contacting authority section https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-assessment-and-accreditation-system-naas (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/knowledge-and-skills-statements-for-child-and-family-social-work) In brief, the assessment and accreditation model currently consists of: Stage 1: Practice endorsement, a process for managers to support social workers to address practice development needs and prepare for assessment.(This activity is not part of the required service). Stage 2: an online knowledge assessment. Stage 3: an observed interactive practice simulation in a controlled environment with independent assessors. Stage 4: a verbal reflective assessment based on the two scenarios in the practice simulation. Stage 5: a written assessment based on one of the scenarios from the practice simulation. This will be a 12-month contract. There may be an opportunity for an extension of up to 1 year. The Department will continue (during the course of this contract) to work with the supplier to develop digital capability for the assessment and accreditation model. The supplier will work with the department to fully evaluate a number of models to ensure the future programme is cost efficient and maintains the integrity of the NAAS assessment. We would welcome bids from either single suppliers or consortia with relevant experience in assessment delivery and digital development of Totara platform. This notice is intended to provide interested organisations with the opportunity to gain an understanding of a potential Department for Education (DfE) requirement. This notice is for information only and the DfE reserves the right to discontinue the proposed tendering process and not to award the contract and reserves the right at its absolute discretion to amend it at the time of issue or at any other time.