National Safeguarders Panel Management Service

Tender description

The requirement is for the operation and management of a National Panel of Safeguarders known as the ‘Safeguarders Panel’. Safeguarders are appointed by children’s hearings or sheriffs where there is a requirement to safeguard the interests of the child in the proceedings. The Safeguarder provides the hearing and/or court with an independent assessment of what is in the child’s best interest. Safeguarders are independent from all other agencies involved in the Children’s Hearings System and that independence of practice is a crucial aspect of the role. They are appointed by the Scottish Ministers. Portfolio responsibility falls to the Minister for Children and Young People. The Contractor will make all the necessary arrangements to ensure national consistency in the management of Safeguarders in Scotland and that the required high standards are maintained throughout all Safeguarder appointments in line with the relevant legislation (Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011, the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 (Safeguarders Panel) Regulations 2012 and the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 (Safeguarders: Further Provision) Regulations 2012) and utilising the Practise Standards for Safeguarders and the Performance Support and Monitoring Framework. Lot 1: Safeguarders are a well-established and valued element of the Children’s Hearings System providing independent scrutiny of assessments and plans for children. However, the Safeguarder service had been prone to differing levels of quality in terms of recruitment, appointment and general practice due in part to the fragmented management arrangements across 32 local authorities. The Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 (“ the 2011 Act”) was passed by Parliament on 25th November 2010 and received Royal Assent on 6th January 2011. It is an Act of the Scottish Parliament to restate and amend the law relating to children’s hearings and for connected purposes. One of the key provisions of the Act is the establishment of a National Panel of Safeguarders. Section 32 of the 2011 Act provides that Scottish Ministers must establish the Safeguarders Panel and also gives them a power, by regulation, to make provision in connection with matters relating to the Panel. The Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 (Safeguarders Panel) Regulations 2012 (“the 2012 regulations”) include, among other things, provision on recruitment and selection, appointment and removal, training, fees and the operation and management of the panel. The current supplier is Children 1st. There are currently around 140 serving Safeguarders in Scotland. As part of the contract, there has been the establishment of national Practice Standards and the development of a supporting Performance Support and Monitoring Framework (PSMF) that provides the structure for monitoring and assessing safeguarders’ performance. The Contractor will ensure the operation and management of the Safeguarders Panel between the hours of 8:30 am and 5:00 pm Monday to Friday including some public holidays, where key partners such as the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS), Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) and Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS) are operating and where this is agreed.