DoJ Northern Ireland Appropriate Adult Scheme

Tender description

The Northern Ireland Appropriate Adult Scheme (NIAAS) is a Department of Justice sponsored scheme. It does not replace parent/guardian/carer responsibility or the statutory responsibility for people within the care and control of Health and Social Care. Rather the NIAAS provides the service of a trained and independent Appropriate Adult (AA) to support and advise a young person or mentally vulnerable person during detention in police custody when their relative, guardian or carer cannot or will not attend the police station to perform the role of an appropriate adult. Provision of the NIAAS service on a 24/7 basis each day of the year across all designated PSNI custody suites in Northern Ireland (currently there are 16 custody suites although this can change) to assist both juveniles and the mentally disordered, or otherwise mentally vulnerable, persons during the police detention process.